Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-07-19
THREE NEGROES DIE
ON SAME SCAFFOLD
First Legitimate Execution
In Nashville.
TRAP SPRUNG AT 1915

Over 3, 900 People Assembled without
the Jail Enclosure, but the Best of
Order Prevailed During the Execu-
tion of the Doomed Men.
NASHVILLE, July 18.-The first legiti-
mate execution ever witnessed in this
county took place this morning when
three negroes were suspended from the
same scaffold. The hanging took place
in the jailyard aud was witnessed by
about 200 people.
The condemned were Babe Battise,
Queer Thompson and Abe Petway and
they calmly mounted the steps and took
their places on the trap without exhibit.
ing the least evidence of trepidation.
Thompson and Petway made short talks
IN which they proclaimed their limo.
nence in the pardon Of their sins and
Battlse spoke rather intelligently for
over five minutes about his hopes of the
hereafter and admOnished his hearers
to escheW his example. The caps were
then adjusted and the trap was sprung
at 1915 by Sheriff Hurt. The drop was
about 5 feet and the men were pro-
nOunCed dead within 13 minutes Pet
way and Battise had their necks broken
and Thompson succumbed to strangula-
ton. The bodies were delivered to the
undertakers.
There were about 5000 outside the
jail while the execution was being con.
Quoted and the best of order prevailed.
story of Petway's Crime.
The crime for which Petway paid the
penalty was the murder of an old white
man named Wrenn, on the night of
May 81, 1900. The old man owned a
small grocery and was supposed to have
accumulated considerable money and
the cupidity of Petway and his pals
led to the murder. Lewis Bridges and
Eli Webb who, with Petway, were
tenants of old man Wrenn and occu-
pied rooms i'll the rear of the grocery,
were arrested as accessories. Petway
confessed that Bridges and Webb killed
Wrenn while he kept watch on the out
side and that he was to receive $40 as
his share of the blood money. Petway
and Bridges were sentenced to be
hanged last No 5ember but appealed to
the supreme court The sentenced of
the former was affirmed and the latter
was 9LdutGu Il u6W IIlbl. I6UWdy WAS
respited in order that he might testify
against his accomplices, but the attor-
ney general did not use him for the rea-
son that he refused to talk and denied
all knowledge of the crime. The case
against Bridges and Webb will be tried
at the next term of the court.
Crime of Battise and Thompson.
Battise and Thompson were hanged
for the brutal murder of Cain Miller, a
negro spOtter for the police. Thompson
was the proprietor of the "Bucket of
Blood, notorious dive in Blackbot.
tom and he was heard to say to Battise
that he would fix Miller The murder
was committed on the night of Dec. s,
1899, and BaUtise and Thompson were
under duress within two hours after the
commission of the deed. Thompson
charged Battise with the crime and to
the last he affirmed his innocence.
Battise at the first proclaimed his
guiltlessness. but finally admitted that
he killed Miller and said 1T was done at
the instance of Thompson, under whose
complete domination he was The evi-
dence brought out the truth of Battise's
statement and showed him to be the
tool of Thompson, who planned the
whole affair.
The men were sentenced to hang on
the seventh of last May, but were re-
spited until June Is and the second time
until tod ".