The north Mississippi herald. (Water Valley, Yalobusha Co., Miss.) 1888-1929, 1922-04-21
CHEATS HANGMAN
BY SUICIDINC
Nancy Kelly Cuts His Throat
just as Officials Were Com
ing to Carry Out Sentence
Died at Exact Time He Was
to be Hung.

Leakesville, Mss, April 14.-Man-
cy r. Kelly, condemned to pay the ex-
treme penalty here today for the
killing Of Jacob Green, u. s. probi-
bltlon officer, and Lawrence Dunnam.
officer of Richton, near here, slashed
ms throat with a small pen knife and
died at the exact hour his execution
| was TO have taken place. He cut his
throat as a deputy sheriff opened his
eel door to allow a minister to enter
and give last spiritual advice, and as
the procession of prison officials. wit
nesses and doctors was approaching
to take him to the gallows.
Kelly left note saying that he had
concealed the knife in his shoe and that
he alone was responsible for his sui
eide. When he heard the procession
drawing near he removed the knife
from his shoe and without warning,
suddenly sashed it across his throat,
opening up an ugly cash. The physi-
clan who was to have announced his
death following the execution render
ed such aid as was possible, but Kelly
expired from loss of blood just as the
clock struck the hour set for the hang
ling.
Kelly and Henry Bond, another al
| eyed moonshiner, were convicted of
the killing of Green and Dunnam
when the officers attempted to raid
still said to have been operated by
them and williams.
The suicide was committed in the
presence of a deputy who was open
ing the door to allow Rev. F. w.
Johnson, a Methodist minister, to con-
fer with the condemned man.
Kelly was brought from Hatties-
burg to the Jail here last night by
sheriff Webb Valley and a deputy,
J. N. Sowell and was lodged in the
death cell last night. From the first
news that he was to be hanged Fri
day he had maintained an appearance
of the utmost composure, eating and
sleeping regularity, it is said.
This morning all arrangements
were completed for his execution.
The trap and rope were al in perfect
cond ton. Sheriff Valley having at
tended to those details before Kelly
was brought here. The board of su-
pervisors, the sheriff and his deputies
and the legal number of Witnesses
were TO witness the hanging.
| Rev. Johnson was coming to the
condemned man with Sheriff Valley
as the time for the execution drew
near. The prisoners wife was leav-
ing the cell. In the time between
when Mrs. Kelly left and the DEPUTY
opened the door, Kelly. had slashed
his throat.
Mrs. Kelly said her husband had
told her he had obtained the knife
from a fellow prisoner in the Jackson
Jail, who had shown him how to con-
ceal it in his shoe. He left a note
saying that he alone was responsible
for the suicide.
Kelly showed signs of nervousness
as he heard the procession of officials
draw near. Suddenly, without warn
ng, he grabbed the knife, opened it
and slashed his throat, making deep
cut. Rev. Johnson gave the alarm
and the physician who was, with the
official party rushed up and gave what
attention was possible to the dying
man.
Hanging was scheduled for l
o'clock. At that time Kelly hao died
from loss of blood, having slashed
himself at about quarter of one.
Kelly is the first to die as the re-
suit of the crime for which he was
tried. Henry Bond, another of the
party of alleged moonshiners, is under
sentence of death. Both he and
Kelly were wounded in the battle with
the officers of the law. Kelly had
maintained a most obstinate and low
ering disposition since his capture,
and had never been pleasant pris-
oner, though taking his coming ex-
eeution in an apparently fatalistic
manner, according to officers
The officers had attempted to raid
the Sstill which he and Bond, in COM
pany with Will Morris and Johnny
Adams were running. Adams will
be tried at he Nav term of circuit
court at Leakesville. The officers
were found downward in the mud,
near the still on their knees, headed
toward the location of the apparatus,
which showed that they had died
fighting, according to the evidence at
the trials. Both bodies were riddled
with bullets.
The prisoners have been kept away
from Leakesvil'e, where the feeling
is high, and Kelly is the first to have
been brought back following the
trial of himself and Bond.
Action by the supreme court on
Bonds case is expected soon.
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