The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-05-23
g15E nEATH PENALTY PAID FOR
THE MURDER OF DAVID E.
WELLS.
The Condemned Man Made Talk.
His Neck Was Not Broken and He
Dicd of Strangulation-keeps His
Nerve to the Last.
From the Daily Item May IS.

curious people nocklnS TO scene IKE
this, and there was no restraint put
1pon any who desired to witness the
hanging. The streets surrounding the
jan were lined with wagons and vehi-
rles In which were crowded innumera-
ble negroes, vieing with each other in
frantic efforts to peep through the
cracks Of the baEn in which the scaf-
-Hold was constructed Surrounding
trees and telegraph poles were places
OF advantage from which others at
tempted to witness the horribly grue-
some work Of the sheriff.
When the hour of execution arrived
hDrdes of people scrambled over
FENCES from adjoining yards, and filed
the small barn to sufocation, while
quantity Of curious negroes surround
ed the barn and peered through the
cracks upon the scene Of death.
The scaffold had been completed,
with the exception Of the driving Of
Few nails, which work was done in
The hearing Of the condemned man
while the last prayers were being Of
Tered up for. the salvation Of his soul
The frame work Of the. seaffold was
+ nf the most substantial lumber, and
from the centre of the trap was sus-
pended three-quarters inch hemp
rope, which permitted Of fall Of
three and one half feet. Drs. Walter
Eheyne and S. c. Baker were the ply
sicians in attendance.
After considerable parleying, about
HIS o'clock the prisoner, surround
ED by heavy guard, came from the
sjail in charge of Sheriff Epperson. This
was the time that rush was made
for the barn
Stukes showed the quintessence Of
nerve; he entered the barn, approach
ed the scaffold and mounted the steps
without the display Of the slightest
excitement. He was handcuffed with
his hands behind his back, he faced
the crowd, over which a terrible still
ness had fallen and addressed them
Ia a rambling talk. He told them that
he was fully prepared to meet his
terrible doom, that he was dying as
martyr to the protection Of the sanctity
pf his home and that he expected his
reward in the world to come. This
was the substance of his remarks, but
he said other things that are best left
imprinted, Then he called UP to the
scafo1d upon which he was standing
an Of the white men with whom he
was acquainted, and told them good
bye He begged some to remember
his three little children, asked them to
lead them in the right path if they
gave evidence of waywardness, and
begged that if they were ever in want
for some Of his white friends to lend
helping hand.
He signifed his willingness to die,
and he was prepared for his terrible
death.
Having seen the law vindicated il
this manner for the first time, the
writer is profoundly struck with the
fact that tfais enlightened age still re-
tains one5of the most horrible relics OF
1arbarism.
The arms of the doomed man were
bound to his body, his feet tied to-
gether and as the black cap was be-
ing placed over his head, Stukes closed
his eyes as if to shut out from sight
the ghastly looking hood that enclosed
his head, but continued to inquire if
DIR. Baker was near him. Not until
then cid he give any evidence Of fear
of the terrible fate; but with the
knowledge that only few brief sec
onds stood between him and eternity,
he swayed as if about to faint; he was
supported until Sheriff Epperson
: sprung the trap promptly at 12:oS
O'Clock, The body fell with a heavy
thud. terrible gurgle was heard in
his throat, and motionless without the
,quiver Of muscle or a movement of
) limb, the body remained suspended in
nidair for twenty-seven and one-half
minutes, when life was pronounced by
the physicians to be extinct.
Death was caused from strangula-
ton If the neck had been broken
Stukes would have suffered from
shock and would have given evidence
OF such a condition by violent jerking
Of the muscles.
The body was cut down shortly after
Death, and was turne.i over to relatives
of the dead man, who had coffin in
(which 70 place the body.