The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-06-22

out in the world to live right; I'm
sorry I got in bad company; but Pm
not good company. I bear no malice
for any one, I have nothing to say
against the other boys, and / hope
to meet them in Heaven"
The three men executed for muir
der were taken to the dead house
where the members of their families,
none OF whom witnessed any of the
executions, claimed the bodies and
took them to undertaking establish
ments FOR burial.
Columbia and the entire state feels
much relieved that these executions
have been held. The community is
now awaiting the execution of two
other young white men who were
convicted of killing Mr.. Annette, and
whose cases are now on appeal to
the supreme court after their SEN
tence to electrocutlon.
A brief history of the Brazell case
may be of interest. Young Brazell
was murdered during the night Of
August z, last year. The three men
engaged his car to take them to
Augusta, whence they were to 60 to
Florida, to sell the car, after they
had black -jacked the driver and left
him on the roadside. The young driv-
er was black lacked as the party trav-
eled through Lexington county, but
the blackjack broke. Then to COM
plete their job they had to put the
chauffeur out of the way. Kirby de-
vised the scheme of killing him. He
ordered Gappins to inflict the death
wound, but the young mail refused.
Then Fox was ordered, and he obey
ed, the knife being jabbed into the
young Columbian's body and twisted
around several times for each opera
tion. The body was thrown in the
underbrush near the road and the
three men proceeded on to Augusta.
After leaving Augusta a short dis
lance, the men had tire trouble, and
stopping to get help, Kirby told Of
their criminal act, and they were ar
rested. The next day, August g.,
Kirby was brought back to Lexington
and he assisted officers in finding the
body of young Brazell. Later he was
brought to the penitentiary, escaping
efforts of q band of men to get him.
Fox and Gappins were held in
Augusta. A mob stormed the Jail,
in an effort to get them. Later they
We're taken to Savannah, and thence
in dead of night they were smuggled
to Charleston, and several days later
still they were brought to Columbia,
after a mob had searched trains and
automobiles and guarded roadsides for
days, in an effort to get hold Of the
two men.
All three of the men confessed to
the killing. On the witness stand in
Lexington, when they were tried last
September, they told, unfinchingly,
the horrible details of the crime, and
then on September IA, they were con-
yicted and sentenced to the electric
chair, October 81, being set as the
date for their execution. All three
appealed, however, and their appeals
stayed their executions. The appeals,
without merit, were never perfected,
and on motion of Solicitor Callison in
Lexington on May %, they were again
sentenced to die, this June 16, being
set as the date.
Vain attempts have been made in
recent weeks to have the governor.
save the lives of the prisoners. ~
titions for their commutatiG have
been presented in behS Of Gappins
and Fox, these siQd by some of
the jurors who cokicted them. But
to all these the governor turned a
deaf ear, and the justice of the law
was maintained.
". j. Cormack.