The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-03-01

expression. There was q slight twitch
Of the mouth and the eyes filled with
tears, but this was only for a moment.
BABE THEM GOOD-BY.
To a number OF friends label said
"good-by," and that only. No other
word was spoken by him OF the
ON THE TRAP.
Prompt to obev he stood unaSsisted
and mistaken or the trap. while Z. w.
Fuhr. an engineer on the Atlantic
Coast Line, bound his limbs. pulled tn
black cap over his head and adjusted
the rope
TRAP SPRUNG.
At 1890 o'clock Sheriff Butler sprang
the trap and Registers neck was
broken, though life did not leave the
body for fifteen minutes Afterwards.
At l o'clock the body was cut down.
placed in a plain coffin n turned
ove to the family to be inferred OIL
Crusoe island.
Three physicians. DIR. n. A. Thomp-
son. the coroner, DR.. Maxwell, both of
Whiteville, and DIR. S. NJ. Withers. Of
Chadbourn. were in attendance.
VAST MULTITUDE.
From some of the most remote parts
of the county and even from points be-
You'd the South Carolina line people
came to witness the CHASTITY sight.
Some came by train. some in vehicles
and some even walked. Scores of wo-
men n many children were present.
HIS LAST STATEMENT.
labels last statement was made in
his cell just previous to the march 20
the gallows. 1t vas a r~eiteration o.
his confession duplicating Coleman
Smith. He also stated that yesterday
he received a letter from his father IL
which he assumed the responsibility
for his sons great downfall and wish
ing that he could take his place.
LEFT A LETTER.
To Rev. Mr.. Draper label wrote q
letter making again known his confess
sion and also warning young men
against drink, to which he attributed
a large part Of his tragic end.
A FATHERS LETTER.
label received many letters from his
father, a sample of which is as follows:
state Prison,
Tuesday. Night, February 1S, 1904.
label Ny Dear Son:
Your. loving letter of the 18th was
gladly received today and l was gla1
to hear from you and glad to hear that
you were some better and glad to hear
of the people going to see you, also to
hear of the preachers visiting you aud
Praying with you all of that is coed
and doc hope that you have Prayer
with them and confessed your Sins 10
the Father and made Pease with Cod
Prepare your Sole to meet you
Saviour Jesus christ in peace that Is
the place to put your trust n give
yourself to Jesus and leave all thing
with him he has the owe and Power
to help you under all circumstances
when you give up all hops and See No
chance for you yet if it his Will To
Save you from all Dangers n SO
rows he will doc SO in his good time !
am Praying for you and Praying that
you may be delivered from your Sor-
rows and ~PurSecutingS and troubles
and that Did smith and his crowd OF
Liars and Murders may be Punished
for there crimes and if the time eve
comes 1 doc hope to be able to give al
the light on the subject that l can
which wood be no little My Dear o
dount know what | wOuldent give to see
you and taulk with you but it is an i'm
possibility now and all 1 can doc Is 10
get down on my Nees and hold my
hands to Heaven n Beg the Father Il
have Murcy on US and to Provide A way
for our Release and to Put the guilt,
III ouI place dilu l. " nav ioAS -
Jesus and beleave that he will near
our Prayers I am Praying with out
ceseaing am taking all of my sins anC
grief to Jesus hoping to hear from you
Soon SO good by label my loving Sol
for this time.
your Loving Papa.
H. 3. r.
label I doc beleave hat is Mr.. Nc
Racken and Bellamy will doc VIA
tina can in Prosecuting A G Smith an
his o Arren Smith that tina can con
vict them and if tina wood Apply for A
ReSpitail in your case that tina cal
get it and try Smith Send for McRack
an and tell him that / "a him an,
Mr.. Bellamy I ask for A ReSpitail 10
| you until Smith is tried Smith is gull
ty and il is Easiley Proven ask Mr.. /
to doc all he can for you and l be
leave he will / beleave hat he I'd.
Scene and learnde enough to know
that old S is guilty.
To Jailer Benton old man Registe
wrote:
State Prison
Raleigh, n. c., Feb. 9th. 1904.
Mr.. w. J. Benton. Whfteville. N. c..
Dear sir Your letter of the 9th Re
ceived TO day / was Very Sorry t
hear you say n you Good not Sc
any hopes for label but Beleavede ina
IL he had Of Made A truthful, Site
ment of the crime that you beleavei
that his time wood of bin Prolondge
and thought If I o advise him We
that he wood / doc not know an
thing that he mas told not A
can't advise him for that Reason an
besides all that Some o Say tia
tina wood not beleave him and no Us
in him taulking unless tina wood try
c. smith and others il tina wood do
that then label and My Self and :
other witnesses wood tell all We kno'
on him and two others which with tina
Evidence wood convict every n
the three before any court of Justice
know from when / Speake So far 4
the matter is conserved I know nothin
about and hope that no one Woo
BOTHER label about it but So far as
&c Smith is concerned we know eneug