The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-03
Life Prolonged By a Dream.


People may laugh at the idea Divisions
! and dreams" in the last days OF this
the nineteenth century. but 1t was a
dream that caused Governor Taylor 10
grant the thirty days respite TO Harvey
DE Berry.
Gov. Taylor did not dream the dream,
but a man from Memphis did. lie Is a
man OF influence. a man who has weight
with the powers that be. lie does not
believe i'm dreams But he Is just mar.
which may follow inasmuch as at one
time before he followed his present call
ing. his name was written at the head or
a list Of the Memphis bar. and had he
continued therein. he might now occupy
a seat In Congressional halls, II not In the
Executive chair.
This gentleman was out OF the city on
business while the DE Berry trial was
going on, and returned after the sentence
had been passed, but knew nothing OF
the occurrence. He was very tired, and
after he had slept for some hours on
the night Of his return. he awoke with
a start for II seemed to him that some
one said TO him in a very emphatic tone.
"'That Niger must not hang. lie sat up
I'm bed turned on the light, ana wheh
he found every one asleep he awakened
his wife and asked her If she bad called
him or If the children had called. Wnen
assured i'm the negative he turned OUT the
light and lay down. He could think of
no one in his knowledge who was under
sentence OF hanging or who was in dam
ger of lynching. After a long time he
cropped asleep but only 10 have dream
that was 80 horrible that It's fortunes
were akin 10 a nightmare. lie thought
he was under sentence OF death, but for
what he did not know. and that one OF
his dearest friends was to be the hang
man. He suffered untold agonies in
ms sleep. He was in the condemned cell
and none of his friends appeared to be do
ing anything 10 help him. and he was TO
die. he knew not for what. but FOR some
crime of which ne was innocent. Finally,
when IL was but ten minutes TO o'clock.
he called to his friend. the hangmen. as
he took out his watch, 1T IS only ten
minutes now until ] am 10 be hanged.
You know 1 am innocent. and won So
please go out and see some one and see II
you can't save me2
The hangman left the jail, but the pris-
oner stood. watch in hand. counting the
minutes as they sped by. Each one SEEM
ed an interminable age. Then the appoint
ed hour. o'clock. passed. and after awhile
the hangman returned with heavy steps
and apparently a heavy heart. As soon
as he was inside the grating the prisoner
called to him. 1T is all right now. The
hour is past, and you cannot legally hang
me now
AT this point the dreamer awoke TO
find himself in a cold perspiraton. holding
his watch in his hand. He tried in vain
TO disDel the horrible feeling, but could
not. and was afraid 10 go TO sleep again,
lest he dream it a third time lie said
10 himself: Yes. you would know how
10 get out If YOU were 10 be hanged
but this Door negro does not know what
10 do" He got up and went down stairs
and sat on the gallery and smoked until
his morning paper came. and he opened
it eagerly TO see II any one was TO be
hanged, and then he saw how De Berry
was under sentence Of death and that
all appeals to the Governor for a respite
fell on deaf ears. The article also stated
that the reason Of his counsel for asking
this was some important evidence that
had been introduced. He read on through
the paper trying to wear off the bad
effects OF the nights dreams. but in vain.
They haunted him throughout the entire
day until he almost dreaded to 90 20
bed and to sleep.
He thought the matter over carefully
and calmly came TO the conclusion that
If there there was a shadow Of doubt OF
the negros guilt in all justice he ought
| he ought TO have the thirty days respite
| that the matter might be thoroughly In
! vestigated. Having made up his mind
10 this. he stepped to the telephone and
dictated the following message To Gov.
Tavlor: Grant De Berry thirty days
respite for good reasons" and signed his
name few hours afterWard the respite
came: get no one. not even De Berry
or his attorney knew why it came after
all the delay.-Memphis Commercial APP
peal.