The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-19
CRIB WAS HANGED
HE PAID THE PENALTY FOR BOYS
MURDER.
WITH WORDS OF WARNING
HE ADDRESSED THOSE GATHERED
TO SEE HIM DIE.

Murderer Also Prayed That God
Might Comfort Those Whom He
UnintentiOnaIIy WrOnsed - De-
cIured That His Crime Was In
spired by Drink and That He
Knew Not What He Did-IIe Did
Not Seem Insane,
Douglas, Ca. Dec. 1S.-'T pray that
God may comfort those whom 1 unin-
tentionally wronged."
With these words upon his lips Lee
W. Cribb was hanged here at 1888
o'clock this afternoon for the murder
of Emmett White at Nichols, on Dec.
s, 1902. Crib was the first white man
ever hanged in Coffee county, but there
was no undue excitement in Douglas.
The murderer did not manifest the
slightest evidence of insanity, and aft
er he had inspected a $50 easket that
had been selected by him, and pur-
chased by Sheriff Switzerland, and had
made a brief statement the drop fell.
The execution was witnessed only by
those permitted to be present under the
law.
In a statement made while he stood
on the scaffold, Crib sounded a warn
ing against bad company and strong
drink. He urged his fellowman to
shun evil companions, and to abhor
liquor. These things, he said, were re-
sponsible for his fate.
Every utterance was that of sane
man. 1t was with considerable feel
ing that he made his statement as he
.t f.s.& l. So ~ We
Crib Was Not Insane.
There was nothing in a word that he
said to indicate that his mind was not
evenly balanced, and he did not make
the slightest effort to create the inn
preston that a crazy man was being
executed. On the contrary, the con-
demned man did not seem to want to
have it appear that he was insane.
He referred only to his mental condi-
ton at the time of the killing, and then
he attributed the cause to drink.
'T want to warn all young men to
shun bad company and control their
tempers," said Crib, firmly. There
was scarcely a tremor in his voice. and
he had remarkable control over him.
self. my brother and father have al
ways given me good advice, and am
alone to blame for having gone astray.
For some time prior to the killing my
lhllld idO OSGll ali bOAh up
of dissipa ton.
Didn't Remember Killing.
IT knew absolutely nothing about the
homicide until it was all over. / be-
lieve that the blood Of Jesus cleanseth
me from all sins. I am trying to meet
my fate in the spirit of the Lord, and
have no i'll will against any one.
81 want to thank my father and
brother together with by counsel,
Quincy, Mcdonald and Wilson, for the
faithful efforts they have made to save
my life, and the sheriff and jealor,
and their families, for their courteous
treatment, and Brother Stanford for
spiritual advice he has given me-"
His Neck Was Broken.
Fifteen minutes after the drop fell,
DR.. Sibbett and DR.. Terrell pronounced
life extinct, and the body was cut
down. Cribs neck was broken and
death came without struggle.
Crib was hanged for the murder of
White, a boy, but on the same day he
shot and killed Marshal Thomas Hol-
ton, who surprised him when he was
about to shoot down his father-in-law.
The old man was on his knees beg
ging for mercy when Marshal Holton
entered the place. The boy was
killed after Holton had been shot and
for quite a while Crib ran amuck
with a Winchester and terrorized the
town. He was finally shot from be-
hind by the father of the boy he kill