Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-19
Protested Innocence Until Last
Day, But When He Found
Himself Face to Face With
Death He Broke Silence
TRAP WAS SPRUNG
BY SHERIFF MANGUM
The Execution Took Place
Quickly, Quietly, and With
out Incident Near Noon
Neck Not Broken by Fall

At II:A:A Friday morning Sheriff
wheeler Mangum sprung the lever OF the
EaIlows trap on the fifth floor OF the
Fulton county Jail. sending George Burge.
convicted and confessed wife murderer.
90 enternity.
Burgess confession was made to jail
Office three hours before the execution
took place. II was a CHASTITY recital OF
a revolving murder.
The drop OF six feet failed to break the
neck OF the murderer. who was pro-
nounced dead Is minutes and IS seconds
later by County Physician Paul Nc
Dorald.
BurEe ala not confess on the gallows
TO the murder OF his wife. Mrs. LOWE
Burge. but three hours before the exc
cution he called in Deputy Sheriff W. J.
Gnleland. who had lived in the same
community with him for years. To Mr..
CIIeland he gave the full details OF the
crime and contrary to the expectations
OF the county officials he did not imph-
cate another party. so it is said After
the, confession TO Mr.. Gileland- Burge
Is said to have repeated the details OF
the murder TO Sheriff Mangum.
ENTERS GALLOws ROOM
NBurxe entered the gallows room from
the death cell at HIS o'clock. He was
walking by the side Of Sheriff Mansum
with a firm step. At no time did he show
indications OF breaking down. As he start
ed TO mount the steps to the galiows he
stopped and shook hands with several
men. who were standing near.
"A he reached the top OF the flight OF
steps he was met by Judge Robert L.
Rogers. his attorney. The two men en-
braced. both men shedding tears
Burge then turned to Sheriff Mangum
and placing his hands on his shoulders
said: You have been kind. very KIND 10
ne. We viii meet In heaven, where am
going"
Il win be there, George" said the sher-
tff IN a voice trembling with emotion
Leaning against the banisters OF the
stairway with his face buried In MS
hands. Burge heard the sheriff reading
the legal history OF the case and the or
der Of the execution
The Rev d. s Edenfield. pastor OF tho
Grant Park Baptist church. who bap-
tined Burxe at $50 o'clock in the morning
Offered a short prayer
GODS WILL BE DONE
me Ae-e -
hand to heaven. said:
Gods viii be done: not mine" Turn
ing again to the sheriff he again held out
his hand, which was grasped BY the
weeping official
Calmly. with downcast eyes. Burge step
ue. directly on the middle or the trap
door Deputy Sheriffs John Dunegan and
]. b. Roberts adjusted the cords and
handouts. which bound legs and arms
~
his head by Deputy Roberts
At this time Burge was praying In a
Irw voice his words very indistinct
Sheriff Mangum was offering a prayer
for the condemned man as he pushed the
lever.
The little gallows room was crowded
with city and county officials, physicians
ministers and newspaper men,
Just after the drop, the sheriff rushed
down the steps and stood at the SIDE OF
DIR. Mcdonald, who held his hand on the
dvinr mans pulse. Immediately after
Rurge was officially pronounced dead by
DR. Mcdonald. the body was cut down
and taken to Patterson's undertaking es-
tablishneut. where IL was prepared for
burial Burge was visited shortly before
the execution by a Mrs. Calhoun. Of Ma
con. who had come TO tell the man good
nv. The order admitting her came from
Governor Brown. She was accompanied
bv the murderer's young brother, ]. NJ
Burge.
The heart-broken mother. who has visit
cd the man almost daily since his con-
victim. did not come to the jail Friday
morning, as she was too weak to leave
her bed
Rurge during the morning saw num-
Der OF officials and ministers. but request
ed the sheriff not to admit newspaper
men \
The execution Of the man was marked
only by the stiffness OF the room. He
made no attempt to struggle in any way
and was as calm as any man in the
crowded room Despite the fact that
his neck was not broken and he was con-
scious for probably three minutes, his
body did not sway or move in any way,
but remained perfectly still until II was
cut down by the undertakers.
Mr.. Edenheld. In his prayer, stated that
Burge had expressed the wish that his
execution would serve to lead some other
man to Christian life.
According to statements Of the jailers
during the last hours Burge continually
spoke OF the regret which he felt at a
misspent life He always hoped that his
fate. II not his life, might be OF service
20 others in bringing them to lead a bet
ter and more Christian life.
THE BLOODY CRIME.
After separating from her husband. who
had beaten and abused her, Mrs. Lovie
Burge lived. in the early spring OF 1902
I'm a house at 'Blandtown." on the out
skirts OF Atlanta. near the SeabOard Air
Line shops.
On the morning OF May IL. 1909, two or
three hours before daylight, neighbors
heard shrieks and screams from the room
where Mrs. Burge slept Summoning aid
they entered the place, and found the
woman lying dead upon her bed. in a pool
OF blood. her throat cut from ear to ear.
with gashes on her forehead, wrists and
breast
BURGE Is ARRESTED.
Circumstantial evidence pointed 10
George Burge. the husband. and he was
arrested the same morning. I'm the house
OF a relative. For months previous he
had beaten and cruelty treated his wife.
according 10 formal charges she had
nszSe. and he had once been tried for
wife-beating In the city court. though he
was acquitted because Mrs. Burge press
ed the case faint-heaTtedly.
CONVICTED OF MURDER.
At a special term OF the Fulton county
superior court, held in May. 1903. over
which Judge ;. p. Gilbert. OF the Chat
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