The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-03-19
Local News.
WEDNESDAY, MAR. 10, 1902.
Oliver Greer Executed.

A'OH NANSAt CbC yCui- hCSiO WIZ
was convicted at the February term of
Court for criminally assaulting mai
den lady near Belton on the Sth of last
December paid the penalty Of his
crime last Friday morning, the day
which the Court set apart for him to be
hanged.
The morning dawned bright and
clear, there was quite a crowd from the
country in the city, and Sheriff Green
had hundreds OF applications for per-
mlts to see the execution, but he con-
fined himself to the number limited by
law.
About 10 o'clock very large crowd,
both white and black, old and young
had gathered in the street facing the
Jail, but the Anderson Rifles had been
ordered out and were on guard duty,
and they had very little trouJic in
keeping the people out of the jail yard.
The gallows had been erected in tho
rear Of the Jail and was concealed from
the public view by very high plank
fence. which had been erected cspc-
clally Tor the occasion. The best Of
order prevailed, and Sheriff Green was
very successful in all the plans ar
ranged for the unpleasant duty he had
to perform.
Rev. o. j. Copeland, who had frc-
qucntly visited the prisoner, spent Il
short while in his cell, after he had
been dressed for the occasion, talked
with and read Il few Scriptural lessons
to him. The poor negro did not seem
to he excited, was, indeed, very cool
and calm, and told Mr.. Copeland that
he was guilty of the crime, deserved
his punishment, and WAS willing and
ready to meet death
at II o'clock Sheriff Green, accom-
panied by his Deputies, entered Grcrr's
cell, read the death warrant to him,
brought him out into t!... cnrri.!or and
placed tho black robe upon him. From
there he was lead out of the door and
riGht up the steps to the platform sur
'"rn'ling the gallows, where the ply
cians and few witnesses stood. Tho
prisoner walked with steady, firm
step, with the Deputies on each side OF
him, and seemed less nervous or ex-
cltHu than any other person on the
platform. Indeed. his GOODNESS and
self cOmposure was remarkable, and
he did not exhibit the lenst bit Of emo
ton.
Sheriff Green asked the prisoner if he
had anything to say. "No, sir, moth
ing" he replied in u low tone.
Mr.. Copeland then said: "Oliver,
you can state il you are ready to die,
can't you9" "Ycs, sir, / am ready to
die, and believe my sins are forgiven
he replied. Are you trusting in the
Saviour?' Mr.. Copeland asked. "Yes,
sir,' he replied. ri am trusting in Him
alone"
Sheriff Green pulled the black cap
over the negro's face and moved him
backward until he stood on the center
OF the trap. The moose was then nd
justed about his neck and his feet
bound together. Mr.. Copeland offered
most fervenE> eloquent four-minute
prayer for the negro, and as he uttered
"Amcn" Sheriff Green, who had gone
down to the bottom stop, stepped on
the trigger, the trap fell and the ne
gro's body fell about six feet. There
was only very slight drawing up of
the body, rs if drawing long breath,
and it apparently hung lifeless from
that moment. His neck was broken by
the fall. and in eight minutes the ply
sicians could not detect beat of the
pulse and pronounced him dead. The
body was taken down, placed in a n eat
coffin and turned over to his mother
and other relatives, who carried it to
Bolton for burial.
Greer was about IS years of age,
about 6 feet tall, weighed probably $50
pounds and was q pure negro. He did
not have a repulsive countcnance and
possessed more intelligence perhaps
= than the average negro. He could
read and write. and on the morning of
ihls execution wrote letter to his
another, which he gave to Mr.. Copeland
to deliver. The following is a copy of
the letter, with the correction of some
lof his spelling:
Iolyer Greer. TO my Dear Mother.
10, Anderson Jail. March IA, 1902.
"Oh dear and loving mother: Please
don't grieve after me for am paying
1.-the penalty due mo for the crime
committed. Tell them all not to grieve
Tor me. am ready to die and leave
the world. will soon be in heaven
nov: Rev. Parker and Bro. Rutledge
and Bro. Pinckney and the white min
listers of the Gospel have been very
kind to me. And Jesus, the son of
God, has saved my soul from the end
LESS death. Oliver Greer.