The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-02
AWAITING HIS DOOM
GEORGE MITCHELL To BE HANGED
TODAY.
THE SILENT DEATH WATCH,
SINGLE SENTRY GUARDS THE
DOOMED MAN DURING THE NIGHT.

Hangman's Cell without Aid-The
Eleventh Execution in the New
Jail, but the First Rapist to BE
Legally Hanged i'm This County.
| Condemned Man Occupies Cell OPP
| pOsite to the One in which He
Will BE overwhelmingly Gazed
at the Rope While Fellow Prison
ers Chnnted and Prayed for Him.
The first legal execution in the his
tory of Chatham county for criminal
assault will take place shortly after
| 10 o'clock this morning, when George
Mitchell will step on the false floor of
| Cell No. 35. Every preparation has
been made for the hanging and the
adjusting of the knot, the donning OF
| the black cap, the reading of the death
warrant and the touch of the spring, is
| all that remains to be done.
| The condemned man was baptized
yesterday by Rev. Prince Black, and
| says that he is prepared to die He
has confessed his double crime, and is
ready to pay the penalty. For weeks he
has been praying alone and during the
last few days has heard the words of
the colored ministers.
Since the day that he was sentenced
Mitchell has been a model prisoner,
and the death watch last night con-
sisted of the lone turnkey, and the
night Jailer, in the office below. At
10 o'clock Mitchell was awake and
| talked to a representative of the Morn
ing News. The doomed man appeared
in good spirits, and expressed the be-
lief that he will be able to walk to
the fatal cell unsupported. He has no
fear of breaking down. but it is not
believed that his nerve will hold out.
The scene at the Jail was a rather
weird one, and a single incandescent
light Illuminated the corridor on the
second floor, where the prisoners charg-
ed with felonies are kept. The lone
sentry paced nervously by the side of
the cell, occupied by Mitchell, and the
low chant of some of those confined on
the floor, keeping time with the reg
ular tread of the turnkey, caused the
atmosphere in the building to become
heavy with an uncanny ozone.
Mitchell occupies cell No IS, which
is directly opposite the one in which
he will be hanged. While some of the
other prisoners chanted for him he
stood silently at the door of his cell,
and gazed on the piece of waxed rope
waiting for it's victim. The very cell
seemed eager to have him step with
in. He will be it's eleventh victim 1t
mas been a little over two years since
1t has been in use.
Although Mitchell did not sing or
pray, he seemed to take an interest in
what his friends on the floor were do
ing for him. Henry Brooks, the con-
victed murderer of Patrolman Harry
Fender, occupies the cell next to the
one in which the executions take place.
BROOKS sang in a clear voice, and pray
ed for Mitchell during the night He
and Mitchell became quite friendly
during their confinement on the same
floor. Mitchell seemed to like to hear
the others sing and pray more than to
take any part in the services. He had
spent several hours during the day
with Rev. Black, and he had nothing
more to say. He had also been visited
by his mother and she had given him
words of encouragement. There was
nothing more to do, and the doomed
prisoner decided that before retiring he
would wait until the arrival of the first
hour of the day upon which he goes to
his fate. Sometime after midnight he
sound asleep
Breakfast to-day will be the CON
demned mans last meal, and will be
different from any that he has re-
ceived since his confinement. He will
not be given the same fare accorded
the other prisoners, but will have a
special meal Rev. Prince Black will
be on hand by that time, and the re-
naming three hours will be devoted to
the reading of scripture and the sing
ing of psalms.
When the prisoners are called at
o'clock, the usual hour for breakfast,
they will be sent to the northern wing
of the building on each floor, and will
be kept as far as possible from the
cell in which the execution will take
place. There is but one United States
prisoner in jail-a white man charged
with counterfeiting-and he will be
sent to the police station house while |
Mitchell is being hanged. Assistant
District Attorney Leaken arranged this
matter yesterday There were three
government prisoners in Jail, but two
were released during the day on their |
own recogniZance in order that they |
might not witness, or even be near |
the execution. To witness hanging |
is a trying ordeal, and would affect |
a man of steel. The government Off |
GERS never force one of their prisoners |
to be near when a hanging is taking |
place, and it's usual policy will be car
ried out in this case.
The story of Mitchells crime has |
been told in the Morning News, and |
was a particularly brutal one. He |
struck down and criminally assaulted |
two women of his own race. They |
were picking blackberries on Hutchin-
sons Island, and Mitchell was arrested |
several days later. Since his conviction |
he has never hoped to escape the gal |
lows. He will be the eleventh negro |
hanged in the new Jail, although the.
first ever executed for rape in this |
county. Only one man with the death |
sentence hanging over his head ever |
cheated the cell. Isaac Simmons, a ne |
gro murderer. died the day before the |
one set for his execution. when the Jail |
was first built. The customary Gordon |
of patrolmen will be kept outside the |
Jail to keep the curious crowd back.
Usually the negroes gather several |
hours before the hanging and wait UNI
til the drop has fallen.