The Gainesville star. [volume] (Gainesville, Fla.) 1903-19??, 1903-11-06
WILLARD LEE HUNG
Pays Penalty for the Murder
of Miss SuttIeS.
EXECUTION IN ATLANTA
Crime Was Committed eIgh'een
Months Ago and Murderer Re-
splted a Number Of Times
: by the Governor.

Willard Lee, who murdered Lila May
Euttles on Sunday, May 2j, 1902 IN
Wesley chapel, near Ben HILL Ga'
was hanged Friday morning in the At
lanta Jail. Thirteen minutes later he
was pronounced dead,
with a smile of content On his face
and without a tremor in his frame,
Lee walked to the gallows, stood on
the death trap and prepared for the
death he knew must come,
Have you anything to say, MIL
lard?" asked Sheriff j. w. helms a
minute before the trap fell.
"only that young men should read
their Bibles and pray. Take warning
from me. Oh, God, have mercy on
my soul" were the last words Of the
young murderer,
Lee was the most composed man In
the gallows room. Save for the con
stant movement Of his fingers and the
occasional twitchipg OF his lips he
displayed no emotion as he marched
to tho gallows or as he stood while
his arms and legs were being tied.
Tho execution was very. orderly an(
there was not the slightest hitch from
beginning to end, Everything hat
been 80 carefully arranged that there
WAS not seconds delay, a'Hv<
Lee died a professed Christian, and
said no was going straight to heaven
there TO meet the girl for whose, mpr
der he paid the penalty on the gallows
DR.. J. M. suttles, father OF the dea,
girl, was one OF the men present L
The gallows room when Lee plunge
through the trap to death. During III
ontire occasion he spoke to no on,
His face was immobilo as the slayb
of his daughter went TO death. II
left the Tower within a few moment
after the hanging had been completed
A great crowd gathered around tn
Tower early, despite the fact that the
knew they could not DO admitted &
the Jail. The rain which fell Just be
fore tho hanging did not drive then
away. IJ.# IJ
story Of the Crime.
On Sunday morning, May 25th G
last year, just as the last notes Of tn
doxology were dying away, and as In
hundred worshipers In the little WEI
ley Chapel, at Ben Hill, q settlement
seven miles from Atlanta, bowe
their heads in prayer, Willard Leo, so
of we'll known planter living in IN
nelghborhood, shot and instantly Kill
ed beautiful Lila May Suttles, a play
mate from childhood ana the obJec
of his devotion In manhood, Unr'
quilted love was the cause Of the tral
edy. AZ
Lee escaped from The church, BIT
was captured next morning, Just Q
daybreak, at Mabelton, 10 mileo 1roI
the place where he shot has swee
heart He had gone there with th
evident intention OF boarding trail
for Alabama, which was due to pas
within few moments after he show
ed himself to the officers.
Almost from infancy Lee had love,
Lila May Suttles. the daughter of d.
j. M. Suttles, nelghboF to the Lees
The two had been playmates In chile
hood and had been thrown togeths
much In the frollcs Of the country
side. Lees queer actions. his evlder
desire to shun every Lying man an
his brusqueness turned the girl ava
from him and she began to avoid hlr
in every way. This made Lee eve
more sullen and morose.
Six times since he committed tn
murder he had been resplted by Go,
ernor Terrell. awaiting new trials an
action on the part OF the suprem
court. Every court however, ,declar
ed him to be sane and to have CON
mitted a murder. ..I
The final decision was handed dow
by the state supreme court Thursday
only ono day before the execution.