The age-herald., 1898-02-26
BILL SCOTT, THE
 TRIPLE MURDERER Paid the Legal Penalty on the GallOWS
 Yesterday. HE KILLED JOHN SINGLEY A Peaceful Farmer, and His Wife and
 Son. ROBBERY THE TENDS INTENT Scott Had Been in the Employ of His Victim for Ten Years and Was Aware That He
 Had Money Hoarded.
ROBBERY THE TENDS INTENT
Special to The Age Herald.

day paid the legal penalty for one of the foulest crimes that ever besmirched the criminal annals of Alabama. One cold, rainy night during last December Scott murdered John A. Sngley, his wife and his 12-year-old son, robbery being the intent. Greensboro was crowded with people to- day. They struggled for every point of vantage about the jail and finally hun dreds sealed the high stockades around the scaffold to witness the dying struggle of the condemned negro. On Wednesday Bill was brought from Selma to suffer the pen alty of the law. Not until yesterday did he seem to realize his position. When he did he was in terrible state of mind, and towards the close of the day was bordering on insanity. He was given nervine to quiet him, and last night he slept we'll This morning he was calm and had a long conversation with two colored ministers, in which he expressed himself as ready to die.
 Not Afraid to Meet His Cod
 He said he was not afraid to meet his God, his conscience was clear, for he had told the truth about the crime This was an allusion to his testimony before the court, in which he implicated two other negroes. Since his return from Selma he has refused to speak of the murder.
 At Il o'clock he was brought from the jail by the sheriff and his deputies. He ascended the steps of the platform with a firm tread. He was calmer than many who witnessed the execution Deputy Webster adjusted the moose, Sheriff Torbert tied his legs and asked if he had anything to say. He made a. rambling talk, in which he said he wanted both black and white to take warning from his fate and never to be guilty of his crime; that he had promised his Maker he wp,.d meet Him on this day: cfa Inc ,,la tfax.,~ of death, and that 1t was but the beginning or the Journey which would land him into the presence of his God. He complained he could not talk for the noise of the crowd then scaling in countless numbers the stockade around the jail enclosing the gal. lows.
 After he had finished Deputies Webster and Walker fastened the black cap Sher- tiff Torbett satd: "Bil, are you readyY' to which Bill replied Ready" The trap was sprung by the sheriff and Bills soul was launched into eternity. His neck was bro- ken and in fifteen minutes almost without struggle he was pronounced dead. There was not a hitch or pebble in the proceed dngs. His remains were buried by the sheriff, his family failing to claim the body.
 The Horrible Crime
 Bill Scott had for ten years been in the employ of John A. Singley, who was prosperous farmer. On the pretext that he believed there was a stray mule in the sta- ble, Scott enticed his victim from his resi- dence, and when they had proceeded 200 yards, when he felled him to the ground by a powerful blow as he would a beef. After crawling about in the mud with the cold rain beating upon his face, the dying man finally attracted the attention of passer-by and the neighborhood was then. aroused.
 On going to the farm house the horror of the party was transformed into a frenzy by the discovery of the body of Mrs. Sing erly with ther skull crushed and throat cut. In an adjoining room the body of the boy, who had been dispatched by the same bru- tai method was found.
 By morning this dismal story had been beralded far and wide Hundreds of peo- pie came from all portions of Hale county ito witness the scene of the most heinous crime ever known in that section of Ala bama.
 Told Who Murdered Him
 But there is a cruelty pathetc side of the story, as we'll as the horrible. Old man Singerly lived nearly all of the following day in a thoroughly sane and conscious condition. No attempt was made to even dress the unsightly gash of the knife, as such an endeavor would have necessarily stopped his breathing. Of course he could not speak, but out of his eyes came stare Shat told of all the demon-hxe horror of his realization. He knew that his wife and child were lying cold under the same roof. He answered scores of questions by simply bowing or giving the negative mo- tion of his head. Many test questions were put and he was found perfectly conscious to the last.
 He declared that Bill Scott struck him and cut his throat that Scott was alone, and many other questions were answered that have thrown considerable light on the murder that must have otherwise remained mystery. '.
 The intent of the murder was robbery. It was generally known among the tenants of the place and even among all his neigh bors that MT. Singley was hoarder or gole, and that large sums or money were Sent continually on hand. He advanced money to his negroes and took mortgages upon their crops Through this channel tenants had an inkling of their landlords financial condition, and he seemed to place unusual confidence and trust in their fidel- ity.
 Got Seven Hundred Dollars The murderer obtained $700 in money,