The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-14
1T IS ALL UP WITH SMALL.
PAID DEATH PENALTY FOR MUIR
DER OF POLICEMAN NEVE.

| was Hanged seven minutes AIAcT
the Time Arrived Within Which
the Execution Was to Take Place.
Had No Confession to Make on the
GnIIows-HIs Capture and Trial
Cost the Community over 1900.
His Body Taken in Charge by
Preachers and Will Be Buried
Through Contributions From Col
ored People.
In the secluslon OF the Chatham county
| Jail. without the comforting presence Of
relatives, and accompanied only by few
officers and a minister, Abe Small went
to the gallows yesterday for the murder
| Of Policeman ]. c. Neve, four years ago.
| There was nothing tragic about the exc
! cution, the conduct of the prisoner being a
mere repetition OF that firmness shown
by criminals who become reconciled to the
fate they know awaits them.
SmaHs readiness to meet his doom was
remarkable. The last prayer had been
uttered, the last hymn had been sung,
and everything was arranged for the walk
to the death trap before the hour the law
specifies for the sheriff to perform his
| duty. Several moments before the Off
Gals were expecting the announcement,
Small gave them to understand he was
ready to pay the penalty. For some time
| previous he had been engaged with Rev.
| Prince Black. pastor of the Duffy Street
! Colored Baptist Church. A large number
| of ministers have shown some interest in
the case during its trial in the courts, and
had done all possible to exculpate the ac-
cused. but they were not present at the
execution.
| When 1t was announced that everything
was ready, Deputy Hartigan went to the
cell to conduct Small to the gallows. The
doomed man was dressed in a plain suit
but he did not have on a coat, having
previously requested the privilege of being
executed in his shirt sleeves. He did not
give any reason for this wish. There
were a few articles of clothing left In the
cell, which comprised all Small owned
in the world. Before leaving he spoke to
John Riley prisoner to whom he had be-
come attached and gave him permissi N
to take charge of everything In the cell
| 8,
but he also gave away his body to Rev
| Black, whom he told to dispose of it as
| he saw fit. A previous effort had been
| made to have a sister see that the re-
mains were properly inferred, but 1t seems
she failed to appear in response to
| Smalls request, and for that reason he
had the forethouGht to confde this duty
| 20 the minister.
The march to the gallows was not de-
I Ia fHaT
! condemned men have gone
there. There was the usual
silence caused by the thought of the ter
rble doom the prisoner was soon 10 meet,
| and not a word was uttered by the large
number of prisoners hOcked in the corri-
doris. 1t has been said the fun object les
son of capital punishments are not taught
| by private executions, but the criminal
| class who get most benefit from them,
| generally see enough to know what awaits
| the man condemned for murder. This
| was the case in the jail corridors as Small
| passed down them, utterng a faint fare
| well to the prisoners with whom he has
been confined so long, and admonishing
| them to do the right if they would shun
| The awful fate he was then to meet. With
| out making any exceptions he grasped the
| hand of every man, told them goodbye,
and assured them he had made peace with
| his Creator. II am now In a world of m
| Justice" he said but l will soon be in
a world of justice"
Leaving all but the officers, the minister,
and County Physician T. b. Chisholm be-
| hind, Small stood at the threshold of the
cell in which he was to drop. He mad been
singing before, and at the cell he began
again, after which he muttered a pray
err When all things We're in readiness, the
doomed man walked steadily into the cell,
where he stood while the death warrant
was read by Sheriff Roman. Another
hymn was sung by the minister Small
joining in with much spirit, after which
the final preparations were begun. A let
ter containing assurances of his redemp-
ton, and also advice for the living, was
passed by Small TO the minister, but he
Ola not have any statement to make. 1t
was thought he might say something with
reference TO the killing for which he was
in an instant to pay the death penalty, but
his lips were sealed as 10 the charges
against him. He was asked if he had any
thing to say, but he made no reference to
the trial having cleared that of his mind
and prepared himself for the worst. When
the black cap had been adjusted, Small
stood on the center of the trap, his hands
| tied behind and his feet securely dashed.
The iron doors clashed, and those stand
ing about either closed their ears, or
} started for the lower floor to get glimpse
of the body. Not a murmer was to be
heard.
At 1O:O7 o'clock the trap was sprung
and the body of the man that terrorized
the law-abidng people of Chatham coun-
{ ty for years was a swinging corpse. In
fourteen minutes after the drop the ply
stefan pronounced Small dead. His body
was then removed from the cell, placed
| in a crude pine coffin, covered with piece
of oil cloth, and taken to the outside
where an undertakers wagon was wait
ing,
The crowd gathered about the place in
spite of the police officers rushed to the
rear entrance. Small's sister had created
a scene a short time before by going into
t Mysteries on hearing what she supposed
to be the clash of the drop, and had run
up a side street, screaming in a loud
manner. This may have helped to get
more at the place. 1t appeared the coun-
ty would have to take charge of the body
but a number of charitable colored people
came to the rescue, and arrangements
were made to bury the dead man in a
2