Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-06-21
FOX AND GAPPINs AND kirby
1 Pay Penalty in Electric Chair for
killing Of William Brazell.


time ago of the murder OF William
Brazell, a white automobile driver.
G. ]. Kirby, G. o. Fox, and Jesse
Gappins, the three criminals, all
wanted to make talks before their
deaths. The general tone was to
ask for forgiveness, to warn young
men against bad company, and to
express sorrow for the Brazell fam
lily. It is q noteworthy fact that not
one Of the three executed this morn
Ing is South Carolinian, all hav-
Ing come frop, other States to CO.
lumbia to liV - Of the three who
were executed Kirby was the most
resistent, and did not want to have
the executioner expedite his work.
The penitentiary authorities had
the work dispatched early in the
day in order that the curious might
not annoy them. The first Of the
prisoners were walked up as early as
5.25 o'clock this morning, when the
death warrant was read. At 6.12
o'clock Kirby was taken to the cleo
electrocuted. All Of the prepara-
tions, all Of the prayers, all Of the
talks and the three executions were
completed within the span Of fifty
minutes.
How Men Are Killed.
The execution was by electric cur
rent, registering 1900 volts. The
statement Is made that the record
also shows that in Ilirby's execution
; there was record Of ten amperes.
death chamber to the electrocution
room, then they are strapped into a
large chair, and a slit Is generally
made in the leg Of the trousers for
the contact with the electric power.
Out Of the abundance Of caution two
shots at short intervals are applied,
and death follows instantly.
There were three ministers in at
tendance at the execution this morn
irg-Rev. ]. G. Abney, Mr. Murphy
and Rev j. w. Anderson. The three
prisoners joined in the services and
prayers.
At each Of the executions there
were separate groups Of twenty spec
tators, no more than this number
being allowed by the prison authori-
ties, although 1t is understood that
( there were many requests to witness
tie executions.
Kirby in his last moments seemed
to resist the officers, as he wanted
to make additional statements, al
though he had been making them
quite regularly for some days. None
). Of the participants ever has denied
bcing involved in the murder, their
only statements being to shirk some
part Of the responsibility.
Jesse Gappins, who was quite
young, as he was taken to the cleo
trio chair made somewhat connect
, ed statement. In substance he said:
Statement by Gappins.
"Gentlemen, all young men and
old ones, too," began the youthful
prisoner, II advsie you to keep good
company. l am here to-day to die
for keeping bad company. If the
truth were known, and God knows it,
I would not be here to die to-day. If
1t had been left to me young Bra
zell would have been living to-day.
Let this be a warning to everybody.
You may not believe what tell you,
but before God it's so. Jesus knows
4 my heart. know lots Of faces among
you. l have not had justice. Jesus
died, after a perfect life. Goodbye,
everybody. Stand by me, dear Lord,
In my last moments on this earth"
The young criminal prayed, and
Y then, in quiet tone, for whole
] minute, without interference from
the executioner, who waited as he
prayed, a hand on the switch, the
young murderer poured out his soul
to God for forgiveness. Gappins had
tears in his eyes while he was talk
Ing, and his execution seemed to af-
y feet the spectators more than that
of any Of the others.
In less than three minutes from
the time the first shock was applied
Gappins was declared dead.
Fox was the last Of the trio to be
executed. He appears to have been
the one who actually stabbed Brazell
to death. In his case the physicians
declared him dead in four minutes
and seven seconds. Fox also asked