The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-13
BOWENs' NECK WAS BROKEN.
WIFE MURDERER EXPIATED HIS
CRIME WITH HIS LIFE.

AhilhN1 " - n ms III -
Re..enS Joined in the Religious Ex-
ercises Held in His Cell and at the
Trap. and Sang While the Moose
was Being Adjusted-He Babe
Isaiah scott Farewell and the Lat
ter Wcpt BitterIy-Bowens' Body
Claimed by His Relatives and Will
he hurled at White BIuH.
For the third time in the last four
months the gallows in the county jail was
used yesterday, and with the fail Of the
trap the guilty soul of Toby Bowens was
released from his body. The trap was
sprung at 1865 o'clock and the murderer's
neck broken by the fall. Eleven minutes
afterwards life was pronounced extinct.
Several negro preachers, headed by Rev.
Prince Black, came 10 the Jail at o'clock
in the morning and went Immediately to
Bowens cell. They found him already
awake and engaged in singing hymns and
praying for mercy. He had passed
good night and joined heartily in the relig
ious exercises that Rev. Black then began
and which were continued, almost with
of the preachers prayed and sang ana
Bowens listened attentively to all the ex-
ercises, responding frequently to some
particularly earnest plea in his behalf
with a fervent amen.
A few minutes before 10 O'Clock the war
rant for his execution was read TO the
condemned man and following this solemn
E1ouane ont IF he cell
that he had been occupying and conducted
to the door of that in which the gallows is
located. Here the procession halted, and
Rev. Black offered the last prayer for the
soul of the man who was about to suffer
the extreme penalty of the law Bowens
made a short statement just before the
bonds were adjusted, with only a bare ref
erence, however, to the crime that he had
committed, and which he was about 10 ex-
plate with his life. He urged the people
about him TO be careful of their lives and
works and 10 make earnest efforts 10 with
stand temptation. He said he was men,
Der of the church. even a the time that he
had killed his wife, but that through fail
ure TO watch and guard his own evil in
clinations he had been led into sin. He
quoted Matthew 264: watch and pray
that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit
indeed is willing but the flesh is weak"
After he had been bound the condemned
man commenced TO sing the hymn, I'VE
Shall Drink This Wine Together" and
continued TO sing even after he had been
placed upon the door of the trap, and did
not cease until the moose had been adjusted
around his neck and the black cap slipped
over his head.
Al 1905 the trap was sprung. and the
body fell eleven feet into the cell below
Bowens neck was broken and death was
instantaneous, though the heart continued
to beat several minutes. 1t was allowed
TO remain suspended for twenty-four min
utes, nd was then cut down.
The body of Bowens was claimed by his
relatives, and was turned over to them
by the county authorities. 1t was con-
veyed to Nicholson Church, near White
Bluff and will be buried from that place
this morning or afternoon. II is said that
Bowens was a member of Nicholson
Church, and a number of his relatives re-
side in the locality in which 1t is situated
A dramatic incident of the farewells
which condemned murderers are always
allowed to make 10 their fellow prisoners
in the jail was the effect produced by
Bowens advice to Isaiah Scott the negro
who killed his wife on the night of May 2
and surrendered himself to the police a
day or two afterwards Scott was ex-
horted 10 pray and 10 take warning from
the fate that had overtaken Bowens for
the same offense that the former had so
recently committed. Scott broke down
completely, and, with his face buried in
his hands, wept bitterly. Hitherto he has
been perfectly stoical in his demeanor,
and has shown no sign of remorse or self
reproach, unless his surrender and partial
confession made to the police can be deem
ed evidences of such emotions.
The execution of Bowens was supposed to
have been in private and representatives
OF the newspapers were not admitted on
that plea, Among those who witnessed
the execution, however, were two nom
officials-business men-who were present
by the Invitation of one of the county
officers. The negro preachers and their
assistants were out in force