Birmingham state herald., 1897-07-31
DON'T LET ME FEAR DEATHo
's Zig Newell in His SuppIication With tfe
 Moose Round Ills Neck.
BE MURDERER OF WRIGHT CRAWFORD
Pays the Penalty of His Eeinous Crime on the Gallows-Briet Review of the Awful Deed-Tom Townsend's
 Sentence Committed.

'Seiind, Ala, July 3O.-(Special. )-Amid Impressive ceremonies and witnessed by about twenty people within the jail and with perhaps 300 on the outside, Mills, alias Pig Newell, paid the penalty of his crim9 today on the gallows. Services were conducted in the cell of the doomsd man after which he was led into the tower, where the execution was to occur. The preachers sang My Latest Sun Is Sinking Fast" and after the reading of the twenty-third Psalm, Newell knelt down and began to pray:
 He said: Father in heaven, come and go with me on this journey. Don't It me fear death. Thsre is a means to prevent pain; let death pass through my body as a man walking through cold water. Tn s is my last prayer on earth. Serh two angels down to carry my soul to heaven. Amen.'
 His legs were then pinnions1.
 "Pib," said Sheriff Lumpkin, do you realize what is about to be done to you?"
 Yes sir"
 You are going, Pig, where you have never bsten before. Have you made your pe1ce with G9d?"
 Yes sir" came slowly from the trsmb- lirg lips.
 To the crowd the negro spoke through the window as follows What l got to say is l warlt to tell you all goodbye, anu u pIeBdic lO ilttl Int OH shore Where is my father? I wan tt see his face"
 From out of the crowd an old negro lifted his hands, and the murderer said:
 Well, pa, if don't see you any more prepare Ito m2et me in heaven"
 "I will" came from the old negro's throat, and several of the women in the The drop fell at 1924, and he was cut down at 12:49. Sheriff Lumpkin pulled the trigger.
 The prime for urbHab Nrau,s1I ,,as l,r,o- today was the killing of Wright Craw- ford 5as't December and attempting to burn his body afterwards. He was con- vfcted by the county court and the dsci- sion affirmed by the supreme court
 Last night Nh H. Rhodes, prominent young mechanic of Selma, arrived in the city and registered at the Metropolitan, %'sere ] Siate Herald reporter iEter- viewed him on the hanging alf Rhea gave the story willingly an1 the facts gleaned are as follows.
 Pig" Newell was hung shortly bsfore l2 50 o'clock in the jail enclosure. About twenty persons were on the inside, but over 200 crowded windows and other available places on the outside and suc- ceeded in getting review of the pro- ceedings. Everything was conducted smoothly and without hitch. The crowd was orderly and sense of gen eral satisfaction prevailed.
 Pig did not confess his crime nor speak Of it on the scaffold. 1Ie prayed fer vently and. turning to his ged father, he told him goodbye an1 said that lie would meet him in heaven He wanted everybody to meet him op Jordan's shore.
 FULL ACCOUNT OF THE CRIME.
 The crime for which Pig Newell paid the penalty yesterday was the murder of Wright Crawford, a negro, who had &C., cused him of stealing chickens Pig asked Crawford to go through the woods with him to get one of the chickens and, when in it's depths, he shn; his com panion with load If broken rocks put In shot gun. He then piled rubbish around him and set fire to the heap. All that was ever found of the unfortunate vic tim was a suspender
 Three days after Pig was arrested while at work in cotton field. The crime was committed about eight miles from Selma.
 He was convicted on his first trial. iut took an appeal which was decided against him. He then asked clemency Of the governor and this was denied him.
 TOWNSEND COMMITTED.
 Another negro is in the Selma jail and was to have been hanged yesterday, but Coy. Johnston commuted his sentence to life imprisonment This negro is Tom Townsend, who was convicted for killing young coored lad at q dance { Christmas. Townsend who was on spree, told the boy not to darce any mora but the lad persisted wh,rsur on Town send shot him. He took ar appeal which was denied him, but an appeal to he gov- ernOr secured a communication.