The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-02
HANGED BUT NOW FREE
STRANGER THAN FICTION
Rescued After the Drop Fell-A Mirac u
lous Escape From a Shameful
Death-W Was Afterwards
Pardoned-

jackson, Miss, Jan.1 -will Purvis Is
a once prosperous and prominent young
farmer. who was hanged by the Sheriff
OF Marion county. Miss, -four years
ago. He is moi only alive and well to-
day, but Is the happiest man in the
state, having Just been pardoned by the
governor n released from a life SEN
tence in the penitentiary. which was
given him three years g in lieu OF
another experience on the gallows.
Stranger by far than fiction is the
story Of Purvis' life. and his escape
from death on the gallows makes a re-
chapter in the history of
criminal Jurisprudence in this state. not
only for the reason that the hand OF
Providence Is generally believed to have
interviewed to save an innocent man
from an ignominious death on the GAL
lows. but because of the disastrous eff
feet Ii had on the whitecap organiza-
tons with which the southeastern por-
ton OF the state was at that time in
tested and cursed.
During and previous to 1895 several
counties, noticeably Marion, were sim
ply overrun with whitecaps-they init
midated white people who happened to
incur their displeasure. and whipped,
terrorized and ran OFF the negroes. The
decent white farmers OF the communi-
ties thus depopulated OF laborers ap-
pealed to the courts, but evidence to
convict suspected parties was hard to
procure.
The whitecappers were bound to
each other by the most solemn and
blood-curdling oaths-to 'squeal' on a
comrade In crime meant death, and one
OF the band was seldom, IL ever, known
TO turn states evidence. 1t was about
this time. 1895. that Will Buckley, one
of the Marion county band. was sus-
pected OF having a white liver and
IL was decided that he must be silenced
forever. The band called a meeting, at
which time they were to select one of
their number to do the killing. Buck
ley did not attend this second meeting,
but a few days thereafter. while re-
turning from the county town. where
IL is said he gave the grand jury the
names of several Of the leaders of the
gang. he was shot from ambush and
instantly killed. The brother of the
dead man testified that he saw and rec
ognized Will Purvis by the flash of the
gun. and as he ran from M scene. On
this n other circumstantial evidence
Purvis was convicted and sentenced
to be hanged.
The day of execution arrived, and
thousands of people from Marion and
adjoining counties were there to see
the boy die. Relatives, friends and
.neighbors surrounded the gallows,
which had been erected in an open
field so that all could have a fair view
of the ceremony. Purvis walked brave-
ly up the gallows steps, declaring mis-
innocence of the crime. The black cap
was adjusted, the minister said a pray
er for the repose of his soul, and the
drop fell.
The hangman's moose, however. had
not been properly adjusted. and his in
tended victim, after dangling and quiv-
ering a moment between heaven and
earth, fell to the ground with a groan
of agony. The officers made an effort
to get their victim back on the scat
fold for another trial, but the Mortified
spectators surged around and over the
ropes i'm vigorous protest against a Gee
n attempt at legalized murder.
Purvis was rescued from the very
jaws of death and taken to Jail by his
friends. who declared that the hand of
Providence had been felt and seen, and
that there should be no hanging. In this
the day OF execution went by, and
in due course of time the supreme court
set another. In the interim Purvis'
stormed the Jail and released
him from custody. He was counted on
a swift horse and escorted out of the
county. All efforts of the state to locate
him were unavailing. but about one
year later he returned of his own ac-
cord and surrendered to the sheriff.
Shortly after that Governor McLaurin
Purvis' sentence to imprison-
ment for life, and he was brought up
to Jackson. He has been a model pris-
oner. buoyed up by the hope that SOON
err or later he would be p~ardoned.
During the past several months the
has received thousands of let
ters asking hat the young man be set
at liberty. the brother and the uncle of
the man murdered joining in the mon
ster petition that was sent up from his
old home in Marion county. The judge.
the district attorney, the jury, and all
others concerned in the conviction OF
petitioned for the pardon, and
general impression here Is that the
did a more gracious act
than I'm granting the petition in this
case. II.
When Purvis received notice THAI he
was a free man he was at work on the
state convict farm in Rankin county.
and is said to i've been so rejoiced hat
hA ohaA fearo ~ alaAnAss I