The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-31
TWO NEGROES PAY
 DEATH PENALTY Bonnie Ward and Wash Gray Hanged for Robbery
 of Merchant

You shore are killing an innocent nig- ger" was the statement made by Wash Gray as he stood on the scaffold yes- terday morning just before Sheriff Mo- Adory pulled the lever that sent the ne- gro into eternity. Bennie Ward in . lengthy talk from the seaffold confessed his guilt and said he was willing to die for his crimes He declared that Wash Gray had nothing to do with the crime for which he was to be hanged.
 The double hanging took place yester- day morning in the yard of the Jefferson courty jail and was witnessed by about l5o persons. A large crowd assembled on the outside of the jail. A few minutes before the hanging the death warrant was read to the men by Deputy Sheriff Fred McDuff. Bennie Ward went to tho sallows first. and asking permission of the sheriff. made a 1o-minute talk from the galows, He was pronounced dead by attending physicians l6 minutes after the drop fell.
 Gray also made a talk and said a long prayer on the scaffold. He was dead in Y minutes. The Rev. P. W. Wall of the African Methodist church attended the condemned men on the scaffold.
 Tho negroes were hanged for the rob- bery of Andrew Pollock. a Syrian merchant, who was held up in his place of business, and after being robbed was shot by his assailants and dangerously wounded. He recovered and identified tho two negroes as his assailants.
 The statements made by the negroes from the scaffold were in part as foi- lows:
 Bonnie Ward:
 .Whisky caused me to be standing ou the scaffold. was not drunk, but didn't know what l was doing. I did not intend to shoot him. but it was just the devil that caused the bullet to hit him.
 They convicted an innocent man to die with me. Wash Gray had nothing to do with that trouble. But maybe that was the way God intended for him to die. Wash Is Innocent. This Is the truth and nothing else.
 Now, I am dying for God and I am going to heaven. l want all you people to meet mo in heaven. I am willing to die. My soul is willing, but the flesh don't want to. That's always the way--the soul, Is willing to do something but the flesh is afraid. My soul Is saved and 1 am going to heaven. want everybody 10 un- derstand that 1 am suved. l never tried dying, but 1 am going to try 1t this morn- ing. I don't want to see Wash killed. He didn't do nothing. l didn't kill nobody, but I shot a man.
 Wash Gray:
 You all are killing an innocent man. never saw Bennie Ward and I have told them that. They want to kill me and I have to die cause the law say SO. I am going to heaven. l amt got nothing in my heart against anybody. l am willing to die. but just hate to die for some- thing ain't done You shore are killing Nan innocent nigger.
 'I always lived with the white folks and was brought up in Mir. Aliens house fin Selma. My soul is saved. They can't take that. They can take my life, but my soul Is the sweetest thing I've got and 1t will go to heaven.
 Now, reverend, I'm ready, but I want to pray first"
 Just before tho trap fell. after the cap had been adjusted, with an airy wave of his hand to tho assembled crowd. Gray said his last words: Well, you all bo good" The trap fell.