The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-01-09
S. c., THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, ]
BOOZER PAYS DEATH PENALTY
Electrocuted for Murder of James S.
Gillian.

Columbia, Jan. 2.-Sam Boozer,
colored, was electrocuted at the State
penitentiary this morning for the
murder of James S. Gillian, a white
man of Newberry county, whom he
shot and killed in December, 1911.
The condemned man was strapped in
the death chair and the death deal
ing current switched on at 1928, and
three minutes later the physicians
present pronounced life extinct. The
remains were taken in charge by a
brother, who took them back to the
old home, in Newberry county, for
burial.
In view of some sensational stories,
which have appeared in the Georgia
papers to the effect that the shock
in the electric chair did not kill Sam
uel N. Hyde, the Anderson county
wife murderer, whose body after elec-
trocution was shipped to a medical
college in Atlanta several physicians
were invited to witness the execution
of Boozer this morning. In three
minutes after the shock all the doc
tors present pronounced him dead.
Gov. Blease had given the case
careful consideration and went so far
as to be represented at the execution
this morning by Private Secretary
John K. Aull, in order that the gov
ernor might be in touch with the sit
uation up until the very minute the
fatal current was loosed. Only a few
minutes before the time Capt. Sond-
ley, of the penitentiary, telephoned
the governor asking if there was any
thing further, and the governor stat
ed that the execution must go on
under the showing at that time. Gov.
Blease had already passed upon all
the petitions and recommendations
in his hands, but wanted to be in po-
sition to act in case there were any
eleventh-hour developments.
Boozer's dying statement was made
to Private Secretary Aull. He said
that his trouble was none of his, but
was on the hands of white people. He
said that as a result of conditions ex-
listing Mr.. Gillian, the deceased, was
trying to run all the negroes off Mr..
Hips place, that Mr.. Gillian tried to
kill Boozer, and that Gillian and 9TH
er white people caused Boozer to
get into his trouble. He thanked the
officers for his kind treatment, and
said that he was ready to go home,
to die no more. He was specifically
asked if he had anything more to say
in regard to one white man whose
name he had mentioned as being a
cause of his trouble, and said that he
had not.
Gov. Blease, after the execution,
said that he was satisfied, in view of
all the circumstances of the case and
of the circumstances attending the
electrocution, that he had done his
duty in refusing the petition for
communication of sentence, which had
been filed by the negro's attorney,
Mr.. G.. G.. Sayle.
James S. Gillian was overseer on
the plantation of John S. H1pp, at Old
Town, in Newberry county, and ne
was shot and killed by negro nam
ed Sam Boozer. Boozer was tried
for the killing along with Hipp, who
was charged with being an accessory,
but the jury acquitted Hipp and
found Boozer guilty. He was SEN
fenced to hang by Judge Ernest Gary
The case was appealed to the su-
preme court, which affirmed the death
sentence, and in November, of last
year, Judge Memminger sentenced
Boozer to die in the electric chair on
December 13. On the day preced'
ing he was respited until to-day in or
der to give his attorney time to make
further showing on the petition for
Communication, but the governor did
not interfere with the sentence and
this morning the mandate of the law
was carried out.