The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1902-10-23
JIM BUCHANAN is
LEGALLY HANGED
TRIED BY COURT AND SEN
FENCED TO DEATH
WAS WILLING TO DIE
Details Regarding Remarkable
Execution of q Most
Foul Fierd

Buchanan, the negro murderer and
rapist, was yesterday brought to
Nacogdoches from the East Texas
p~enitentiary. accompanied by five
companies OF militia, On arrival he
was turned over to the Sheriff, and
the telegraph wires were cut, the
engine of the special train ran out
OF town aud the people made prep
arations to get the negro. District
court was at once convened, the
grand jury impanelled without de-
lay, and the Negroes plea of guilty
accepted by the court. The Judge
ordered that the death sentence be
executed November II, but the
crowd would not brook delay. The
negro waived the thirty days allow
ed him by law in which to prepare
for death, and work was begun at
once in erecting the scaffold III the
public square. The people poured
in from the country as the news
spread and at II O'Clock Buchanan
was hanged legally by SheriffSprad-
ley in the presence ola great crowd.
THE SCAFFOLD
was q very peculiar looking affair,
three posts fifteen feet high being
put together forming n tripod, and
bracod at tho top with a heavy bolt.
Into this was fastened d pulley and
coil of now rope.
Mr.. Imboden made an earnest ap-
peal to the oitizens to restrain them-
selves, to fire no shots md to so con-
duct themselves at tho execution to
follow as to stamp them as law
abiding citizens carrying out a sacred
duty. He stated that hundreds of
citizens were hen on thoir way to
the execution and he asked that it
be delayed until the evening trains
arrived. Many in tho crowd thought
1t a scheme on the part of the au-
thorities to gain time to spirit the
prisoner away IL excitement ran
high. Some favored the immediate
burning of the negro. This was cried
down and finally Mr.. Imboden put
the hour of execution to a vote and
800 o'clock was selected.
Then Major Raines. commandment OF
the militia, made an address OH b.
half of the soldiers who, he said,
had an unpleasant duty to perform,
but who. if they had to, were able
to do it and would Edo it. He said
the sheriff's orders would be obeyed
to the letter that he had plenty OF
men and ammunition and could get
more.
The crowd then thinncd out and
it was supposed that all would DO
quiet until 8 80 O'Clock.
OMNIBUS MOVEMENTS
But the crowd was not satisfied
with the delay and in a little while
they were observed to be gathering
pine wood and packing boxes and sew
eral cans of kerosene oil. This caus-
cd a change of plans and it was On
nounced that the execution would
take place at once.
h word was passed about and
soon thousands of persons filled the
public square and in all of the win
dows in the stores surrounding the
open ground were crowds of speota-
tors, including many ladies who
were there to witness the execution.
Mr.. John Garrison mounted the
scaffold and addressed the crowd and
urged thom to be orderly and not fire
a shot at the hanging negro. He
impressed on his fellow citizens the
fact that they were doing a sacred
duty and urged them not to maj the
good work by indiscriminate shoot
ing and perhaps the shedding of in
nooent blood.
The greatest e~oxitement now pre-.
vailed and perspiring men pushed
through the crowd to gain O better
vantage point to view the execution.
The bugle of the militia was Gail.
ing the men together, the ropes on
the scaffold were being tested and,
all together. the scene was pictur,
esqe in the extreme.
THE EXECUTION
The condemned man was brought
out of the court house by Sheriff
Spradley and Sheriff Matthews. The
military formed a hollow so uars
about him and then the cayalcads
marched across the court house square
towards the galiows, q distance o.
about fifty yards.
Hazlehurst, Miss, Oct. lS.-Wil,
Ctnntoxd noora hnS ham con