The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1915-12-09
INSTRUMENT
Of DIVINE WILL
DEADRICK SEGUINES,
CONDEMNED NEGRO,
Thinks He May Have Been
Such in Killing Chief
of Police Campbell

OF TOllCc CdnpDcll
With hope lost for a reversal by
the supreme court by which he is
condemned to die, Deaderick Segui-
mes has made his peace with his Ma
ker and is reconciled to his fate.
Seguines is the big negro SEN
fenced to die in the electric chair by
the Washington county court for kill
ing Chief of Police George Campbell,
of Johnson City, over a year ago, and
is confined in the county Jail in which
eighteen of Sheriff John H. Blanken-
ships negro prisoners made their es-
cape, all but four of them having
been recaptured.
He killed Chief Campbell, who was
one of the best known officers in East
Tennessee, while the officer was
seeking to arrest him. He fed from
the scene, but was captured and was
tried and convicted at Jonesboro, and
then removed TO the county Jail at
Knoxville, pending the review of his
case on appeal before the supreme
court.
His case was heard by the SUI
preme court at its recent term here.
and the court is expected to hand
down it's decision at Nashville with
in few days, possibly Saturday, but
if the court should act favorably in
his case, none will be more surprised
than Seguines. His lawyers, of whom
Major Paul e. Divine, of Johnson
City, is his chief counsel, have held
out but little hope to him.
Thus Seguines has but little hope
and is anticipating only unfavorable
action by the highest court in the
state, and death in the electric chair
early in the new year. He has no
hope of interference by the governor.
Apparently reconciled to his fate,
Seguines said that possibly the hand
of God is to be seen in his case, full
filling the scriptural "eye for an eye
and tooth for TOOTH" 1t is possi-
bly, good law for the safety of So
ciety, Seguines says, and he has no
resentment.
Chief Campbell, Seguines said, had
killed woman years ago and he,
Seguines, was possibly used as an in
strument of the Divine will to bring
justice to the officer in Staying him,
he said. 1t is perhaps better that he
should die, the negro said, as the in
strument of the Divine plan of jus
tice, as "a no account negro" than
some one who would be missed more
in the world The Lord will not be
as severe on him, said the negro, be-
cause He used him as an instrument
of His will.
Reasoning out his plan Of salvation
and the justice of his execution in
this manner, Seguines is not afraid to
die, according to his statement, and
is anticipating no future punishment.
Since his recapture in Virginia and
return to the county Jail. Sheriff
Blankenship has not punished the ne
gro for his escape and for leading the
other prisoners in the Jail delivery,
the sheriff saying that he would have
done likewise if he bad been In the
negro's place. But instead OF giying
the negro the freedom Of the corri-
dor during the day, the sheriff con-
fined Seguines in cell alone.
The prisoner is over six feet tall,
and weighs over two hundred pounds.
He has long crirninal record, and
has put up time in the penitentiary.
He has several relatives in KnoX
vile, including brother and sister.
-Journal-Tribune