The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-08-07
CONDEMNED NEGRO PRAYS !:
STANDING ON THE DEATH TRAP

as Chaplain Hess said later. embodfed-
everything the doomed man had been
taught. y
AS tho prayer ended. the moose was
placed upon his neck and Archdeacon
Spur offered "A sentence Of prayer. The
trap was sprung on signal. by rope de.
vice invented by Warden Terrell, which
replaces tho electric trop formerly used
in executions. The trap was sprung at
5:21ia o'clock and at $751; the prison
physician pronounced Ferguson dead. -
The body was lowered and placed in :
the cooling room. Today Undertaken D.
&. Lutcs will ship it 10 the West Wiz.
gina University at Morgantown. where
1t will be dis:crtcd in the medical de-
partmcnt Of the school. Warden Ter.
rcll stated that arrangements had been
made 10 send the body to Ferguson'l
mother when Judge Woods telegram
was received.
Physicians who assisted DR.. Wilson
in determining when Ferguson's life
was extinct were DR.. Charles Keesor.
Of Wheeling: Dr. p. D. Barlow. Of Nc.
NIcchcn, and DR.. C. E. Hutchinson, DR..
p. u. Ealy. DR.. r. A. Ashworth, DR.. c.
G. Morgan and DR.. ]. J. Dufrcy. Of
Moundsvillc. .Hl.
Negro Acted Different.
j.
tho day of his execution was somewhat.
different from that Of most men about
To hc executed. He lacked the abnormal
appetite which is present in most men
about 10 be hung. and declined WarAO
Tcrrcll's offer Of anything he wished -
eat. He found his chief solace In the
music Of the Edison photograph placed.
in the death cell. His last moments m
tho death cell were spent in receiving
communion. Just before that. the pris-
on band played in the prison yard, and,
Ferguson seemed to find some comfort,
i'll the band music.
FcrgusoL's Crime.
On April s. Ferguson went TO the
home of Ernest Zimmerman. near Han
cock. Morgan county, and asked for .
drink OF water. Mrs. Zimmerman gave
him the water. The negro drank part
Of the water. then seized her. The
woman. who was in delicate conditions
broke loose. but he seized her again,
drew n razor and threatened to kill hor
unless she submitted TO him. She tried
to fight him away. but he beat her face
terribly. The woman became uncot.
scious. and Ferguson accomplished his
purpose then fed. He was caught and
jailed al Berkeley Springs. where q mob
attempted TO get possession OF him. Z
negro to the state prison where he was.
held for safe keeping until he was taken
back TO Morgan county for trial. June,
"a. he was tried. speedily convicted and
sentenced to be hanged. In sentencing
him TO die on Wednesday instead Of
Friday. the Morgan county court broks
n custom that had been observed IN
West Virginia for years.
Ferguson served two terms IN the
penitcntiary. both for minor feionies.
He was sent up once from Kanawh1
county and once from Berkeley. Com.
plcting his last term. he secured work
in a coal mine at Moundsville. and soon
was arrested for stealing another man'a
clothing. He served sixty days IN the
Marshall county jail. and narrowly
escaped doing back to prison under the
habitual criminal act.
Ferguson claimed that his real name
was Hugh Robinson. He claims 10
have been born before his mother WaS
married to John Ferguson. q Martins.
burg negro.