Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-27

up and composed his features, sign
ing to the officers that he was ready
for them to proceed; and indicating
that he had nothing more to say.
Deputy Sheriff J. D. Bazemore, his
voice husky and trembling, read the
death warrant that gave legal au-
thorization for the execution. Sat
terrified stood motionless and appar-
emily unmoVed as the document was
read and submitted quietly as two
officers quickly slipped handouts on
his wrists, which were secured be-
hind his back, and then tied his
arms and legs with lengths of stout
rope. He had stepped on the steel
trap door as the deputies began their
work.
AS the moose was slipped over his
head he turned his head slightly to
ease the tightness of the knot under
his left ear Then came the black
cap, which was drawn down over his
head so as to conceal his face COM
pletely.
He stood there a fraction Of a sec
ond, immovable as a statue, and the
group in the death chamber grew
ominously quiet.
Trap Is Sprung
Suddenly there was a. metallic,
changing sound, and Satterfield
plunged feet foremost through the
trap, which swung downward as the
lever was showed back by an officer
standing on the platform. There
was terrific shock as the rope went
taut with the weight of the body
thrown upon it, and the black-hooded
figure swung from the gallows, turn
ing slowly from side to side, the feet
a few inches from the floor OF the
death chamber
There was no sign of struggle or
spasm to indicate that death had
come slowly by strangulation, and
after a moment or two the doctors,
who were present, according to legal
requirement, stepped forward to
make an examination. One took the
pulse and another placed a stetho.
scope over the heart. The trap had
been sprung at 3:19 and at $3.50 the
physicians pronounced Satterfield
dead. The heart continued to beat
family for eleven minutes, although
according to DIR. w. j. Auten, coun-
>
the medical examination, the verte
brae of the neck had been completely
fractured
taken down as soon as the doctors
had pronounced him dead His
brother, Will Satterfied, and his sis
ter, Mrs. Alice Langford, who had
remained within the Jail after TAX
ing leave Of the condemned man just
befor che began the death march,
took charge of the body and by their
direction it was carried to a local
undertaking establishment.
Asks His Body Cremated
In a letter which he gave to Bert
Donaldson a moment before he
walked ont to the gallows, Satter-
field expressed the desire that his
body be cremated, providing his rela-
tives did not object
That is the quickest way to get
back to Mother Earth" the note
read
On the gallows he wore a neat
blue suit with a pin stripe, the same
costume he wore at his trial, and in
his buttOnhole was a rosebud. sent
to MIN by Jimmy Gilliland, former
cellmate.
His clothing and personal effects
he left to his brother and sister, and
his papers he asked to be distributed
among his various relatives.
Rev. H. w. Morris, pastor Of the
Brookhaven Baptist church, and
Rev. Thomas B. Thrailkill, pastor
OF the South Side Baptist church,
went to the death chamber with the
condemned man, as did Bert Donald
son, with whom he spent his last mo-
ments in his cell.
Il have tried to make my peace
with Cod" he told Mr.. Donaldson,
just before the death march began.
81 prayed last night, for the first
tim Elm my life"
Crowd fingers at Tower
Prior to this he had maintained
a stoica1 attitude, acknowledging the
Deity and apparently reverencing
sacred things, but taking no part
Of them to himself
The crowd that had gathered in
front Of the Jail early in the fore
noon swelled to several hundred by
3 o'clock and long after the body
had been taken away to the under
takers, curious spectators stood gaz-
ing at the grim granite walls within
which Satterfield had paid the pen