The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-06
WESLEY HALE PAYS THE DEATH PENALTY Negro Was Hanged Yesterday for His Part in a Murder PROTESTED HIS INNOCENCE lie Was a Member of a Gang of Three Which Robbed and Killed Flag
 man E. G. AImon on the
 L. 6 N. R. R.

After confeSSiong that ne WAS iiiph- cated in the murder of E. G. Almon, fagmen on the Louisville and NashVille railroad, and after furnishing the police With information that lead to the ar rest and conviction of two others, Wesley Iale a negro, went to the gailows yes terday morning protesting his innocence Tle condemned negro refused to make 4 talk from the big steel frame which sent him Into eternity, but his spiritual adviser, F. c. Ragland, negro Baptist preacher, said that Hale wanted ms farewell message to be that he was inno- cent. After the preacher hnished' moose was adjusted around the negro nc elk, the black cap placed over ms ead and the trigger sprung at io'a'' Sixteen minutes later the physicians pro- rnunced him dead The hanging took place in the yard of the Jefferson eoun- ty iail and was witnessed by an un- usually small crowd.
 Hale spent his last night on earth In close proximity to band of negroes who sang and prayed. Among ms coih- panlons In the jail were number or negro preachers. They arranged Tor an all night service and the guards on the death watch made no objections Hale srent most of his time in listening to the old time songs. For some unknown reason he sought one corner Of hls cell and covered himself up with blanket, hiding his face from view. The services ceased about o'clock yesterday morn ing and the condemned negro continued ..tit ha nf still over him. The sheriff made pro visions for his last meal to be good ooe and the negro's breakfast was order ed from a restaurant, It consisted of fried chicken. French fried potatoes, sliced to- mates. fried eggs and coffee. The steaming vians reached the condemned mans cell shortly before o'clock and he ate hearti- ly, thanking the officers for their thought fulness.
 Had Hearty Breakfast.
 After he had finished breakfast and chatted with the guards and others for a short time, Deputy Sheriff J. N. Curl and Deputy G. J. Tomlin accompanied him to the bath room. The county furn- ished an entire new outfit. consisting or underwear, top shirt, shoes and stock ings and black suit of clothes. After dressing he accompanied the deputies to 0 room in the old jail, where he was met by the preacher, a number of deputies and several newspaper men. Policeman Baker to whom the negro imparted in formation that lead to the arrest of two other negroes, was also In the crowd. The negro seemed especially glad to see the fIaf t,ta death warrant was read the religious ser vices were conducted. number of pris- ohers joining in the singing.
 Just before the death march was be- gun J. r. Mccoy, the county warden, entered the room and announced that he was ready to read the warrant. An intense silence followed, a silence that was 50 pronounced that the murmur of the crow, gathered in the jail yard could plainl, be heard. In d moment the suspense was chief deputy sheriff, and Deputy Curl to going to the gallows. Albert Stratford, over, and the line was formed, preparatory walked in front, and were followed by Hale and the preacher. Deputies Cowan and Tomlin were the next III order, and then came other deputies and persons who had been present at the religious meeting. Chief Deputy Stratford, Deputy Curl and the preacher were the only ones who accompanied the man to the top of the scaffold. The preacher made his statement about Hales declaration of in- nocence and then turned his back op the man who was standing on the thres- hold of another world. Preparations were soon made for the hanging, and at I0.43 the signal was made for Sheriff Bursin to pull the trigger. After the body was pronounced dead 1t was cut down and turned over to Lige Loy to be prepared for burial. None of the negro's relatives. if he has any, were present. Before he was hanged he said he came from Mont gomery The body will probably be buried by the county.
 The hanging of Hale was the third chapter in an unwarranted murder The fourth chapter will be chronicled October 27, when Andrew Shelton, one of the ne- groes implicated by Hale, will be hanged for complicity of the flagman's murder Eugene Johnson, a negro also named by Hale in connection with the crime, is now serving life sentence in the pen itentiary.
 The Negro's Crime.
 The murder of glagman Almon on the night of January 13 marked the beginning of the story. 1t occurred at Oxmoor, only few miles from Birmingham. The flag man had gone back to flag an approach ing train. When quite a distance from his train he was confronted by three negroes, Hale Johnson and Shelton, according 10 the confession of Hale. The negro said they thought Almon had just been paid off and they attempted to rob him The hagman pulled a pistol and shot Hale through the breast. His companions, he said grappled with the railroad man, wrested his pistol from him and shot him to death. Before he was shot. however Hale said he dealt Almon a terrific blow with a stick.
 After his companions rifed the flag mans clothing, Hale says they picked him UIale) up and carried him to a se- cluded spot in the wood, where he was found the next day by Deputy Sheriff John Burgin. Hale was brought to B1r- mingham and carried to the hospital where he remained under guard for sev- eral weeks. A number of policemen took an interest in the case. among whom was Patrolman Baker. They talked with Hale day after day, but he denied that he knew anything about the murder. Finally he thought his wound would result in death, and he confessed to Policeman Baker, telling the part that the other