The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-08
HUDSON AND JONES
 CAME ID THE LAST
Two Negro Highwaymen Hang
 ed Yesterday Morning
HUDSON MADE LONG TALK
Both Men Protested They Were lnno- cent of the Messer Hold-Up, But Hudson Admitted He Had
 Been a Bad Man.

Will Jones and Will Hudson were hanged in the yard of the Jefferson coun- ty jail yesterday morning. Both died pro- testing their innocence and Hudson made speech on she scaffold that caused con- siderable laughter by the spectators. He is said to have died as game" as any criminal ever hanged on this county.
 The two negroes were convicted of highway robbery and they received the death sentence some time ago. Both have been very unruly In Jail and have been chained to their cells.
 Jones went to the scaffold at 10:SO o'clock and Hudson was executed an hour later Large crowds witnessed both hangings.
 Several colored ministers conducted services for the condemned men in the room over the warden's office of the jail before they were lead out to the gall lows. It was here that Hudson asked for one last dish of ice cream and a cigar. both of which were given him. He smoked the cigar up to the time the moose was ad- justed about his neck
 Jones Talks.
 As Jones stood on the scaffold he said:
 This ain't Will Jones. This is Isaac 1 Pitts, alias Isaac Terrell from Atlanta, Ga You all know me better now than you did before I am ready to go. am as happy as any of you all. am ready. want this published so my folks will know where I am."
 The trap was sprung at 10:52, and the body taken down fifteen minutes later. It was pronounced perfect execution, the fall breaking the negro's neck instantly. When Hudson confidently mounted the gallows without assistance and turned and faced the spectators puffing his cigar, he was smiling. He said:
 Hudson Answers Questions.
 Well. now what l want to tell you is to meet me over wonder; heaven shall be my home. If you all execute Robert ] Lee and Will Jackson you execute in- nocent men. They have never been with me one step to commit a robbery
 (Question by spectator) 'who was with you in that Messer robbery at Avondale?''
 Nobody was with me. The last time was in Avondale was three weeks be- | fore Christmas"
 Question by spectator.) How many robberies have you been in?'
 Not one I have been in plenty of stealing. I am the one that shot Mr. Pattons hat off"
 (Question by spectator) "who was with you?9'
 Three men. Jackson has not been with me to rob anybody. When I shot Mir Pattons hat off there was nobody there but me and MT. Patton, and In a minute there was nobody there but me. (Laughter.) l carried a forty-four: that one that you all got off of me up yon- der"
 touestion.) Did you ever kill any body?''
 '1 will tell old Master that"
 Goodbye MT. Disheruon. hope I will meet you all in heaven. know all of you. They can't do my soul any harm. Ise not afraid of this rope. Tse only afraid of big Colts with trigger on 1t like horses ear.
 Across Jordan's Stream.
 "Farewen everybody; meet me across Jordan's stream"
 (Question.) Have you ever been in Pickens county"
 T have been all over Pickens county down there by carrollton. I made $4OOO in Pickens county"
 (Question) Have you ever been in jail at Carrollton?"
 "I have never been in jail anywhere except in Mobile and Jefferson county" (Question) What is your brothers name?'
 My brother is named Ed. (Photogra- pher requested Hudson to face the cam era and he replied) You all are going to investigate off me now l sec Gro the prisoners in the jail) Goodbye, boys" He was pronounced dead at 1i:45.
 Before coming out into the Jail yard Hudson requested that his picture be sent to Ida Mitchell. care of r. K. Bunk ley, Wetumpka, Ala, and that farewell message from him be given to John Wil- Hams at the Lockwood Manufac. ring company. He also said that old Ala bama was a bad place for negro crool.s to drop down in, for they sure get landed"
 T was a bad old horse and they sure did fix me- he said.
 The crime for which the two men were sentenced was the holding up of J. P. Messer and robbing him at his store ln Avondale. Abe Williams was also with them and 1t was he who turned state 8 evidence at the trial, confessing to the guilt of all three. Williams sentence has been commuted to life Imprisonment. Last fall there were numerous hold-ups in Birmingham, stogether with the rob- bery of many residences, so that in po-