The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-02-17
BEFORE BEING HUNG.


Advisers. He Met Death
Without Tremor.
At Charlottesville, Va, without
tremor j. Samuel MoCue met death
on the scaffold at 1885 o'clock Friday
morning for wife murder. Hardly
had his struggles ceased when his
confession was given out by his three
spiritual advisers, Revs. G. L. Petrie,
II. B. Lce and John b. Thompson.
McCue listened calmly to the death
warrant, and when Sergeant r gers
asked: do you think that If I gave
you my arm you would be able to
walk to the scaffold 2" he replied calm
ly: II can walk without your aid"
Oa the way he stumbled once or
twice and the officers proffered assis-
tance. 1t was not needed, however.
There was no weakness. McCue had
merely slipped on the frozen snow.
Watched by silent crowd Of perhaps
80 people, McOue mounted the scat
fold. BY this time tho sunlight was
streaming across the house tops around
him. Not muscle OF his face moved.
Rogers and two guards assembled the
scaffold witNhtm. The prisoner was
placed 2yeraJ1e trap, his arms were
pinioned and his ankles strapped. The
black gown was folded around him and
the moose a1ju tied.
All this while McCue stood Without
moving. The hope that he might
a hnff
finally PASSED away. The cowl dropped
over his head, and he had seen his last
Of the world. Not wJrd had be ut.
tered. Before he placed the rope about
McCue's neck Sergeant Rogers put his
arm over the condemned mans should
ers aud whispered something to him.
When everything was ready Mr.. Rog-
ers again spoke to McCue, asking him
II be tad any statement to make.
None 1t ALL was his answer. The
trap was sprung and 10 minutes after
ward McCue was pronounced dead OF
strangulation. His neck was not brok-
en-.
In orGer to thwart the curiosity of
the moibidly inclined, the sheriff kept
secret the time Of the execution.
Many p o.;le believed that 1t would be
close uI on noon. Yet as early as 6
a. M, we'll advised few were movirg
In tie irec ION Of the I'll. An hour
pass and by this time the few who
were to be allowed to enter were stand
Ing within the prison enclosure,
budding around stove. After the
exc cution one of McOues spiritual
advisers said:
Mr.. McCue left this world with
feeling OF bitterness toward no hu-
ma being In 1t. His heart was Won
de. LAY softened. He was earnest
and tender. Friday morning in our
presence he offered to God fervent
prayer for his family--for his broth.
ers and their wives. for his sister. for
his uncles and aunts and lastly and
most feryently Of all for his children.
He called them each by name. He
invoked the blessing Of Almighty God
upon them ALL"
Immediately after the execution
McCue's three spiritual advisers gave
out the following signed statement:
u. Samuel McCue stated Friday
morning In our presence and requested
us to make public that he did not
wish to leave this world with suspicion
resting on any hu nan being other
than himself; that he "a one was re.
sponsihle for the deed, impelled to 1t
by an'evil power beyond his control,
and that he recognized his sentence
as just"
j. Samuel McCue was As years old,
and twice had been mayor Of the city
Of Charlotte sville. The tragedy Cor
which he paid the penalty crea,, 4
more interest than any other crime
that has occurred in the State in the
past quarter OF century. On Sunday
night, Sept. 4, McCue, ccompauied
his wife to church, and they returned
home about s. Is O'Clock. Within Is
minutes after they had repaired to
their room to retire for the night the
city was aroused BY messages announc-
ing tue murder Of Mrs. McCue, and
friends, physicians and Officers hurried
to the McCue home. Mrs. McCue was
found dead In the bathroom and Nc.
Cue was lying on the floor with an
abrasion on his cheek and feignirg
Inconsistencies. He later asserted
that the attack had been made by an
unknown white man who had climbed
through window. Mrs. McCus had
been dealt blow that broke her Sc
ans; her LEI ca: bad been almost sev-
cred by second blow. Death was
caused by gunshot wound just above
the heert. McCue never was able to
explain the presence in the bathroom
OF small piece OF cotton undershirt
which lifted exactly torn place In
the shirt which he had on when
the of.csrs arrived. Two women
figured In the reports that circu-
lated ss to the cause of the muir
der, and a letter filed with en-.
dearing language sent him by one
Of bis women clients was produced
at the trlal McCue had quarreled with
his wife number uf times Sic was
40 Yea-s old and the mother OF four
children. The coroner's jury held Nc
Cue fot the murder three days after
it occurred. and he has since been
confined in the jail, vehemently pro-
testing his innocence. His trial was
concluded November S, and he was
convicted, the Jury being out only 20
minutes
Hurned TO Death.
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