The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-08-07
REQUEST FOR TDdE TO PRAY WAS
GRANTED PRISONER AT LAST
MOMENT.
NEGRO ALSO WANTED TO KNOW Z
HIS BODY WAS TO BE SENT
HONL.
CEREMONY ON THE SCAFFoLp
DIFFERENT FROM THAT ATTEND
OTHER EXECUTIONS.

negro. wa. executed in the West Viz
rinia prn;iCntiary al MuundSTillc late
Yesterday afternoon. The crime for
which n" PAID tho rXtrcIn" penalty was
A irndish criminal! assault upon Mrs
Zimmerman, wife Of a Morgan county
farmer.
Ferguson bore up as we'll as tho aver
age doomed man does upon the occasion
Of his execution. II" walked from Tie
death coll to the scaffold. HIS limbs
weakened. however. when the straps
were adjusted about his legs and arms
and Captain If Guards. u. T.. Schultz
and guards had to support him on his
Icr, during the execution ceremony.
Tho death penalty was executed by
Warden J. Il. Terrell. Captain Schultz
and the guards who assisted with the
h4nging fcarlcssly and unfinchinsly.
Warden Terrell was particularly careful
10 max" the cXcCxSon solemn OK
cmpllilratiOn Of the majesty OF tn" law
and his preparations 10 that effect were
carried out without a hitch.
Tho execution was witnessed by eight
physicians. ihrc" ncwSrapcrmcn. twclFe
other interested witnesses. and the pris-
ON oriiriala, spiritual advisers and
guards
Tho trap which sent Ferguson to death
was sprung at 5:"71: o'clock, ana IN
Just exactly eight minutes DR. .. Is
Wilson. ,hr prison physician. pronouhc-
cd Ferguson dead.
At SIS u'clnCk. Dr. Wilson ana inc
rhyS:ciane invited 10 attend IN" cNecu-
ton. Wrr" admitted To the PRISON court
y1lrd and escorted nj once 10 the cHccu-
ticn chamber. Thr"" minutes later,
Warden Terrell had tho other witnesses
vi 70
death march, just within the prison
criranr, Headed Ivy Warden Terrell
ard Cariain Srhiltz. the witnesses and
guards hogan their march 10 the prison
annex AT SIS O'clock. Tho warden. cap
rain and guards VIII" wcr" TO ASSIST win
tho execution entered the death coll
while the witnesses were marched into
TIN, execution chamber and placed before
the SCaGiUld.
Photograph Replaces Quartet.
Ordinarily, ono mnrrhinS To the dcath
chamber hears wio:d singing by n choir
Of urlsrn SINGERS. but the familiar
strains were missing. But as the pro-
ccSsion reached the annex. III" witnesses
lcurd III" strains Of Nearer. My God 10
Thee" PLAY Cd on an Ellison phonosraph
she doomed mans favorilr instrument.
As the procession packed INT" inc ocalh
chamber. the record was cSSnged ana
tho Edison Reproduced III" voices OF q
male quartet singing LORD I'm !omi'E
Home" Again the song was changed,
and. tho instrument played Fcrsuson's
f,y0rltc religious sorg. ION tn" Noun
tain Tons W:th jesus" as tn" doomed
man IN company with tho prison olhciaIS
and his spiritual advisers was LED up
Tho stairway TO tho Scatfold.
In The death march w"r" Warden
Terrell captain Shldtz. III" R"r. j. H.
Hess Protestant chaplain or tho priS-
ON. Tho Rev. Father B"naNcntur". OF
Wheeling; Arrhd"aCon i. NJ. Spur.
Guards Warner and Stillwcll and the
deemed man. AS TN" procession hico
onto the sCaffuid n curtain was drawn
ana remained in place Will" straps were
aijuatrd on FrrruS"rs arms ana legs
Then IN" curtain was Withdrawn. anu
thu. spectators saw Ferguson S'ahuinE
en- IT,. trap. supported by the captain
and guards. Warden Terrell turned to
,hc spectators standing below ard SAID:
Unusual Ceremony.
"t;cnrlcmcn. here IS Hugh Ferguson.
sentenced IN Morgan county 10 be exc
cutcd here today.
Then tn tho condemned man:
"l'crguson. have YOU anything to
sa'"'
"Nn. sir, I don't b"licv" So" th" negro
answered. llIs vote" wavrr"d. and ne
chokcd hard Ia restrain tears.
At = signal from tn" warden. Chap
lain Hess offered brief prayer. say
ing:
Kind Father "" thank Tho" that this
man has accepted Jesus rs his Savior
and Lord. ana humhly pray that Thou
Wiz ~" mcrcirul 10 his soul. Amen"
Capiain Shlld,z reached for III" black
CAP. Ferguson turned his head. looked
at the black cap and then up ut III" rope
md beam from which h" was soon 10
dangl" Captain ShildH adjusted the
black cap. and as he did 80, Ferguson
spoke.
"Wardrn. N" you going t" send me
h,m"" he said. Warden Terrell had
inst received telegram from Judge j.
M Woods. Of Martinsburg. saying that
t'rrrusun's mothcE did not want the
body. 80 the warden cvadCd tn" question.
"Wardcn. won't YOU answer THAT Qurs-
tom" ferguson insisted hut his mind
WAS diverted from tn" disposition "f his
hudy when h" felt III" hanSman's noos"
Slipping over his head.
Prays on tho Scanoh.
s@warden, won't you let me knc"l down
h"r, and say word uf prayer? Then
I'll be satisfied" the doomed man APP
pcal"d.
"I.ct him pray II h" wants to-" tho
WARDEN ordered. Ferguson could not
knrcl for the straps on his legs. but was
told that he might pray standing UP
lhal D., would do h,m just as much good.
Til" rope was taken away from his
head and Ferguson Began prayer that
wa marrcl"d 1T even by his spiritual
adv 5a"rS. Il was an Intelligent suppl
cation for mercy that indicated he had
needed his short religious teaching, and