The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-25
TOM JONES' SPENDING
LAST WEEK ON EARTH
He Will Be Hung August the
Thirty-First'
SIX DAYS MORE TO LIVE
He Says He is Prepared to Go. He
Sold His Body For $40.
NE WILL JOIN ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
The Galows Have Been Completed and Stands
Five Feet from Toms Cell, in Sight
Of His Window. All Per-
mits Been Issued
mits Been Issued

This is Tom Jones last week upon
earth.
p The gallows on which he is
to pay the penalty for the murder OF
Ella Jones and her four children was
completed yesterday. And on yester-
day Tom Jones had just one week
more to live and one of those precious
days has slipped past, in irrepocable
and relentless fight, and he
is, twenty-four hours nearer his DOOM
a doom for which he declares himself
prepared
There is a scant five feet of space
between the cell in which he lives and
the gallows on which he is to die.
Every stroke of the hammer was aud
ible to the condemned man, and every
screech of the saw as it tore through
the timbers could be plainly heard;
every movement Of the carpenters
could be seen from his window as
they went about their grisly work on
the death trap, and snatches of laugh
ter and talk foated I'm through the
barred grating of the cell windows.
tom, how do you feel?' asked a
News and Observer reporter Of him
yesterday.
Il feels very well, | thank We, sir
was his reply.
He was then asked about the crime,
and why he committed it.
you see" said he 81 don't like to
say anything about it much. It's all
done past now. and | guess we had
best prepare for the future and he
wouldn't say anything else about it,.
Tom then polled little greasy cate
chism through the bars. Father
Griffin give it to me-" explained he,
and I've been studying it. He came
to see me oftener than anybody else. "
The father is To baptize Tom next
Monday, and receive him into the
Cs tholic church He will also be with
him On the day of the execution. The
book. although new. showed that it
was constantly used. Tom saws he
advises all negroes to let whiskev
alone, to mind their own business and
to Join the Catholic church. #
"Well. Tom. is there anything we
can do for you?" he was asked
Tenn asked for q piece Of tobacco.
"What kind of.tobaccO do you lille?'
he was asked
Tom replied. 81 always accepts
what is given me gratefully" It
makes me think of the mercies of
God" He was suffering as he spoke
the last words. and seemed unable to
control his voice.
I'm the same cell with Tom are
Louis Council, the negro who raped
a white woman near Fayetteville and
was brought here for safe keeping,
and Tom Smith. who is in for the
murder of a white man in Johnson
county.
Tom has sold his body to DR.. Good
win for $1,000. With this money he
intends to make himself as comfort
able as possible until next Friday.
He has contracted with Rochelle, who
has n restaurant, to furnish his meals,
and he also keeps supply of ice wa
ter. The remainder of the money
will be used in securing little deIica-
cieS and cOnvenienceS not included in
jail fare.
a small space has been enclosed at
the rear of the jail with board. sixteen
feet high. The platform to the gal
lows is about 12X12 feet. and is six
feet from the ground. The beam to
which the roDe will be fastened is
about eight feet above the platform
and a drop of about six feet will be
allowed. The trap door is three feet
SQUARE. hinged at the inner edge, and
the outer edge rests upon a crossbar
which will be knocked from position
by The lever, which will precipitate
Tom to his death. The gear, cords
and triggers. are already in position.
and heavy iron ball is to be attached
to the trap door to cause it to drop
quickly. ~.
The law requires that there shall
be present to witness an execution not
less than eighteen nor more than thir-
tv-siX persons. This does not include
the guards, nor sheriff and his depu-
ties, who may necessarily be connect
ed with the execution. All the places
have been long ago taken, though re-
quests for permits come daily to the
sheriffs office. Sheriff Page and
Deputy Separll will be in charge of
the execution. The physicians who
are to attend have not yet been Sc
lected.