The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-04
DOC BACON
EXECUT
Protested His Innocence when
on the Scaffold.
NECK BROKEN BY THE FALL
NECK BROKEN BY THE FALL
Large Number of Chase City People
Pres mt, and Some of Them Saw
the Execulion-The Crime for
Which He Hung.

BOYDTON, VA, October 3.-Doc- Bacon
was hanged here to-day. The trap was
sprune at 1895 P. NJ. He protested his
Innocence to the last. When brought upon
the scaffold, turning to those In the jail
ward. he told them that he knew he was
in the face Of death, and standing as he
was on the death trap, that II was pul
natural that he should tell the truth. lie
then most solemnly declared that he was
as innocent as it was possible TO be.
He said he had no Ill will towards the
Chase City people, and that he would
soon be happy, as he was going nome.
Some day. he said, the guilty man would
be known. Bacon had several coloped
ministers with him. The body was al
lowed to hang about twenty-five minutes,
when DR.. Hamilton pronounced life eX-
tirct.
NECK BROKEN.
The neck was broken by the fall of some
SIX feet, and death was instantaneous,
with only one or1two conyulsve jerks
Quite a large number Of citizens from
Chase City were preesnt, some of whom
witnessed the execution. The crowd that
was here was very orderly, not single
drunken man being seem BaconS BODY
was sent on the 8 oclock train by express
to the medical department of the UniVer-
sity Of Virginia.
This ends one of the most exciting trials
and executions ever witnessed in Neck
lenburg.
THE CRIME,
The crime for which Doc. Bacon paid
the penalty to-day upon the gallows was
an attempt to criminally assault MIS-.
Charley Geoghegan, at Chase City. some
eight or ten weeks ago. The attempt was
made about II, o'clock at night while her
husband was away. The evidence, as
given at the trial, was that Bacon, IN
company with another negro named An
derson Finch. went to Mr.. Gcosheganls
residence, and while Anderson Finch
watched Bacon made the assault. throw
ing meal into the lady's eyes and Selling
her at the same time, and attempted to
drag her in a dark part of the porch.
The noise aroused her children, and they
screamed, frightening the assailant away,
Fooled In his purpose, he ran OH. saying
as lie left: go to your d---n kids!
THE TRIAL.
Bacon and Finch were tried before tho
County Court and both found guilty, and
Judge Homes sentenced them to be hung
on the Cd of September. Finch was hung
or that day, but Bacon was respted for
two days. At the expiration OF the two
days, and when all the preparations had
been made for the execution, the last
religious rites performed, and In fifteen
or twenty minutes the death trap would
have been sprung, the sheriff received a
wire message from the Governor making
second respite and this time for thirty
days, Bacon was sent three times from
this place to Petersburg. The hanging
to-day was without hitch.
Governor Montague when seen yestor-
day in regard to the case of Doc Bacon
was averse to going into print on tho
subject, hut finally stated that he had
interviewed no further In the matter for
the reason. that while there was consid-
cradle doubt In the minds of some of
those Interested In the case as to the
guilt of the man, yet none of theme were
able to sustain this belief with any<tacts