Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-12-05
Va|d0sta, Ga, Baptist Exhorler
Paid The Extreme Penalty fla
killing th'Garlers.
NEGRO HAHGEsa-:a1 SAME TINE.
The conv';jsa Murderer Declared to
the Last That He Was Innocent
Case of Two Sons VIII Be Con.
sidered by Board Of Pardons on
Thursday.
(By Associated Press.)

VALDOSTA. GA Dec. with the
declaration that he had told the
truth and that his sons had no
connection with the crime the Rev.
}. G. Rawlings today assembled the
scafold ard paid the penalty for
the murder of Willie and Carrie
carter in July, 1905. Alf Moore.
negro. whose confession connected
rawlings. with the crime was hang.
ell at the same time. Both men
stepped upon the scaffold without
n tremer. They stood on the trap
together and fell together. The ex-
pectation that Moore would make I,
final confession generating Milton,
Jesse and Leonard Rawlings from
participation in the murder of Willie
and Carrie Carter, proved disap-
pointment. He reiterated his prey.
lcus statement and declared that
Milton Rawlings fired the fatal shots.
Mrs. Rawlings and her two daugh.
ters visited the husband and father
curing the morning. They remained
In the jail but did not witness the
execution.
Story Of the Crime.
The crime and conviction of Raw
lirgs and Moore presented unusuaII
features. ]. G. Rawlings and w. sis.
carter were nelghbors, twelve miles
from here. Both were Baptist min.
listers. Several years ago. n dispute
arose rs TO the line between their
respective farms. Litigation and
bad blood resulted. Carter was
wounded by shot from ambush,
and had Rawlings arrested on tho
charge OF attempting murder. A
rev. days later, on June 13. 1908 |
night attack was made on tho
Willie and Carrie Carter were shot
just outside the house and shots
were fired without effect ut Carter,
and his wife and another daughter
The wounded boy managed to drag |
himself to the house and inform
his parents that Milton and Jesse
Rawlings had shot him. He died |
the next day. After shooting the !
children the attacking party attempt
el To set fire to the house but were !
fired upon and driven off without |
further causuties. coroners jury
found that the crime had been com
mitted by Milton and Jessie Rawl-
ings and ALI Moore, a negro. The
latter confessed, telling of plot !
which had been planned by the
elder Rawlings for the murder of
the entire Carter family and the |
burning Of their home.
j. G. Rawlings took no immediate |
part in the crime, having gone to |
Va!dosta to divert suspicion. The |
trial which lasted two weeks resulted |
In verdict of death for the elder
Rawlings. his sons Milton and Jessie |
and ALI Moore. A third son. Leonar.i |
Rawlings, was given life sentence |
as an accomplice. Now began q |
fight for life.
Every legal expedient was resorto,l
to, causing the day of execution to
be postponed from time to time as
each successive temporary advah.
tagc was gained by the defense. The
verdict in the case went to the |
highest state court, then the United |
States supreme court then both to the |
state supreme court, on extraordi- !
nary motion, and then to the board |
OF pardons The first verdict was
sustained in each instance. Governor
Terrell refused on Monday to inter-
fere with the execution of the death |
sentence today. and this refusal de- !
stroyed the last hope of escaping
the full penalty of the law. The !
cases Of two Rawlings boys, who are
sentence to be hanged Friday will
Come before the board of pardons
on Thursday.