The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-10-04
SAMUEL n. HYDE HAS
PAID DEATH PENALTY
ANDERSON MAN ELECTR0CUTED
AT PENITENTIARY.
Left Body to Students of an Atlanta
Medical COllege-NO Fear Shown
at the Last Moment.

= a year ago of killing his wife, was
electrocuted at 1908 yesterday at the
State penitentiary. Hyde went to the
chair calmly, though somewhat spas
smodic at moment Of electrocutloh.
There were no mishaps. Hyde said that
he was sorry for the deed and believed
that his mind was out Of place at the
time. DR.. Vines, pastor of the First
Baptist church of Anderson, was E'Ith
Hyde during the morning, preparing
the condemned man to meet death.
: The mans brother was with him also.
The body was taken in charge by
Mr.. Tolley, the Anderson undertaken
and shipped to Anderson at o'clock.
Hyde admitted guilt from the begin
ming.
Sheriff W. B. King, Deputy Sheriff
Van B. Martin, Chief of Police 4. y.
Fortune, Rev. John F. Vines, D D.,
pastor of the First Baptist church,
and George NJ. Tolley, an undertaken
came here yesterday. King, Martin
and Fortune came as witnesses to the
execution while Dr. Vines came in re-
sponse to request from the con-
demned man Before Hyde was re-
moved from the Anderson county jail
DR.. Vines visited him frequently and
during the period of these visits Hyde
professed conversion and was baptlz-
ed in the church. Hyde's body will
be embalmed and shipped to Atlanta,
Ca, consigned to two students of a
medical college to whom Hyde has
executed proper deeds for the body,
1t will be dissected for medical re-
search. Sheriff King brought with
him a letter from George Hyde, father
of the condemned man, relinquishing
any claim he might have on the body.
It is Mr.. Hyde's wish that his sons
deed be duly executed.
Story of Crime.
Sam Hyde's crime is the most afro
cious in the criminal annals of An
derson county. Because Of alleged
mistreatment of his young wife Will
lam Beasley, her father, took her
away from her husband. Hyde stood
the separation for several weeks, at
the end of which time he became
desperate. According to his own state
ments, made Immediately after the
double homicide, he decided to kill
his wife if he was not allowed to
live with her. Hyde planned with
precision the murder. He boarded
street car and got off in the Orr mill
village at point near the Beasley
home. He found lights still burning
in the house, so passed on by. After
passing and repassing the house seve-
raj times he found that the lights had
been extinguished and that the family
had retired.
Hyde went to the rear of the house
He took off his shoes and hat and
placed them On the back porch. He
then placed a chair beneath Win
dow and priced it open. After climb
ing through the window Hyde went
through the hall and stopped at the
door of the room occupied by his
wife. He found the door unlocked.
He pushed it open quietly and walked
to the table where lamp was burn
ing dimly. He turned up the wick,
Illuminating the entire room. Mrs.
HYDE, who occupied bed with her
younger sister, was awakened and she
sat up in bed, crying out to Hyde ask
ing him what he meant by coming
there. According to Hyde's own ac-
count of the tragedy he replied that
he had come to kill her, whereupon
he raised his pistol and began firing
The first bullet knocked her back
into a lying position. He kept up the
fire and two other bullets took ef-
feet in Mrs. Hydes body. One ou!let
took effect in the body Of Miss Wine
Beasley, his sister-in-laW, but from
the wound she recovered seVeraI
weeks later. So close was HYDE to the
bed when he shot, the fire III the eA-
plosion of the pistol caused the bed
clothes to burn. These clothes were
gathered up and thrown out of the
house where they were completely
consumed.
Shot Father.in-laW.
After leaning over Mrs. Hyde's body
to ascertain whether the bullets had
been fatal Hyde said he turned to go
out cf the door In the meantime Mr.
Beasley, Mrs. Hyde's father, had been
awakened by the pistol shots and he
reached the hail as Hyde was coming
out of the door. Mr. Beasley 91appled
with Hyde. Hyde's pistol was ua-
loaded. Mr.. Beasley succeeded in get
ting behind Hyde and attempted 10
pin his arms down. Hyde rsache' III
his pocket, found a cartridge, placed
it in the pistol and fired under his
left arm, hitting Mr.. Beasley Ill the
left breast The bullet o9a=rated the
heart, and Mr. BeasIey fell ! the
floor dead.
HYDE escaped out os IL = "o1so BY
the window he aaG pri2eJ open He
ran to corn field not far away AKA
some friend joined him. H$Ed" told
this friend to hunt a telephone ana
tell the sheriff what he had aoae. TIE
friend departed, but before he had
gone far Hyde heard team comi4s
down the road. He recognized the
horse as being Sheriff Kings, aad
he ran out in the road and hailed the
sheriff, telling him that he was the
man wanted. Sheriff King then re-