The Savannah morning news., 1904-07-09
DIED WITH LORDS
PRAYER ON HIS LIPS
WITHOUT SLIGHTEST TREMoR
WILLIE CALVIN ENTERED DEATH
CELL YESTERDAY MORNING.

u.1tatous Service Held just Pre-
xtous to HanginE-CaIvin Joined
a. stnEinE-"I'se Going Home to
Ie.us." He Said rs He Entered
rsII-Thanked Omcers for Their
KIND Treatment of Him-Trap Was
srrung at 1910 O'clock.
With the Lords prayer on his lips,
HrfIIie Calvin, the confessed murderer
- Rosa Pace, was yesterday morning
launched into eternity. The negro met
his fate without a tremor and with
ont the slightest sign of weakening.
shortly before 10 o'clock, Rev. G. w.
15acklemore, accompanied by several
other ministers and church officials,
entered the Jail. Calvin was waiting
FIR them near the door of his cell, and
NTH them he walked about halfway
down the corridor. The other prison
ers had all been removed from the
end of the Jail in which the execution
was to take place. save one negro
who asked to be with Calvin during
the last religious service.
The colored ministers talked and
prayed with Calvin, and between the
prayers hymns were sung. Calvin did
not join in the singing until the hymn
Eyes There is Rest" was reached. He
Joined in the chorus heartily and his
voice could be distinguished above the
others.
On Stroke of Ten.
AS the Jail clock struck 10 an Off
cial walked down to the little group
and told them that they must close
their meeting at once. Rev. Mackle-
more then rose from his knees and
turning to Calvin said:
I'VE must all die some time. To
many the angels of death come unex-
pectedly and without warning, but you
have been given time to prepare for
death. Are you ready to meet your
God?"
Il am ready to go to Jesus and 1
know my sins have been forgiven"
came the answer in a clear, firm, voice.
The party then began the walk to the
execution cell, singing, Nearer, My
God to Thee"
Watched Officers Bind Limbs.
AS the officials were firmly binding
the limbs of the condemned man to
his body, Calvin kept time with his
TlBuI LOOl W Tic HyIlD Tie ministers
were singing. Now and then he turn
ed his head and watched the officers
as they tied the knots though never
once did he look into the fatal cell.
Just as the command was given for
him to enter the cell, he turned to his
minister and said, Use going home to
res'-goin to sleep in Jesus" He re-
peated these words several times while
the black cap was being put on and
the moose adjusted about his neck.
Repeated Lords Prayer.
The death warrant was read to him,
and once, when the date of the execu-
ton was read, Calvin partly turned
his head, as though to face the officer,
and said, Yes, sir" This was the
only sign that he heard what was be-
ing read to him.
When asked if he had anything yet
TO say before the trap was sprung CAL
win asked to repeat the Lords Prayer.
In a clear firm voice, without even
the suspicion of a. tremor, he repeated
the words of the prayer. occasionally
interfering the name of Jesus" and
Saviour"
Just before an officer of the court
started to read the death warrant to
the condemned man he partly turned
on the scaffold and Said Il wants to
thank the jailor and sheriffs for their
TO me. l hope God will bless them and
they will press forward and meet me
in heaven"
His Neck Was Broken.
The hanging moved off more smooth
~ and expeditiously than any that has
been held in the Jail. At 1910 o'clock
the handkerchief, which gave the sig
nal for releasing the trap, was dropped
and instantly Calvin's body shot down
INTO space. Death must have resulted
almost instantly.
At 1922 the physicians in attendance
could no longer distinguish the beat
ing OF the heart and he was officially
pronounced dead. The order to cut
MN down was then given and the body
removed. Death resulted from the
breaking of the neck.
The body was turned over to Cal
YIN S wife. and the funeral will be
neld this afternoon. The services will
De conducted by Rev. Macklemore, and
Ine body of the murderer inferred at
FloWersville, just west of the city.
---o-n-S