The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-09
MET DEATH WITHOUT AFLINCH
BRISTOW GRAHAM HANGED FOR
THE MURDER OF BEN WILSON.

Nodded to the HanRman when He
Was Ready to Coils Neck Broken
by the FaII-Died without Making
"a statement-The Crime for Which
He Paid the Penalty.
Bristow Graham walked to the gallows
\ with marvellous nerve in the Chatham
county Jail yesterday and paid the death
penalty for the murder of Ben Wilson,
whom he killed in Yamacraw two years
ago in a gamblers quarrel.
Graham was without affectionate rela-
tives to linger in the corridors and bid
| him farewell. which materially lessened
the impressiveness of the occasion.
The execution was Witnessed by about
thirty people, most of whom were officials.
Besides the officers having the execution
in charge. was one of the county commits
sioners. several ministers, two physi-
clans, the newspaper men, the coroner and
the undertaken who was to take charge
of the body. All were assembled in the
jailor's office on the first floor with the
exception of one or two of the officers and
the ministers, who were holding services
with Graham in the cell on the upper
floor. This was conducted very quietly
and without singing, there being scarcely
an audible report from any part of the
jail.
The final legal proceeding was the read
ing of the death warrant which was done
The first thing after the legal hour Ora
ham stood up in the presence of the Off
Ger who read 1t and listened attentively
to the order which conferred the power
on the sheriff to take the extraordinary
action. BY the time the warrant was read
the ministers were ready to bagin services,
which were continued until Graham ex-
pressed the belief that he had made his
peace.
Eleven O'clock was fixed as the hour
for Graham to start from his cell to the
execution cell. The ministers governed
themselves accordingly, and offered the
last prayer in time for Graham to bid the
other prisoners farewell, all of whom had
been removed from the cells below to the
upper floor, where they were almost be-
yond hearing of what took place. From
one to the other he went shaking hands
to follow than most of the other prisoners.
The rounds were made among the awe
stricken crowd until Abe Small, now I'M
der sentence to hang, was approached.
Graham grasped Smalrs hand and said as
he looked him squarely. in the face:
"Good-by. I want you to prepare to die
Pray hard and put no confidence in men"
The warning had a decided effect on
Small, who doubtless realized more than
ever the awful fate he is soon to meet
unless the lenient arm of the law reaches
out to him.
Deputy Sheriff Hartigan appeared
promptly at II O'clock on the stairway,
which overlooks the jailers office, and an
nounced to Sheriff Roman and those gath
| cred that Graham was ready. The sheriff
| went inside the Jail, accompanied by two
| others, and had the doors opened leading
| to the large middle corridor on the second
| floor from which the execution cell is en-
| tered. The ministers went down first and
| were preceded by Rev. ]. J. Durham, pas
| tor of the Second African Church. Ora
ham was near the rear, and walked stead
| ily He was dressed in black suit and
| wore light slippers. On reaching the
window facing the sjailer's office, he reach
| ed down and called for Night Jailer Kinch-
| ley, who walked up and babe him fare
well. Jailer Strickland was also called
| for and told Graham he had been a well
| behaved prisoner. There was not trem-
| BILE in Graham's hand as he extended 1t,
notwithstanding he was to die within five
| minutes.
| Walking into the main corridor the Of
| ficers began lacing him about the arms
and legs, preparatory TO the drop. At the
same time those in the jailer's Office were
admitted to the Jail proper. Not a word
| was murmured by Graham to any while
| he Loo 4
eyes he kept moving his lips as though
mumbing a prayer. and continued this
| until the black cap was adjusted Moth
| ing was said to him by the ministers, most
| all of whom stood on the outside and
| closely watched the process of adjusting
| the moose and placing Graham in the prop
| er position on the trap. All being done
the officers left the cell, closed the door
and left Graham, who could be seen
through the bars, standing as steady and
| apparently lifeiess as a stone. The crisis
was about reached and several who did
not wish to hear the drop, walked a few
feet away and tightly closed their ears
Sheriff Roman walked to the cell door
and asked Graham If he was ready. If
there was a reply it was very faint but
| he nodded his head in assent. The ut
| most quiet prevailed and not a sound could
be heard, so attentive was every one.
| Then, may the Lord have mercy on
YOU" repeated the sheriff. and with the
last word the trap fell with scarcely any
noise. on account of the pads against
which the doors struck. 1t was then II 13
O'Clock. Life was extinct within fourteen
minutes, as the drop of eight and one-half
feet had broken Grahams neck. The body
was taken down after being suspended
twenty-four minutes and turned over 20
the coroner, who had a coffin near the cell
ready for il.
The crime for which Graham hung was
the murder of Ben Wilson Sept /, 1896
The circumstances were such as to deprive
the case of any mitigation on the part of
| Graham, who committed the deed after
he had ample time to reconsider his rash
purpose.
From the evidence il was shown that
there were something like twenty negroes
in a small room playing cards and shoot
| ing craps. Graham and Wilson were play
ing together and about O'Clock in the
| afternoon the former took offense at some
move in the game which he claimed was
| fraud. Wilson was asked to refund a
small amount he had won from Graham
but refused to do so. Graham declared he
would get even with Wilson and left the