The Savannah morning news., 1903-01-25
NEAR The GALLOWS
ROBERT SIMMONS TO PAY THE
DEATH PENALTY FOR HIS CRIME.
PREPARED FOR THE END.
CONDEMNED MAN Is COOL WITH
DEATH FIVE DAYS AWAY.

For the Murder of George Harris on
the Louisville Road Simmons Will
Give His Life in the County Jail
Friday-Arrangeme for the Ex-
ecution Have Been Made-WiII Not
BE a Double Hanging-Abe Cohen
Has a Longer Lease on Life-Sim-
mons. Like Cohen, Refuses to BE
Baptized Twice.
Ready to expiate with his life for a
crime that displayed IAN the abandon
of cruel and malignant heart" Rob-
ert Simmons, murderer. is patiently
awaiting the hour of his doom. Next
Friday morning in the county Jail he
will pay the penalty that the law re-
quires when human life has been taken
without provocation.
From the cell in which executions
have taken place in this county for
several years, Simmons will meet the
death penalty. Unless his demeanor
changes he will go to his doom without
even flinching, buoyed up by the reli-
gious teaching of Rev. Prince Black,
who has been his faithful attendant
since the death sentence was passed in
the Superior Court.
For the murder of George Harris, an
other negro, Simmons must forfeit his
life. The tragedy occurred at night on
the Louisville road about three miles
from the city. With the ever-ready
pistol he shot Harris in the home Of
woman with whom he had been liv-
ing. The act was prompted by jealousy
and the homicide was only one of more
than dozen that have occurred Within
recent years.
Simmons Not Nervous.
Although he has only five days to
live Simmons displays no signs of
nervousness, and unless a change
comes over him will be able to walk
to the fatal cell without aid. He real
ICES that the end is near at hand and
declares that he is ready even now
to go. He has not been baptized since
his arrest, and says that he will not
be. The condemned man declares that
he was a member of the church be-
fore the crime was committed and that
he can see no reason why he should
be baptized again. Unless he changes
his mind, and there appears to be no
likelihood of this, he will be the first
man executed without having first
been baptized in the Jail.
Abe Cohen Awaiting Death Too.
In this respect, however, there is an
other murderer in the felon's row who
occupies the same position. Abe Co
hen, who brutally murdered Susie
Rogers in Yamacraw, and who kicked
the dying woman, has persisted since
his conviction that he will not be bap-
tiZed the second time. Cohen was to
have been hanged with Simmons, but
motion for a new trial has
acted as supersedeas and he
has a further lease on life Under his
own statement made at the time of
his arrest, the killing was a wanton
enc, without single extenuating cir
cumstance. Cohen has little or no hope
of escaping the death to which he has
been sentenced twice.
The Death Cell Ready.
Arrangements have already been
made at the Jail for the execution. The
rope has been gotten in shape and the
trap doors of the fatal cell are in work.
ing order. There is no preliminary
work to be done, and after the religious
services have been conducted by Prince
Black and his assistants, Simmons will
be bound, the death warrant will be
read, the black cap will be adjusted,
the fatal knot will be tied and the
slayer of George Harris will be launch
ed into eternity.