The Adair County news., 1914-08-12
PURSUED BY A
BLACK NEMESIS
Guilty Brought to Justice In
a Mysterious Way.

The words were spoken by David
Nolan, farmer boy. to one who had
pointed him out as a murderer David.
while crossing a field, saw a man hur-
rying toward him. When he came I'D
David noticed that he was very much
excited. He asked David how he could
reach the nearest railroad station and
while the boy was telling him put his
hand on his arm. Then, drawing a
sheath knife, he told David that he
would give it to him for his infOrma-
ton. After that he darted away.
Half an hour afterward. while Da-
vid was cutting wheat, some half doz-
en- men and boys, among them the
man who had given him the knife,
came hurrying across the fields. They
advanced straight toward David. and
when they reached him their leader
asked the one who had given the
knife:
SIS he the One?"
Yes. | saw him draw q knife from
the body and come in this direction"
"BlOod on his shirt sleever' exclaim-
ed one.
"And here's the knifeY' cried anoth-
err, drawing it from David's pocket
'All right. Come along"
David was charged with having kill
ed a man whose body had been found
beside a road half a mile away. He
saw the trick the murderer had played
upon him. The man had meanwhile
xUnShn1 his ho nd in
trying to reach the railroad had been
accosted by party who had discover
ed the body. He told them that he
had seen the murderer leave it and
guided them to David. 1t was then
that David said:
IF swing for this in your place, I
will come back to earth to see that you
get your proper punishment"
David did not swing for the crime.
He was electrocuted and mainly on
the testimony of Newton Hawkins. the
man who had left blood on his arm
and given him the knife.
Some time after Nolan's execution
Hawkins was approached by a negro
who entered into a brief conversation
with him. An hour later when Haw-
kinS was entering the house in which
he lived, he saw the negro looking at
him. He made a dash for his shadow
er, but the negro slipped into an alley.
and Hawkins lost him.
Hawkins saw no more of the negro.
but heard of him. The negro was evil
IDENTIFY making inquiries concerning
him. Hawkins. who had guilt on his
was intending to slip away
when he was arrested on a charge
made by the police of having commit
ted the murder for which David Nolan
had been executed. When his case
came up he found the police in pos
session of a chain of evidence which
had been sent to them anonymously.
1t was originally a clew, but they
made it evidence.
During the trial the prisoner, while
casting his eye over those sitting as
negro who had Swallowed him. The
negro was looking straight at him and
continued his gaze. Then for the first
time the threat of David Nolan occur
red to him. He shuddered.
Hawkins was convicted of the muir
der and sentenced to death. When
seated in the electric chair he cast his
eyes over those standing about to wit
ness his execution. There is limited
lumber of officials at such ceremonies.
put in this case the doomed man saw
some one else.
THE niggerr' he gasped. Take
him away"
Al that moment the current was turn
ID on. and the affair was ended.
There has always been double mys-
cry in tie matter of the Hawkins
.ase In the first place, the police new
n learned who had put them on the
lew that resulted III obtaining the
OH which Hawkins was con-
-icted. In the second place. it has new
r been established whether Hawkins
eally saw u negro present the mo-
nent before he died or was so wrought
Ipon by his approaching end as to see
i'm in imagination. The officials de-.
Jared that no permission to be pres
mt was given to any negro. All those
Tho were there declared that there
vas no negro among them.
There is a possible explanation
bout the time that Nolan was cleo
rocuted it was asserted by physicians
hat such subjects do not die of cleo
-icity, but under the knife at the sub
equent autopsy. This opinion was in
measure supported by the discovery
nat life is usually present in the body
long while after all appearance Of 1t
as vanished. These doctors made ap-
lication to be permitted to expert
lent ON an electrocuted body and we're
atty refused by the sheriff. 1t Is well
nown that Nolan's counsel was con-
lnced Of his innocence. 1t is also
let that the lawyer was on intimate
.rms with the sheriff 1t has been
hispered that with the sheriff's con-
vance the doctors were permitted to
eal Nolan's body and that they re-
isolated it. This Is the only theory
lat fits into all the conditions. If No
n lived again be could not declare
mself without bringing a swarm OF
ornets about the sheriff, who had
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