Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-16
OUTLOOK FOR PEACE
FINE, DE VALERASAYS;
IRISH FARLEY OPENS
JACK KELLOY DIES
ON GALLONS FRIDAY
FOR AUTO MURDER
BY WARD GREENE
(Journal staff Correspondent

BY WARD GREENE
(Journa1 Staff Correspondent
GRIFFIN, Ga, July 15.-Jack
kelley was hanged here this morning
at 1910 o'clock for the murder of
Leroy Trexler, an Atlanta taxicab
driver.
He died in the Catholic faith, a
prayer on his lips and crucifix be-
tween his cuffed hands as he dropped
through the trap.
Kelloy never confessed the crime
for which he paid the penalty. He
made only two statements-one writ
ten in his cell this morning for The
Journal correspondent, the other
spoken from the scaffold.
His statement to The Journal,
written in pencil with a firm hand
was:
81, Jack Kelloy, die In the
Catholic faith. The faith of my
mother and father. I am per-
fectly resigned to Gods will. If
had lived always as a good
Catholic, would perhaps not
be in such trouble today. I bid
! goodbye to all my friends who
have been SO very kind to me
and also my enemies, whom
forgive from my heart. ask
all to pray for me, for I am
~
my God. May He have mercy
on my SOUL"
kelloy made practically the same
statement from the scaffold. His
voice broke but slightly and until
the black cap was fastened over his
head not a tremor disturbed his calm
white face.
The hanging, the first in Spalding
county in many years, brought hun
dreds of people to Griffin, but it
was no holiday event The crowds
IN the courthouse, around the build
ing, at the Jail and on every corner,
waited as though some great dis
aster was to take place. And at the
moment the trap was sprung, there
was such a silence through all the
little city as Griffin has never
known before.
kelloy's last twenty-four hours on
earth were spent on the top floor of
the Griffin Jail, where he has lived
Tor many months. There he had an
accordion and there every night I'M
TIL lately he has played and sung.
NO Relatives at scafo1d
He played his last serenade last
night. Before this he had taken his
few little effects. his ring. his
watch, his shaving mug and brush
ana given them away to his fellow
prlsoners-all but the accordion.
! This. a beautiful silver-mounted
instrument made in Germany. he left
for Miss Annie Johnson. a little girl
who works in a mill at Griffin. KEEL
10y never knew her until he was
jailed here, but she used to come
down at evening to the old brick
building and stand outside in the
darkness with hundreds of other
people to hear Kelloy sing.
He sang to them the waltz song,
Till We Meet Again." a hymn.
Nearer My God to Thee" and the
song for which he was famous. his
favorite. when L Am Gone. You'll!
Soon Forget"
The people in the listening crowd
would send up to kelloy nickels and
dimes in little bucket which he
would let down on a string, unit!
lately when this practice was stop
ped, and every night Miss Johnson
would come and talk to him through
the bars. He would laugh down at
her and call her pet names. and she
would kid him back. They were only
friends, but it was she who made
his prison hours brighter and so he
left her his most priced possession.
outside of the people of Griffin
who have been kind to him; outside
of the Catholic priest. Kelloy had
not a friend in the world at his eX-
ecution. He telegraphed his wife in
Atlanta, from whom he has been
separated, last night asking hnr 10
come here mad tell him good-by. He
telegraphed his sister-in-laW the
same request. but they did not come.
The priest, Father P. "A. Hasson.
of the Sacred Heart church of At
Ianta. arrived here last night. He
visited the Jail where Kelloy had
just finished a hearty supper of ham
and eggs and left him a Catholic
Bible.
Prayers In Church
Then kelley gave his serenade.
Twice he sang when L Am Gone,
You'll Soon Forget" The people out
side called for more, but he spoke
to them, telling them he was tired,
and that he wanted to study the BIZ
BILE.
Until late hour by the flare of
an oil lamp, kelley read the prayer
book in his cell. He slept only three
hours-from 1:45 to 4:45 o'clock.
Then the priest came to him. He
administered to Kelloy the last sac
rament and stayed with him until
the time for the execution. No 9TH
ers were admitted.
When he wrote out his little mes
sage for The Journal correspondent,
kelley sent word with it that he
wanted to thank all those who had
been so good to him. He mentioned
especially Mrs. Freeman, the wife
of the sheriff. She had taken him
this morning. little bouquet of
tiger lilies she had plucked in the
front yard.
Thank you so much" kelley told
her. FLOWERS are my best friends"
To the jailer he said: Il confess
all of my sins old man; 1 have
l have run pretty wild, but now |
am ready to meet my Cod
kelley made no stateemnt denying
the crime. but if he confessed it his
confession is inviolate under the
seal of the church