The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-04
NO W0MAN'S JOB
PLEASURE OF HANGING A MAN MAY
BE PLUCKED FROM MRS. HALL.
NOT DUE PROCESS OF LAW.
PROMINENT JURIsT DISCUSSES THE
BERRIEN COUNTY CASE.

Trap That Will Launch BOisy Bry-
ant, the Negro Murderer of Her
Father, Into Eternity-Sherift
swindIe Has Accorded Her the Per
missiOn-It Is Believed the Judge
of the Circuit May Intervene to
Prevent the Woman Acting the
SheriR's Part-She Cannot be Made
Deputy-Mrs. Halls story.
1t is a question whether Mrs. Ella
Hall of Adel, Berrien county, will ever
be able to carry into effect her cher
ished plan for the execution of Boisy
Bryant, the negro murderer of her
father. This arm of the law may be
interposed to prevent her from spring
ing the trap that will launch Bryant
into eternity
Readers of the Morning News will
recall that this Mrs. Hall was granted
permission by Sheriff Swindle of Ber-
rien county to spring the trap She
wrote him that it was her hearts de-
sire to be the introument that would
bring death of Bryant. She wanted
vengeance. and felt that the blood of
her dead father was calling out for it.
The sheriff is reported to have an
swered that he had anticipated the
pleasure of springing the trap himself
but that he would grant Mrs. Halls
request. 1t is very probable, however.
that this will not be permitted, for
it is at variance with the law,
IuriSf,S 0I1infnn
A Savannah jurist was asked yester-
day if such an execution would be
legal. He answered that it would not
be in accordance with the law.
THE Georgia law" he said, docs
not permit woman to hold office in
the state, nor does it permit a woman
to vote. Now it does not specifically
exclude her from these privileges. but
it does not include her. 1t defines
those to whom these privileges are per-
mitted, and woman is not among them.
"A woman cannot be a deputy sher-
iff. The sheriff of the county was
wrong in granting the request. He
cannot swear in a woWan as his dep
uty. l believe that, when the judge
of the circuit considers the matter, he
will decide that the sheriff cannot fol-
low his inclination and permit the man
to meet his death at the hands of Mrs.
Hall.
Would Not Be Murder.
mo, it would not be murder for Mrs.
Hall to spring the death trap. The
man has been condemned by due pro-
cess of law to expiate his
crime on the gallows. Should
she spring the trap, she would
be the instrument of his death. She
would not be legally authorized to
or h,1f che
be merely carrying out the laws man
date, she would not be guilty of muir
der"
w. A. Hyers was the town marshal
at Abel. In May he essayed
to arrest Bryant upon a charge of
gaming. The negro fired upon him and
killed him. There was great excite
ment, and some fear of a lynching
was entertained. A trial was held
not long in finding the man guilty. He
was sentenced to be hanged next
month.
Soon after the trial Mrs. Hall pre-
ferred her request. She declared that
the man had killed her father, and
that she wanted revenge.
Is Not Afraid.
Mrs. Hall, when seen by a Morning
Gently, frankly admitted that'it is both
her wish and intention to spring the
death trap of Boisy Bryant, and not
only that, but also to cut down the
body when life shall have become ex-
tinct.
Aren't you afraid your nerve will
fail you at the scaffold?" she was
asked.
No" was the reply; I'm as tender
hearted about other things as most
women are, but in this case it's diff
ferent. Bryant killed my father in
cold blood, and I want to kill him.
Mrs. Hall said that on the night her
father died she was unconscious from
worry and grief, or she would have
insisted that her fathers friends lynch
Bryant then and there She has no
doubt, she said, that had she made
the request it would have been carried
out
MIR. Walter Rogers, a cousin of Mrs
Hall, and at whose home near Barney
Brooks county, Mrs. Hall has been
living since the death of her father,
thinks as does Mrs. Hall, that she
ought to be allowed to execute the
law upon Bryant, and further believes
with Mrs. Hall that her nerve will not
be lacking when the time comes to
spring the trap. Mr.. Rogers, in fact,
expects to accompany Mrs. Hall to the
Jail at Nashville and to stand by her
a starts Rrva M ~, hic ebo.& 49,