The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1901-05-02
BAD BANDIT
IS HANGED.
BLACK JACK" kETCHUM
SUFFERS DEATH FOR
TRAIN ROBBERY IN
NEW MEXICO.
A REVOLVING SCENE on TINE cAllows.


Wrote . Letter DECLARING Three Convict
cd Men Innocent OF rhine wss L.sd.r
OF A isobb~r Band.
Clayton, y. NJ, April ID. The
execution Of "Black Jack" Il ketchum,
convicted of train robbery to-day
was witnessed by large crowd. A
thousand cowboys and miners heavi-
ly armed were present 10 preven, any
rescue by outlaws or friends Ketch-
um displayed great nerve. He arose
at 1880 and ate heartily Of break fast.
When asked by the sheriff at what
time he would be ready he replied,
''Oh, suit yourselves. Pm content
cd, just so l arrive in hell for din
ner." He requested music and q
viOlinist was found who went To his
cell and played for two hours.
When he concluded the bandit re-
marked, "That's my last music"
He then wrote u note TO President
Mckinley saying he would die like
a man and requesting him to pardon
three men now serving time i'm the
Santa Fe penitentiary for u crime
which he says was committed by
his brother Sam, now dead, Will
Carver, BrOncha Bill and himself.
He told his attorney to day where
he concealed articles and money
secured in the Southern Pass hold-up
that occurred in Arizona, in 1897.
At ii O'Clock he began dressing
for the gallows. At 1890 he ate
light lunch and sent for a priest.
While he refused to talk TO the
priest he listened to his counsel. At
l:17 he mounted the scaffold firmly
without tremor and aided the
sheriff to adjust the black cap. His
last words were: "Good bye. Dig
my grave deep, please"
When the trap dropped the rope
severed his head from his body as
smoothly as though by knife. The
scene was revolving and made the
strongest grow sick and faint. The
body and head were placed in coffin.
Ketchum's letter to the president
is as follows:
Clayton, N. NJ, April 26, 1901.
His Excellency, the President of
the United States, Washington, ID. G.
"Sir-Being now at the town of
Clayton, Nm, awaiting my execu-
tion which is set for this day, and
realizing the importance of the
liberty of other men and the duty
which | conceive to be incumbent
upon myself, standing in the pres
euce of death, where no human aid
can reach me, desire to cOmmuni-
cate to you by means of this letter
some facts which / deem would be
of interest to people through their
President and perhaps be the means
of liberating innocent men.
"There are now three men in
Santa Fe penitentiary serving SEN
) tences for the robbery of the mail al
Stems, Pass, Ariz., in 1897, viz
Leonard AlbertsOn, Walter Huffman
and Bill Waterman, and they are a.
innocent of the crime as an unborn
babe. The names of the men wht
committed the crime are Dave At
kins, Ed Bullin, VIII Car YER, San
Ketchum, Broncho Bill and myself
I have given to my attorney il
Clayton means by which articles
taken in said robbery may be fount
where we hid them and also TIT
names of witnesses who live in tina
vicinity who will testify that my
, self and the gang were in tha
neighbOrhood both Immediately be
e fore and after the robbery. Tn,
I, fact that these men are innocent ant
are suffering impels me to maxi
this confession. While you canno
help me and while realize that al
: efforts to secure to me q commuta
s tion of my sentence have signal.
t failed, 1 wish to say this much II
the interest of these innocent men
i who, as far as 1 knew, never com
|: mitted a crime in their lives.
= make this statement, fully realizin
that my end is fast approaching an
h that 1 must very soon meet m
maker.
Very respectfully your servant.
"T. E. KETCHUM."
Thomas Ketchum, alias "Blac
h Jack" was the most noted despel
: lado Of the southwest. Although b
Il boosted of having taken the lives {
q many fellow beings, yet he tinall
> paid the forfeit with his own Lii
n for an attempted train robbery i
y which nobody was killed.
IL His crime was committed nes
< Folsom, n. M, August Is, 1s9!
= Single handed, s.Black Jack" hel
n lup Colorado & Southern passengs
,fi train. He ordered the engineer an
4 fireman to uncouple the engine an
y leave the train. The conductor an
% mail agent opened fire on hill
is which he promptly returned. II
n received the contents ofa doub
It barreled shotgun In his right arm
n. but quickly changing the rifle to b
"a left shoulder he succeeded In woun,
! ing both conductor and mail agen
X He then escaped in the darknes
r. but was captured the next day. E
at was tried for assault ON Unite
e states mail agent and sentenced
ten years in the p niientiary. Tit