The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-06-14


Die in Chair Friday. Tell Sans
Stories as Ever Before.
The State, June 12.
"f1ow does it feel to stand here face
to face with the father Of the boy you
killed?"
This question was asked yesterday
morning in the death house at the
state penitentiary OF S. j. Kirby, c..
.. Fox and Jesse Gappins by w. e..
Brazell, father Of William Brazell,
the young taxi driver for whose muir
der Kirby, Gappins and Fox are to
die in the electric chair Friday, and
the only answer the three men coulu
give was the repetition of their stories
as to how the crime took place.
1t was Mr.. Brazells first visit to
the three men since their sentencing.
although he had sat through the trial
and had twice heard Kirby, Gappins
and Fox sentenced to die. The trip
was made at the request Of Kirby
who asked Mr.. Brazell to call at the
death house to see him before the
elcctrocution., None Of the three men
recognized Mr.. Brazell when he con
fronted them, separated from them
only by the barred cell doors
I'm glad to see YOU" Kirby told
the murdered boys father, "but not
here. l wanted to see you before
left this world to tell you that be-
fore God am sorry for what l did.
| would to God that 1 could exchange
with your boy and would gladly lay
down my life if / could bring him
back"
What l never could understand"
MI. Brazell interrupted, is why you
three big straIDping men had to kill
my little boy to take his car"
It's mystery to me, too," Kirby
said. "'d never seen him before. Gap
pins and Fox were waiting for me at
%the Seaboard station and they told me
first to get Big Bill's car and it had
been burned up so they told me then
to get any car and Il saw your boys
car parked near Main street. 1t was
the first one | came to and that's inc
reason that he was killed.
Kirby" Mr.. Brazell told him, "you
have talked good deal about your
wife and I am sorry for her, but did
you ever think Of my poor boys moth
er, who was an invalid at the time
of the boys murder and ever since?"
II am sorry for them and for you"
Kirby answered. "I am sorry for what
l did and I wish that the boy had
killed us all three rather than have
1t happen as it did. But want some
one to look out for my wife and child
when ! am dead"
"Wcll," Mr.. Brazell told him in
parting, "as far as you are concerned
I leave it up to you and your god"
Gappins denied any knowledge Of
the fact that young Brazell was to
have been killed, claiming that he had
thought that Kirby was to pick up
car On the street which they could
then drive to Florida and sell. "If II
had known he was to be killed." Gap
pins told Mr.. Brazell, ~ would not
have gone. If 1t had been left to me
he would have been alive today"
"You held his hand while he was
being killed." Mr.. Brazell told him.
"You drove the car. 1t could not have
been carried out If you had left them
Why didn't you quB You have had a
lot to say about your mother since
you have been here. Why didn't you
think about the mother OF my boy?|
lie was the only companion she had;
/ was away from the house during
the day. Why didn't you think about
her and your mother before you COM
mitted the crime?"
Gappins hung his head. TT know how
his mother feels" he said. "And I'm
sorry for her."
Mr.. Brazell turned to leave. Cap
pins" he said, II believe you are the
worst OF the three of you. You have
tried to shield yourself behind Fox
and Kirby and you and Kirby lacked
} the courage to play the part that Fox
did,"
]Sm ready to meet my God with
the story I've told" Gappins said, and
: Mr.. Brazell then turned to Fox, who
is confined in the adjoining cell.
'F'ox,' he said, II feel sorry for
you. I've met your father and j found
him to be a gentleman and he told me
that, he had tried to raise you right.