Mexico weekly ledger., 1905-01-05
on YE OLDEN Times
ALLEN Russell WRITES AN IN
TEREsTIEG STORY OF
EARLY DAYS.
RECALLS THE GRANT MURDER.
"reminiscences Of q Visit to Fulton
sixty-Eight Years Ago By a
Six Year OLD Country
Boy.
RECALLS TIE GRANT MURDER.


Sixty-eight years ago occurred Two
of the most notable events in the an
nails Of Galloway county. The afro
clous murder Of Israel r, Cant, one OF
the best known citizens OF the COM
munity, and the hanging Of Conway
and Jake. both negroes, for the
crime.
AS my memory serves me the facts
Of the case are as follows: Mr.. Cant
who lived about mile south OF the
old Samuel Grant place, on the St.
Louis road, had been to Fulton on
business. Late at night bis riderless
horse returned home. His family,
greatly alarmed, gathered the neigh
bors and instituted search. The
body was found about mile from
home, several hundred yards from the
81. Louis road, hidden under a fallen
tree. Suspicion fell at once on Jake,
a negro belonging to the murdered
man. Jake at once confessed and Inn
plicated Conway, belonging to a Mr..
Cowherd, who lived near by.
The negroes were speedily placed on
trial, convicted and sentenced to be
hung, unfortunately, as 1t turned out.
Conway was tried and executed first,
on the unsupported testimony Of Jake
who afterwards, as am informed by
the Oldest and most honored citizens
Of Fulton, recanted voluntarily bis ey-
idence and affirmed that he alone did
the deed.
Conway always, even on the gallows,
asseverated his innocence. 1t was gen.
orally believed he told the truth and
that an innocent man was hung.
Conway's owner, Mr.. Cowherd, firmly
believed him guiltless, bitterly de-
nounced his execution, and left the
county never to return. AS to the
guilt Of Jake, there was at no time
any doubt. Indeed he freely confessed
it-with the hanging Of Jake, is assoc
lated my first impressions Of Fulton
| was brought to town to see the spec
tacle. Shows of any kind we're then
uncommon. The gallows was located
about 100 Yards south of sthe dirt
bridge on Asylun street. g'3ie re- r,
was then rather pretentiod at the :
structure The galisssss aAl ssday-at {
Der it, was rude and primitive affair
consisting Of an upright post firmly
set in the ground, with braced arm
to the end of which was attached the
fatal moose but it did its work about
as well as the more scientific and
slightly death machines Of the present
time.
An immense throng Of whites and
negroes lined the slopes on both sides
OF the hills and the bridge, on the
north. Mrs. Mary Moss, one of the
Oldest and most honored ladies Of Full
ton, told me recently, that she stood
on the bridge and had good view Of
the entire proceedings.
The spectators were not kept long
waiting. At the appointed time Jake
appeared on the scene in wagon,
seated on his coffin, attended by an
armed escort.
With but little delay or preliminar-
les the rope was placed around the
neck Of the negro, the wagon was driv-
en- from under the gallows and the
victim slowly strangled to death.
Justice was satisfied without resort,
all honor to Galloway, to the fearful
code of Judge Lynch.
With this impressive spectacle,
which ! was too young to fully ap-
preciate, is associated an episode,
which led to a lifelong friendship
with one OF Fulton's noblest and best
men.
After the hanging, standing in
front Of the hotel, "taveru" we called
it then, south of the public square,
kept by St George Tucker, father Of
ID. NJ, ]. II. and W. B. Tucker, of st.
George Tucker shall have something
to say hereafter, / saw a tall, rather
ungainly boy about or 10 years old,
leaning against the sign post, MUNICH
ing cold biscuit, with pockets filled
with the same appetizlng morsels. See
ing my wistful look my unknown
friend kindly handed me a biscuit. |
shall never forget his appearance. He
was dressed even as town boys were
then 10 homemade, ill-ftting clothes,
shoeless OF course, but the coat was q
masterpiece 1t excited at once my
attention and envy. II was OF bril-
liant calico with vivid representations
of Jacob, the Patriarch, climbing the
ladder let down from heaven.
Whilst eating our lunch l heard the
most enhancing strain of music that
ever fell on mortal ears. | was soon
to learn its source, up dashed the most
magnificent vehicle l had ever seen,
filled with passengers, who alighted
for dinner. 1t was the old Concord
stage coach, costly and commodious,
drawn by four spanking greys. The
music, so heavenly enchanting, was
simply the drivers horn, blown on the
rise this side ofElcanor Smiths home
stead to announce his arrival, vehe-
ment desire filed my soul, oh that
some benign power with magic wand
would transform the grub into q daz-
zllng butterfly-the clodhopper into a
town boy, that l might live in town,