The age-herald., 1901-09-21
Negro Who Assaulted Miss Garrett Repudiates Con-
 fession on GaNOWs
MILITARY STAND ON GUARD
Bad Arrangement of Hanging Makes Scene More Ghasty-No Signs of Disorder During the
 Execution.
BY JOHN T. EVANS.

BY JOf1N Is ENAN0s
 Ashville. September 20.-(Special.)-Jim Brown, the negro convicted of commit ting a criminal assault upon Miss Dell Garrett. was hanged here today with lie on his lips. Brown died in awful agony. His lower limbs were not bouni, as is customary in legal executions, and the rope around his neck was not prop erly adjusted His neck WAS never broken and he was eighteen minutes in the death struggle Convulsions drew his legs up to his chin and the sight was ghastly He died purely of strangulation.
 The legal execution of Brown is vic tory for those citizens of St. Clair Coun- ty who desired to see law and order pre- served. Among the most prominent of these was the father of the outraged girl. Besides his first foul crime the death of two men may be laid primarily at the negro's door. negro thought to be Brown was shot to death, and Walter Blankenship was killed during an as- sault on the court house at Ashville sev- eral weeks ago.
 In SuIIen Defiance.
 Brown went to the gallows with that sullen defiance which has characterized his every move since the trial. He made no plea for religious advice. When ask ed If he desired a minister he merely said that he didn't care. A preacher prayed with him, bus it is doubtful if Brown paid the least heed. There was no indication of that religious fervor al gro. No half gasped exclamations of T am going to glory-I hope to see you all In heaven." etc. The drop fell before the echo of his last falsehood had scarcely died away.
 Brown declared tosthe last that he was innocent, repudiating the confession he made to several newspaper correspond- ents while being brought to Birmingham after the memorable trial at Ashville. But every man who heard that confes- sion knows it is true. Brown told so many details that 1t could net have been a fake confession. He even described the ground, gave every detail and repeated what he said to Miss Garrett.
 With this lie on his lips Brown said ''the minister may offer prayer if he wants to. Good bye to all," and in eighteen minutes more the most dastard- ly crime known to men had been lega fly avenged. There was not the slightest indication of disorder at any time during the execution.
 Sheriff North Not There.
 Sheriff North was not present during the execution. The entire affair was in charge of Deputy Sheriff Abner Crow, the father-in-law of Sheriff North.
 It Is understood that Sheriff North spent the day in Birmingham, as he did not care to excite any feeling and felt that his presence might have such tendency. A warrant has been issued for him on &C., count of the killing of Walter Blanken- ship on the day of the trial of Brown some weeks ago.
 The execution of Jim Brown Is the first in St. Clair County since 1S7S when John Jackson, negro murderer, was executed by Deputy Sheriff Abner Crow. The Start to AshviIc.
 At 7:55 o'clock yesterday morning a special train on the Alabama Great OOutntIH ItddiIOdu COISlSllIB OI all en- zine in charge of Edward Self and two coaches, left the union passenger station for Whitney, the station nearest Ashvile, carrying Jim Brown, in charge of Depu- ties Treece and Crow of St. Clair County. Chief Deputy Albert Stratford of Jeffer- son County, and 136 picked men from the Jefferson Volunteers, the Birm- | Infantry, all of whom were under com mand of Col. E. L. Higdon of the Third Regiment
 The train arrived at ...4itney at 9 o'clock, and then the four-mile march to Ashville, the county seat of St. Clair County, was begun. The Birmingham Rifles were at the head, and between this command and the woodlawn Light Infantry the prisoner walked, accompan- led by the St. Clair deputies, Deputy Stratford and Colonel Higdon. The Jeff- erson Volunteers in the rear and as a precautionary measure wings scout ed to the left and the right of the moving flank, and 300 paces in the rear a squad of four men under command of Lieutenant Yeatman of the Jefferson Volunteers formed the rear guard.
 Soldiers Fixed Bayonets.
 Several stops were made for water and on reaching the outskirts of the village bayonets were fixed.
 At 10:N o'clock the body of soldiers with the prisoner marched through the center Of town and halted at the county jail
 Residents of the town gathered along the streets to see the procession pass. but at no time during the day was there any tendency shown to modest the negro.
 Brown was placed in a small cell, a guard posted and the other members of the militia relieved until Il: :3O o'clock
 Brown was given dinner in his cell and was asked if he would like to see min ister. His reply was that he would see one If anyone desired to come. The Rev. Dr. Olmstead was called in and offered a prayer for Brown.
 March to Gallows.
 At u:65 o'clock the death march was begun. Brown was assisted to the gall