The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-04-05
EARLY MORN EXECUTION
DEATH RESULTED FROM SIRAN
GULATION.
PROTESTED HIS INNOCENCE 70 THE LAST
Only a Limited Number of Witnesses BeheI(
the Execution, but a Large Crowd
of People Surrounded the Jail :
Story CT the Crime.

J
Rockingham, y. C.. April 1.-(Special.)
The negro rapiSt, John Evans, was
executed this morning at 7:3O o'clock in
rear Of the Jail. The execution was pri-
waite, only about forty persons being
within the enclosure. Over two hun
,lrrl persons surrounded the enclosure,
pndeay0ring to get q glimpse of the
spectacle.
Evans arrived at Rockingham at $50
o'clock in the custody of Sheriff j. NJ.
Smith and his deputy, Mr.. McLaurin
He was Immediately taken to the Jail
1reuhfasted and taken to the gallows
and executed at $50 Il. m.
The criminal Was interviewed by sev-
craI persons, among them Rev. Mr.. Coy
pege. pastor of the Presbyterian church
He firmly maintained his profession of
innocence. His good will to all men
gratitude to his attorneys. tone of whom
Mr.. CIaudius Dockery was at his side
and his readiness to meet his doom. This
he did to the ut
Upon the whole Evans seemed to have
no fear of death. but whether he real
ized the magnitude Of the situation, We
are unable to say.
We heard him make another state
mrnt on the gallowS, and both these
statements were substantially the same
rs he made at Raleigh before leaving
for this place.
The story OF the negro'> crime is toe
well known to require any detailed re
view here.
On the morning Of October End. neal
Rockingham. he waylaid and raped Mis-
Lilly Cole, 4 respectable young whit,
woman, the daughter of Mr.. Frank J.
Cole.
Evans victim was. i'll the early morn
ing. on her Way. with her two younger
SISTERS. to the Pee Dee cotton factory
where they were employed as operatives
The two younger girls, We're in front. ~
was their custom. they went by way OF
Il short cut. through Il small wood bach
of the residence of Capt. Everett.
At the edge of the wood there is Il wire
fence. and i'll a panel of this fence the
wires have been broken from the posts
leaving an opening through which people
could step by slightly STOPPING.
The Younger girls had passed through
the fence. and as one OF them. Mis-:
Matte, got ON the other side she say
Il man crouching down by the side o
the fence. She attempted To notify he
sister, Miss Lilly, but failed to attrac
her attention. As Miss Lilly stopped t.
IaSs through the opening in the fence
the man sprang at her. caught her b.
the throat, choked her to the groun'
and accomplished his devilish purpose
The two girls began to scream, and RAJ
to the house of Il ntighhor. some seventy
five yards from the scene of the out
rage. and ne aud some neighbors hast
med to where Miss Lilly was. The!
found her almost exhausted. and in ;
dazcI condition.. Her clothing was torn
aud the ground bore evidences
at n severe struggle. The girls nccl
was swollen and showed the marks o
fingers and was scratched and bloody
Her head and face We're badly hru:sc'
and beaten. But her assailant had cS
capped.
The whole community was at once
aroused with Indignation and TILED Will
Il desire for vengeance. The rcopl'
were greatly excited. Searching parties
were Immediately organized, and tn
work of securing the face Of the cart
in the hunt for the GHilU MIN was b.
gun. and kept up InrcmitUin9ly unit
Evans was arrested. taken before Mis-
Matte Cole and positively Identified a.
her sisters assa;i,int.
Evans was Immediately October 3Otb
brought to Raleigh to prevent his bein-
Iynched. Here he remained until No
ycmber, when he was t"kcn back Il
Rockingham. tried. convicIrl and son
fenced to die on November Doth. He wa;
then brought back To Raleigh. On
November 24th. the Governor respltct
him for II month to give his lawyers
chance to discover new evidence, which
they claimed they could do.
When the month expired 10 new evi
dcnce had been produced. and tW'
months more time was given. And
third time he was respited. This resplt'
rNpired a week ago. Then for tn
fourth time another resplte-for on
WpcF-Was granted.
During this week certain new cyidenc
uEaiust Evans was discovered. In
sealed his fate. and yesterday. the sen
fence Of the court was carried out.