The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-05-05
COX ROBS
THE HANGMAN
NASHVILLE MUIR DE r E r
SUCCESSFUL IN HIS AT
TEMPTED SUICIDE.
WOULD HAVE BEEN HANGED TOMORROW

Tom Cox condemned to hang tomor-
row for the murder of Patrolman B. F.
Dowell. died at the county Jail on Wed
nesday night at s O'Clock after suffering
horrible agony. By his own hand the
condem ned man thwarted the execution
OF the sentence of the highest court,
which the Governor had declined to set
aside, but in doing so he inflicted upon
himself more fearful punishment than
is received at the hands of the hang
man.
Poison was the method adopted ty
Cox in his self destruction, red oxide "a
mercury, one of the deadliest of poieons,
and gum opium, being taken The
poison was slow in it's deadly work and
four physicians worked with the prison.
er to save his life, but their efforts we're
futile. and he died after enduring the
torture for fifteen hours.
HIS MOTHER AT HIS SIDE
The death chamber furnished one of
the saddest chapters in the tragic
career OF Tim Cox. The gloomy cell
was dirnly lighted, and around him were
gathered his aged mother, several others,
the officers and the physician 8. The last
request of the dying man was that the
officers send for his mother. Cox had
wished to spare his mother the pain of
witnessing his agony, but in the end he
relented in his determination. As the
gray headed mother knet at his cot,
appealing to him to speak. and asking
him if he knew her, he nodded his head
once or twice He could not speak.
The grief of the mother was,intense, the
dying prisoner being her only son.
Never Ia the history of Nashville has
greater interest been taken in any Grim
inal case than that of Cox. When the
news went out that he bad taken poison
1t was the principal topic discussed
throughout the city. A man was kept
at the the telephone at the jail continu-
ally throughout the day, ansn efing in
quiries as to his condition, and late in
the evening many called che American
The gate to the Jail was iocKed to keep
back hundreds of persons who sought
admission, and after the body was taken
to an undertaking establishment on
Fifth avenue, two patrolmen were as
signed tc keep back the crowd that
formed, tho mother of the dead man
having requested the undertaken not to
permit persons to see the body.
TO ESCAPE GALLONS.
Since Tom Cox was sen tenced to hang
by the Supreme Court Sheriff Cart
wright has kept an extra guard at
the Jail, between four and FIVE depu-
ties being on duty continually at night. |
Sheriff Cartwright was at the Jail Tues |
day night, fearing that there might be
some emergency, and desiring to be
present to prevent any mishap. Sheriff |
Cartwright was in the commenced man 5
cell between ] l and II O'Clock and had |
conversation with him. 1t is evident
that Cox loved life, aid had only deter
mined upon self.destruction to escape
the scaffold Cox had requested Sheriff
Cartwright to see Judge w. M. Hart on
Tuesday, and make an appeal to him to
intercede against the execution of the
death sentence The prisoner asked the
Sheriff If he had seen Judge Hart, and
the latter replied that he had been I'M
able to see him during the day Cox
then asked Sheriff Cartwright if he
thought there was any chance for him,
TO which inquiry no hope could be given.
Red oxide of mercury is more COM
monty known as red precipitate. 1t de-
yours the internal organs as burning
lire, causing the most horrible suffering
to the victim. 1t causes the features to
be distorted. During the afternoon Cox 70
lips began to swell, and his lower lip
was several times the normal size and
his tongue was swollen and parched. AT
times be bit his tongue in his suffering
The distortion of his features was not so
noticeable because of heavy beard that
has been grown during the past month.
Nashville American.