The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-14
EXECUTION WAS
QUICKLY DONE
Jim Webb, Who Killed Officer
Walton, Hanged Yesterday
DROP FELL AT 1l'55 O'CLOCK
Condemned Man Gave No Evidence of
Nervous Strain-Stood Firm as
Black Cap Wa5 Adjusted.
Many Witness Hanging.

Jim Webb, who shot and killed Police
man w. P. Walton on he night of March
IS, 1892, was hanged in the yard of the
county Jail yesterday about noon. The
drop fell at exactly :55 o'clock. Webb's
neck was broken. His muscles eonvulsed
violently for several minutes and his
heart ceased pulsatlng at 12:06ia o'clock.
The corpse, still warm and limp, was
taken from the gallows to the colored
undertaking establishment of Charley
Harris, near Third avenue and Eighteenth
street, where the remains will be kept
until late this afternoon, when they will
be carried to the home of Webb's par
ents, sos Morris avenue. The body will
be buried in the negro cemetery at Wood
lawn tomorrow afternoon.
Saw the Execution.
About $50 people witnessed the execu-
ton of the murderer. Some of this num-
Der stood at the windows of houses over
looking the jail. Half an hour before
Webb assembled the steps to the gallows
fully $50 people had gathered in the Jail
yard. and in a pouring rain waited to see
the condemned negro hanged
The gallows was erected in the north
west corner of the yard, between the
white Jail and the hospital 1t was in
plain view of the windows of both divi
sions of the City court and the windows
in the court rooms were crowded. About
400 people stood on the outside of the
yard, mostly negroes
Webb's Parents Call.
At $3.50 o'clock Webbs father, mother
and two aunts called on I'm. They re-
manned but a short while. His father
tarried In the vicinity of the jail until
after the execution, but would not look
at his son on the galows.
After seeing his relatives Webb was al
lowed to go in the room over the war;
denis office. His hands were tied and
he was shaved All the while he was
closely guarded. He did not appear to
be suffering any great nervous strain.
His clothes were brushed and he wore
clean collar.
About 10 o'clock several colored preach
ers called. They sang and prayed until
the time arrived for Wsbb to &C out to
die. AS they sang thu condemned man
walked up and down the room A smile
played on his face and he Joined in the
songs sung in low, jerkey tones charac-
teristic of the negro.
Out in the yard people who had re-
ceived admission tickets continued to en-
ter and gather around the gallows. Con-
spicuous among the crowd were police
men OF Birmingham Bessemer, Ensley
and Pratt City. The sheriff had invited
them to be present and they came to see
the murderer Of a popular fellow Of
ficer expiate the penalty of his crime.
Twenty-Five Medical Students.
At 1145, when Deputy Sheriff William
Love came out of the Jail with the rope
in his hand the Jail yard contained about
$50 people,, including twenty-five mem
bers of a class of the Birmingham Med
ical college.
The officer assembled the gallows and
began arranging the rope. The rain con-
tinued to fall and umbro las were lifted
over the rope to prevent the part that
had been soaped from lecoming wet.
At 11:52 Webb emerged from the jail
door. He walked between G. ]. Tomlin
and Deputy Sheriff C. H. Cole. Smilingly
he walked to his death. His footsteps
were steady as he neared the gallows.
Reaching the steps he did not hesitate
but assembled without any visible emo
ton. The preachers, who had preceded
him, stood aside, with the exception Of
one. whho went on the gallows with him
and then descended. AS he went up the
steps Webb called out, rs everybody
here? l am ready to die" He had pre-
viously stated he did not wish to make
any statement on the scaffold and when
he reached the platform Deputy Sheriff
Love quickly put the rope round his
neck. As he did so, Webb said in a plain
tive voice I'm walking my way to
Zion, hallelujah'' Further articulation
could not be understood for the 'black
cap" was tied on his head. The feet and
hands were securely fastened
Quickly Done.
The man stood firm.
Almost before the crowd realized it,
Sheriff Burgin pulled the lever. the drop
fell and Webb's body shot downward.
DR.. Heacock stood near, and as soon as
the heart stopped its beating notified the
authorities The body was taken down.
while the crowd surged out the exit
gates. Webb had paid the penalty of his
bloody deed.
Policeman Walton, whom Webb killed,
was one of the oldest officers on the po-
lice force of Birmingham. He was an elder