The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-09-06
Pays Penalty for Murder Of
Will Hardy
SHERIFF SPRINGS The TRAP
The Execution Witnessed by About $50
Persons, a Number of Whom Were
colored--VIslting Sheriffs
Were Present.

Taylor Charleston. the negro convicted
of the murder of Will Hardy on Feb
ruery rs. 1901. was hanged yesterday
at 1900 o'clock in the northeast corner
of the Jefferson county jail yard. Tho
trap was sprung by Sheriff Andrew w.
Burgin.
The neck was fractured by the sudden
drop of eighteen feet. but the physicians
did not declare him dead until 1922
o'clock. they allowing thirteen minutes
for life to become thoroughly extinct.
Drs. Heacock and McAdory and City
Physician Wheelan pronounced him dead,
After the body was cut down 1t was
turned over to A. B. Brody &c Co., the
negro undertakers. whose place of busi-
ness is on Eighteenth street They will
prepare 1t for burial and turn 1t over
to brothers of the dead man. who will
carry it to Ishkadoo for interment. One
of his brothers Is a preacher. the Rev.
Webb Charleston.
The execution was witnessed by about
$50 persons, a number of whom were
colored. Every available place In the
jail yard was occupied by spectators and
visiting sheriffs and deputies from other
places.
Taken From Jail.
At IL o'clock the condemned man was
walked from the Jail through the crowd
of spectators onto the gallows. Two
ministers were with him and walked up
on the scaffold, where a prayer was
offered for him. He was asked II he had
any statement to make, to which he re-
piled yes, and proceeded to say, In clear
voice:
well. thank God, I am prepared to
meet my God in Heaven. l know that
I did not come here to stay always. We
are all on borrowed land and all must
die, and 1 thank God that he has pre-
pared me for His kingdom. We are all
wayfarers. white and colored. AS the
sun comes up in the morning and goes
down behind the hills in the evening,
you are all one day nearer home, and
every man must meet his God.
II have nothing against anyone, and
I will now pray my last prayer in this
world"
Says His Last Prayer.
As he stood with his eyes closed he
said the last prayer ever to be breathed
by his lips. The moose was adjusted
by Deputy Sheriff VIII Love. the black
cap was drawn down tightly over his
face and every final action made ready
for the drop Of the trap. Deputy Sheriff
Love then stepped back, and In a second
the body shot downward to the end of
the rope. rose with a sudden jerk and
then settled in a straight line where 1t
hung until 1t was finally cut down by
the undertakers.
Before saying his last words Charleston
handed Deputy Love a paper, which read
as follows:
List of Murders-Chester McCinstry
kill man; Dug Tison. kill a man: John
Sims, kill a man; Tommie Downie, kill a
man; John Hall. kill a man; Guy Smith,
kill man; George Wind. kill a man; A.
]. Lewis, kill a man; Mr.. SeIars. kill a
man: Mrs. Cook, kill man; Mr.. Coffin.
kill a man; VIII Johnson. kill a man.
Benney Cook. kill man; May Liza, kill
a man; Jerry Denies, killed his wife and
cut her throat; Tom Carter, Bob Ander-
son and Floyd Brown, kill a man."
An Intelligent Negro.
The executed man was 80 years of age
and of more than average intelligence. He
weighed about 1856 pounds, and when the
killing occurred was working at Horse
Creek. The murder was committed on
First avenue, between Eighteenth and
Nineteenth streets on Monday. February
%, 1901, shortly after the noon hour.
Hardy was a one-legged negro and was
shot five times.
After being convicted and sentenced ap-
peals were made and the criminal was
granted a longer lease on life. Finally
ne was sentenced to go to the gallows
on July Is, but an application ror com
mutation of sentence was made and an
other stay in the execution granted. The
board of pardons investigated the case,
but declared they did not think Interior
ence was deserved.
Before going to the gallows religious
services were conducted by the con-
demned man and a number or negro min
listers. Charleston professed TO pc reiig.
iovs and declared that his sins had been