The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-14

Charlottesville, Va, February TO-
met death on the scaffold at 1876 O'Clock
this morning for wife murder. Hardly
had his struggles ceased when his co.,
fession was given out by his three spir-
itual advisers, Revs. CT. L. Petrie, II B..
Lee n John q. Thompson. McCue
listened calmy to the death warrant
and when Sergeant Rogers asked DO
you think that if l gave you my arm
you would be able to walk to the scat
fOld?" he replied calmly: Il can walk
without your aid" On the way ne
stumbled once or twice and the officers
proffered assistance. 1t was not need
ed, however. There was no weakness.
McCue had merely slipped on the
frozen snow.
THE MOOSE ADJUSTED.
Watched by a silent crowd of pei
haps thirty persons McCue mounted
the scaffold. BY this time the sunlight
was streaming across the house tops
around him.. Not a muscle of his face
moved. Rogers and two guards ascent
ed the scaffOld with him. The prisoner
was placed over the trap, his arms were
poinioned n his ankles strapped. The
black gown was folded around him and
the moose was adjusted.
All this while McCue stood without
moving. The hope that he might make
some statement before he died finally
ma CcpH auy9U Tho nnu1 1rOpno5 oyyG-
his head and he had seen his last of the
world. Not q word had he uttered.
DEAD IN NINETEEN MINUTES.
Before he placed the rope about Nc
Cues neck Sergeant Rogers put his
arm over the condemned mans shout
derS and whispered something to him.
When everything was ready Mr.. Rogers
again spoke to McCue asking him if he
a any statement to make. None at
ALL" was his answer. The trap was
sprung and nineteen minutes after
ward McCue was pronounced dead of
strangulation. His neck was not
broken.
The body will be taken to Brooks
vile" near Alton, for burial.
In order to thWart the curiosity Of
the mOrbidly inclined the sheriff kept
secret time of the execution. Many
people believed that 1t would be close
upon noon. Yet, as early as 6 o'clock
a. m. a we'll advised few were moving
toward in the Jail. An hour passed n
by this time the few who were to be
allowed to enter were standing within
the prison enclosure, huddled around
a stove.
NO BITTERNESS TOWARD ANY
ONE.
After the execution one of McCue's
spiritual advisers said: MI. McCue
left this world with feeling of bitter
ness toward no human being in it. His
heart was wonderfully softened. He
was earnest and tender. This morning
in our presence he offered to God a fer
vent prayer for his uncles and aunts
and lastly and most fervently 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 Nc
Cues three spiritual advisers gave out
the following signed statements:
CONrFESSES HIS CRIME.
j. samuel McCue stated this morn
ing in our presence and requested US
to make public that he did not wish to
leave this world with suspicion resting
on any human being other himself;
that he alone was responsible for the
deed, impelled to it by an V power
beyond his control, and that he recog-
nized his sentence as just
DETAILS OF THE MURDER.
j. Samuel McCue was As years Oh
and twice had beef mayor of the city
of Charlottesville. The tragedy tor
which he paid the penalty created
more interest than any other CRIME
that has occurred in the state in the
past quarter century. On SUNDAY
might, September 4, McCue accompa-
MED his wife to church and they re-
turned home about 9:15 O'Clock. Within
10 minutes after they had repaired TO
their room to retire for the night the
city was aroused by messages announc-
ing the murder of Mrs. McCue II
friends, physicians and officers hurried
to the McCue home. Mrs. McCue was
found dead in the bath room, and Nc
Cue was lying on the floor with an
abrasion ON his cheek and feigning un-
consciousness. He later asserted th&t
the attack had been made by an I'M
known white man who had climbed
through a window. Mrs. McCue mad
1sen dealt a blow that broke her nose
4 and her left ear had been almost sew
>ered by a second blow. e was
caused by a gunshot wound just above
the heart. McCue was able to
explain the presence in n bathroom