The Stanford interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1911-1912, 1911-08-08
SHAY PENmAN PAYS
the DEATH PENALTY
Lincoln County NEGRO Rapist elec-
trocuted al EddyviIle Peniten-
tlary Saturday Mornlnu

shay Penman. the Lincoln county
negro, was electrocuted ut the Eddy
Vile penitentiary Saturday morning
for his assault upon the little daugh-
ter of Mr.. and Mrs. a. l.. Rankin. oil
the Hubble section. His body was
brought back here that night and
buried Sunday by relatives.
The Louisville Courier-Journol
ad the following account Of the ex-
ecution SUNDAY morning:
Eddyville, Ky. Aug On the
presence of the father and uncle OF
the little girl he crminally assaulted
Shay Penman. negro paid the penalty
~ for his crime in the electric char
nj AS o'clock this morning. A. the
fatal current shot through the ne
pro's BODY, causing him To- give u
last conyulsive movement before
sinking limp in death. the father oil
the wronged child allowed n smile ut
satisfaction to spread over his Tea
lures. His brother felt the pulse oil
the dead negro ~ soon as the eur
rent had been turned of. aud there
beng no signs of life, nodded ms
head in appraval aud stepped back Ia
the fathers sJe. 81,
The crime for which Penman paid
the death penalty was committed o'
September ;. 1910. His attacked the
Ten year-old daughter of Mr.. aud
Mrs. A. l. Rankin. Of Lincoln c"un,
IL. He was sentenced to death and
I'm amen wa made To Gov Wilson
for cIeuencv hut the chief executive
,cfud-e to interfere. saving at th'
time that there appeared no eNc'ls'
or grounds upon which To commute
the sentence.
penman was a docile prisoner an'
after the governors ultimatum ha,
been made known Ia him. he appear
ed resigned to his fate. In his eel
"a few minutes before going to his eN
.rution. Penman made the following
statement
"Since | gave up hope of Interces
sion from the governor. ] have DE
come resigned To my fate aud an
looking for the last moment ~itl
longing. am nd to have this on
uortunity of talking. ! have made
,tatement to my minister which h
will give io YOU. | do not want e
die with lie on nv lips that woul'
bar me from the home that | fee
God j. going to give me in a.few min
uies,"
The statement alluded to bv Pen
ran was 10 the effect that he wa
,lyinS for crime he had nothing &
ito with.
After his talk in the cell. Penma
WAS led into the death chamber
where Warden II. T. Ilacerman, Dep
T, uty wardens Miller, TAYLOR and VII
son. the death watch. prison guards
chief engineer and electricians Capt
l.. W. Depp. his assistant. {. +. Col
Ter. the prison physician. DIR. X. u
Moss. 4. l.. Rankin. father of III
negro's Aictim. aud hi brother, ~
A. q. Rankin. were gathered. Zen
man walked To the death chair wit
q firm step aud Just before takin
hi seat thanked the prison official
for their kindness To him since his !
carccration.
The electrodes we're placed by CAP
Drpp aud his assistants, the SIC
nal was given and 1850 volts of e!e
tr1ciiy shot through the blacks body
Ne Strengthened couvulsivelS, the
sank back IN his seat dead. The cur
rent was applied only once. IL wa
turned off IN twenty seconds.
When the littl->ed bulb above Oh
negro's head gave Hotice that the GU
tent had been turned off, DIR. Mos
invited Dr. Rankin Ia feel the negro
pulse. lie turned io his brother. the
held the wrists OF tbs dead man 10
iew seconds. he then turned ava
with a shake OF ms mead.
l'eiman's body was sent to hi
friends aud relatives ia Lincoln ecu
. " Immediately after the electrocr
A. Mr.. Raukin aud las brother siOo
ON the station platform the coffin 60
tanning Penman's body was hoiste
into the baggage ear. The relatives ,
the little girl he had wronged too
Sseats in IA passenger coach "A fe
ears behind.