The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-18
T0M ROBERTSON DIES ON GALLONS Makes Talk to People Before
 the Execution MEETS DEATH BRAVELY Declares That He Is Ready to Die. Remarks as He Ascends ScaffoId
 That Rope Looks Unusually
 Large-Writes Book
MEETS DEATH BRAvELY

Russellville. December 17.-(Special, l- Tom Roberson, convicted of the heinous murder of his wife, Mrs. Mamie Rober- son, and murderer of his mother-in-law Mrs. J. W. Clark, and who at the same time seriously wounded his father-in-law, J. W. Clark, expiated his crime at 12:3s o'clock today on a sallows behind ths county jail From the first and untiI tha last moment of his life he remained perfectly collected and all the time main tained the fact that he was no better to die than his wife WAS
 Roberson requested Sheriff w. D. Isovr- cry yesterday that he be allowed to make a public statement for the benefit of young men, old men and all. Just before he was led up to the gallow Sheriff Low cry consented and at Il o'clock Roberson was placed on a stand directly in front or the door of the county jail and began a narrative of his life from the time of his commencing to drink whisky outlin- ing it down until the time he committed deed that brought him to the gallows and upon which he was to die to half way pay for his crime
 Roberson Talks.
 Roberson said: "Gentlemen, [ walk ont here to meet death. have come to pay for the crime that I have committed I have come to pay the debt with my life, and it is all in the world that I can do. Gentlemen, I want to tell you all exactly what brought all this to me and God himself only knows how I feel in my heart about it. It was sin that made me do 1t, and now I regret it thousand times. I loved my wife. and God knows l did, and she loved her dear mother, and hope to meet them in heaven.
 '4The only thing that I regret about them hanging me is that they didn't build my scaffold out in front of the Jail so everybody could see me. I want every body to see me hung. think 1t would have been a lesson to a great many young men and old men. I think it would have checked the temper of great many, so when they took drink of whisky to have gone on and let it be the last of 1t.
 "Gentlemen if there Is anyone here that has anything against me I want you to hold up your hands. Thank God, I don't see hand up. I love everybody and don't want to die knowing that any one has anything against me
 ''Gentlemen I have lived in sin all of my life. l started to drinking and then to gambling, and then it seemed that the devil had me going the way he wanted me to go, whether I wanted to or not. I cultivated sin just like you cultivate grain of corn.
 If you will put a grain of corn in a dry place 1t will remain a grain of corn. but if you put it in a damp place and cultivate 1t. it will make stalk of corn
 Asks For Song.
 He requested song which was sung.
 T got to see two of my little children yesterday, and the little things certainly looked sweet" he continued T hated to see them leave so bad. I want to thank MT Lowery for what he has done for me. He has treated me just like dear brother and MT. Berry has been awfuny good to me, too. I love them both"
 Hs asked to sss ]. w. Clark MT.