The morning news., 1897-06-19
DELK NERvED FOR HIS DEATH
NECK NOT BROKEN AND LIFE END
ED BY sTRANGULATION.

Proclaimed His Father Innocent and
Expressed the Hope That He
Would Not he Hanged-Said Bad
Company and whisky Caused His
DOvnfaII-BeIIeved His Sins Had
Been Forgiven-His Sisters Weep
as If Their Hearts Would Break.
Zebulon, Ga, June 1S.-To-day, upon a
scaffold which had been erected in mead
ow about 400 yards north of the Jail, Tom
Delk. the noted young outlaw, paid the
penalty of death for the killing of Sheriff
Gwynn on April 2, 1896.
About 1000 people were here, bent on
seeing the young murderer
Tom bade his sisters good-by at z
o'clock. They wept as though their
hearts would break when leaving the Jail
Tom was carried from his cell in the
jail at ;55 o'clock and placed in a car
rlage and driven to the gallows.
He made a short statement, showing
he had not done right, and that bad COM
pany and strong drink was the cause of
his downfall. He said he was ready and
willing to go, that his sins had been for
given and he was prepared to meet his
God.
Rev. J. A. Wright led in a short prayer.
followed by Delk.
Delk's last words were: ~'My father is
not guilty and 1 hope and pray that the
good people will find it out and not pun
ish him for the murder of Sheriff Gwynn."
Tom was as cool as a cucumber, and ne
met death as bravely as a lion
The death trap was sprung at 2:OS
o'clock, and like bullet he shot through
seven feet of space into eternity. In
eleven minutes he was pronounced dead
by the physicians, and at 2:24 o'clock his
body was cut down and turned over to
Undertaken Howell to prepare for burial.
His remains were sent to Atlanta this af-
ternoon for burial. He died from strangu-
lation.
The killing of Sheriff Gwynn was the
most brutal that ever occurred in Pike
county. on April %, 1885, Sheriff Gwynn
with a posse of six men, went to the
house of old man Taylor Delk, a noted
outlaw to arrest him, on a charge of rob-
berry The posse arrived at Delk's house
about O'Clock. The sheriff after station
ing his men around the house, went to the
front door and demanded entrance.
Who is it?" came the inquiry from
within.
Sheriff Gwynn, and I want to get in,"
was the reply.
There was muttering on the inside and
the sheriff was notified that 1.-The first
d-m man that tried to enter would be
killed"
The speaker was Tom Delk, who at that
time was an escaped convict, for whom
there was a reward of $500.
Sheriff Gwynn made another demand for
entrance, and was told that he could come
in alone. The sheriff asked to carry one
man, which was refused. He was then
asked how many men he had, and five
was the reply.
We'll, you are not coming in," replied
voice, which was recognized as that of
Tom Langford, perhaps the most desper-
ate character of the gang, and who is still
fugitive of the law. Langford told the
sheriff that he would give him and his
posse two minutes to leave the house At
this juucture one of the posse, who had
seen Tom Delk with a Winchester in his
hand called for Mr.. Gwynn to come to him
and make different arrangements. AS he
was walking away there was a report
of a Winchester rifle from within the
house, and the sheriff fell to the ground
within a few feet of the front door steps.
AS he was being removed another shot
was fired and Hon. John f. Madden, a
former representative of this county, fell
mortally wounded.
The gang got out of the windows and
escaped. They were hunted by detectives
and in the early part of May old man
Delk was captured by Officers Hewitt, Me-
haffy, Loney and an uncle of Tom Lang
ford, who had betrayed the Delks. Tom
was with his father at the time of his
capture, but escaped unhurt He was cap
tured later. however, by ]. H. McWil-
Hanson, a squirrel hunter, after des-
perate fight, lasting for several minutes
Both of the Delks were brought to Zebu-
Ion on the fourth Monday in May They
We're tried. convicted and sentenced to
hang on the same gallows.
A motion for a new trial was made and
refused. IL went to the supreme court
and the old man was given a new trial
on the ground that the judge did not al
low him time to get his lawyer, whom
he had already employed. He was tried
given a new trial, as one of the Jurors
was distant relative of the deceased.
Tom was respited time after time, un-
ill the present climax of his career.
Atlanta, Ca, June 1S.-The body of Tom
Deik was brought here near midnight to-
night and now lies in the undertaking es-
tablishment of John f. Barclay The
| body is to be embalmed tonight and bur
| led tomorrow afternoon from the home of
| the unfortunate mother. IL looks as
| corpses generally do except that the pur-
| pie ring about the neck is something hor-
rible.
Il