The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-11-24
YOUMAMS THOUGHT
devil HAD HIM.
Condemned Men Have One
More Week of Life.
Youmans Struggles in Prayer for Re-
ligion-McCoy Has Been Church
Member for Years.

Edgar YoumanS and Will Mccoy, the
two negro murderers convicted at the
last term of the Circuit Court and sen.
fenced to be hanged, and whose execu-
ton has been fixed by Gov. Gilchrist
for Friday, December 1St, are nervous.
Under the circumstances this is not
strange.
Yesterday the work of building the
scaffold was begun by Mr.. StudStill.
This work is going on in the Jail yard
only few feet removed from the cage
in which the murderers are located, and
where the sounds of the hammer and
saw come in 10 them through the open
windows.
Will Mccoy has take his death SEN
tence more philosophically than men in
his condition are wont to do. He real
ICES that there is no hope for a commu-
tation of the sentence-nor its delay.
He realizes fully that he must die on the
scaffold next week Friday-that he has
but few days more to live, and yet he
is holding up bravely. He was a pol
troon, coward, when he shot the wo-
man for whose death he is TO hang,
But he is Drawer man than many could
be in the face of certain impending
death for himself.
OF course he is nervous and is giving
much thought to spiritual matterS-aS he
understands them. Mccoy says he has
been a religious man for many years,
and a church member. He is "A Metho-
dist, though he evidently wasn't work
ing at ii much during his life at Vain
thn
committed. He is working at it more
now.
Youmans never claimed TO be relg-
iouS. He has Baptist leaningS, and ever
since the death warrant was read TO him
on the 10th inst. has been making siren
uouS efforts to get himself in frame of
mind to submit to the rite of baptism.
He is devoting much time TO prayer, and
for several days has been eating but lit
tie. When questioned as to his loss of
appetite Youmans stated that il was be-
cause he felt that by fasting and prayer
he could more easily get religion.
Tuesday night there was great racket
in the Jail and Youmans did some tall
yelling, so much so that Deputy Sheriff
Pete Hagan had TO go in and restore
order.
Wednesday morning Youmans called
Mr.. Hagan to him and apologized. He
said that he had been making terrible
struggle to get religion and no doubt
was much to blame for the racket in the
Jail of the past few days, but he thought
he had religion now, and from now on
he would give no more trouble.
Last night" said he 81 was prayin'
hard and was down on my knees when
all to onct something got me by the leg.
| thought ii was old satan sure and be-
gan TO holler."
1t seems that one of the men in Jail
for a minor offenSe had slipped up
quietly behind YoumanS when he was
praying and had grabbed and jerked his
foot.
These men were being kept awake by
Youmans and were anxious to get him to
cease his loud praying.
Several of the colored preachers have
called on the condemned men and have
prayed with them.
Rev. P. Q. CaSon of the Baptist church
has also called on them and Offered
prayer and spiritual advice, as also have
some of the good sisters of st. JoSephS
Convent.
YoumanS will be baptiScd in the jail
yard today or tomorrow al latest. There
is large tank in the Jail yard that is
used for a bath tub by the prisoners, and
this is large enough 10 permit of INNER
sion, which is the manner preferred by
YoumanS.
The execution of the two men will
take place at one and the same time.
1t will occur between the hours of 10
a. m. and II noon on Friday, one week
from today, Dec. 1st. The men will
stand on the same trap and both will
drop when the sheriff draws the lever.
The law provides that the Sheriff shall
have with him at least two deputies, and
he is requested to invite the States attor-
ney, the clerk of the court and II re-
spectacle citizens, including physicians
or surgeons, newspaper representatives,
besides the counsel of the condemned
and ministers.
In the execution of Henry Clay Beat
tie ir. at Richmond, Va, today no news
paper reporters are allowed in the death
chamber, as il is against the law in Nir-
ginia for newspapers to publish deScrip-
tionS of legal executions.