The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-21
STORY FROM BIRMINGHAM.
Escorted from Jefferson Jail by the
 Militia.

Birmingham, Sept. 20.-iSpeciaD- Brown, the St. Clair county negro rapist, was hanged at Ashville at noon today. Brown was taken to the county seat of St Clair county this morning, escorted from this city by two companies of the Srd Regiment, under command of Colonel E. L. Higdon, the negro having been in Jail here for safe keeping since his ar- rest in Charleston, $. C., in July. The party recahed Whitney on special train at s o'clock and then marched overland three miles to Ashville. On arriving at that place 1t was found that there were q large number of people in town but all was quiet. Brown was taken at once to the jail and locked up. He was sullen and morose and refused to talk. A little later he asked to See minister and Rev. Dr. Olmstead called upon him and held pray CT service. At noon Chief Deputy Sherin Albert Stradford of Birmingham, Chief Deputy Crow of St. Clair county and sever al other deputies accompanied the condemned man to the scanold, which had been erected in the jail yard.
 No Trouble Occurred.
 fence twelve feet high had been built around the jail, but as the scatrold outside of the enclosure could easily see the condemned man as he stood upon the death trap. Colonel Higdon and his troops were on hand, but all was orderly. When asked if he had anything to say, the pris- oner repudiated his former confession and declared that he was innocent. Regarding his previous confession he said:
 T just told them that because they bothered me so."
 He also stated that his name was not Jim Brown but John Wilson and that his home was at Walford, s. c. After a prayer by pr. Olmstead Colonel Higdon drew the black cap over the face of the negro while Deputy Stradford pinioned his arms. MT. Crow pulled the trigger he hfadX dnXUn Faat t1,1 long fall did not break his neck and he died of strangulation, kicking and struK- gling violently. The body hung for eight cen minutes before the man was pro- nounced dead. It was eight minutes after F when the drop fell. The gates were then opened and the crowd was permitted to come in and view the grewsome spec tacle.
 Sheriff North Was Absent.
 Sheriff J. L. North was not present at the execution. A warrant was recently ing him with killing Walter Bin ksnship who was o,t1sns shGt to stte1Htt6 6est6 te take the prisoner from the sherin' 8 force immediately after the trial and conviction on August P. It Is understood absented himself today because of a desire not to excite any undue feeling, there being considerable animosity to- ward him on account of his action in re- ing the Birmingham troops returned to this city this afternoon.
 The crime for which Jim Brown was hanged was Q criminal assault upon Miss Deli Garrett, committed near Spring Ville on May 2, last. It was a particularly brutal affair. After assaultlng and out raging the person of the young woman, Brown attempted to drown her She plead piteous1Y for her life and after forcing her to promise that she would not tell who attacked her he let her so. The girls screams brought help to her soon efter the negro had he'd. The crime caused great excitement throughout the community and armed bodies of men