San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-12-26
\ A Triple Hl||gllg
THE EXECUTION OF HITE,
mccarthy, THOMAS. AND
LEWIS.
Written for the Light.

Written for the Light
In the month Of December in '92,
ON the morning of the 18th or there
abouts, an unusual connection was
displayed by the morbidly curious.
Ever since sentence had been passed
on these four unfortunate wretches,
their daily life, was made a topic of
news in general. IL one of them
gaped rather loud or seemed gloomy,
which was not out of reason, consid-
ering their circumstances and envi-
ronments, the Journal, Post and Com
mercial each and every one gave
detailed account of which was eager
ly snatched up and read and comment
ed on by the crowd, and now that
their doom was positively sealed, this
same crowd manifested a particular
desire for witnessing one of the most
gruesome but lawful proceedings of
civilized humanity. AS early as
a. m. doors could be seen opened eau
tiously and men emerged forth wrap
ped in heavy overcoats and stared
about them guilty. They could be
seen walking in pairs, their heads in
clined towards each other and speak
| ing in a low tone. Meeting on
the corners they would exchange the
usuai greetings and walk rapidly as if
afraid of being too late. A large crowd
had assembled in front of the prison
awaiting for the gate on the side to
be opened. Across the street in sa-
loon was congregated another mob.
Some were laughing and shouting and
a few were quite boisterous. Knots
of them were standing together max
ing predictions as TO the outcome.
Which ones would die the gamest and
so forth. After an hour or more of
waiting during the interval ofEwhich
the crowd showed its displeasure by
| muttering various imprecations on the
heads of the Jail officials the great
gate on the side was opened and a
wild rush was made to get in. Many
had not taken the precaution to get
| pass and were thrust aside. Between
the prison and the outer wall there is
| a narrow court which leads to the
yard where the scaffold was erected,
and through this narrow passage the
| crowd rushed pell nell like so many
| cattle.
| 1t was very dark, but the light of some
lanterns hung promiscuOusly about,
| the outlines of the scaffOld with the
| four ropes all creased and properly
| adjusted stood out hard as If against
a background of pitch. The crowd
stood by and made various comments
| upon the probabilities and improbab-
ilities of their meeting such fate
Some were impressed with the idea
| that they could stand il if they had
i tn xxyac fpanzip0 clinhtlxv al
was much stamping Of feet against
the cold brick. Many of them had
brought whiskey, which was drank
freely with no attempt at disguise.
While moving about like so many cat
tie and sheep some of them became
highly incensed at having their cOrns
bruised and not few disturbances of
this kind had to be quelled, and the
principals elected by the police. The
crowd behaved much after the man.
ner of lot of h0odlums at a circus,
and time and again they were implor-
ed by the officials to keep quiet. The
| grey dawn broke forth; the clock in
| the courthouse tolled 1t had been
| tolling their death knell for the past
five months. Presently the upper
| windows in the surrounding houses
were opened and uncovered heads
and scared faces made their appear
ance. Small boys and men We're TAX
ing positions on telegraph poles out
side the walls. In the second story
| windows of the court house were seen
well dressed men and women with
| opera glasses taking in the situation
pointedly. The reporters were in
| their places, pads in hand. A pho
tographer was adjusting his appara-
tus. An artist in large fur overcoat
was sketching the scene. Voices are
heard singing. 1t must be the con-
demned men going through their last
| religious rites. There was a cOmmo-
ton in the crowd caused by the arri-
| val of the prisoners. They were
making the death march. Steve Hite
| was the first to mount the scatfold.
| He walked over to the sheriff and ask
| ed him in a tone scarcely audible
| where he wanted him TO stand. The
| sheriff did not answer, but motioned
| his hand to the first trap on the right
hand side. On this side of the mach
| inc of death were the four collins lined
| in a row preparatory to receiving
| their bodies after being cut down,
| and as Hite turned to go to his place
he glanced at them, but did not waver.
Never did this man show any attempt
at bravado except when the death
| sentence was passed on him when he
| lit cob pipe and said they could hang
him if they wanted to, that he didn't
/ care. He had brown mustache and
| chin beard, small black eyes, rather
close together surmounted by bushy
eyebrows. An attempt had been
made to comb and brush his shaggy
mop of hair. His thin face was
deathly pale, but in a great meas
ure due to his prison life. James
Mccarthy, the next man, stepped to
his place like the cowardly cur that
he surely was. He had to be support
ed up the steps. Grant Thomas, the
/ man who was convicted on circum-
stantial evidence walked upon the
scaffold, cigar in mouth as If going to
picnic. He laughed and chatted
with the crowd and showed the least
concern of anyone present. Nelson
Lewis went to his place a badly