The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-06-22
THREE MEN PAY
DEATH PENALTY
KIRBY, FOX AND GAPPINS ELEC'
TROCUTED AT COLUMBIA EAR
LY FRIDAY MORNING.

The execution of tie three white
men convicted some time ago of the
murder of William Brazell, white
automobile driver, C. J. Kirby, c. o.
Fox and Jesse Gappins the three Grim
inals took place in the state peniten-
tiary at Columbia shortly after 6
o'clock last Friday morning. All
wanted to make talks before their
death. The general tone was to
ask for forgiveness, to warn young
men against bad company and to
express sorrow for the Brazell family.
It is a noteworthy fact that not one
of the three executed is a South
Carolinian, all coming to Columbia
to live from other states. Of the
three who were executed Kirby was
most resistent and did not want to
help 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 awakened as early as
5:25 o'clock when the death warrant
YVES read. At 6:12 o'clock Kirby was
taken to the electric chair and was
the first to be executed. All of the
preparations, all of fte prayers, all
of the talks and the three executions
fifty minutes.
fiftl minutes.
The execution was by electric cur
rent, registering 1, 900 volts. The
statement is made that the record al
so shows that in Kirby's execution
there was a record of ten amperes.
The prisoners are taken from the
death chamber to the electrocution
room, then they are strapped in 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, the Rev.
]. C. Abney, Mr.. Murphy and the
Rev. j. w. Anderson. The three pris-
oners joined m che services and pray
ers.
At each of the executions there
were separate groups of twenty spec
tators, no more than this number
being allowed by the prison author
tiles, although it is understood that
there were many requests to witness
the 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 have denied
being involved in the murder, their
only statements being to shirk some
part of the responsibility.
Jesse Gappins, who was quite
young, when he was taken to the
electric chair made somewhat con-
nected statement. In substance he
said:
Gentlemen, all young men and old
ones, too," began the young prison.
er, 81 advise to keep good company.
I am here today to die for keeping
bad company. II the truth were
known, and God knows it, I would
not be here to die today. If it had
been left to me, young Brazell would
have been living today. Let this be
q warning to everybody. You may
not believe what I tell you, but be-
fore God it's so; Jesus knows my
heart. I know lots of faces among
you. / have not had justice. Jesus
died, after q perfect life. Goodbye,
everybody. Stand by me, dear Lord,
in my last moments on this earth"
The young criminal prayed and then
in a quiet tone, for a whole minute,
without interference from the execu-
toner, who waited as he prayed, a
hand on the switch, the young mur-
drere poured out his soul to God for
forgiveness. Gappins had tears in his
eyes while he was talking and his
execution seemed to effect the spec
tators more than that Of any of the
others.
In less than three minutes from
the time the first shock was applied
Gappins vas 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