The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1955-09-17
18th Curse Of Man

Continued from Back Page)
u didn't do III" Pvrvs cried "Yov can't hang an limo
man." And pointing wildly TO the II urymsn who had
convicted him. he screamed Every you will die before
! do-snd die with your boots onl
On drsay February morning in 1894 hundreds hrongsd
fhs courthouse square Of Columbia Miss watch the farmer
die the gaIows.
SLIPS THROUGH MOOSE
Still protesting his innocence Bill Pvrvis climbed the
sesoId steps, "f it be Thy WILL stay the execution prayed
the chaplain.
Then the black hood was slipped over the condemned
mans head, the hsnsmans knot experty tied and Bill
Pvrvis plunged TO darkness.
He had been legally hanged. Yet when he opened his
he being carried through fhs streets the shoulders
Of historical mob.
BY chance in a million he had slipped through the
moose. But trouble still lay ahead.
BACK IN A CELL
Though lawyers argued he had undergone due punish
ths governor believing him guilty refused TO commute
the sentence.
For two years Of appeals and petitions Pvrvs chung
Iifs-snd in those two years two ivrymsn died.
Then the yovnsster-ivst II years oIdsssn found him
self hs condemned CELL RELIEVING the dreadful
night when he dragged from his home
planter had been murdered by the White Caps, Kv
KIvx Khan organization and catching fleeing glimpse
Of face hidden in eanebrake, rival kIsnsmsn that
Bill had fired the fatal shot,
in his kitchen the time Of the crime II proved that
his rifle had been fired in weeks But Bill for brief spell
had been member Of hated White Caps and nsxoraby
The law demanded vengeance.
A STRANGE TWIST
Even while he awaited his second hanging, however,
events took strange twist.
A third ivrymsn killed in accident. Like the
others, he died with his boots
Their eonseenees awakened, band Of citizens staged
midnight raid the JAIL rvsssd fhs guards and carried
Bill Pvrvs TO freedom.
For months, despite 5000 reward on his head. he
remained at large in the hills Then governor
elected pledged his sentence and Bill gave him
self up But not before fourth Juror had heart attack fall
ling dead with his boots
GETS LIFE TERM
The death sentence committed to life imprisonment.
Two years later ivrymsn terribly injured in railway acct
pleaded with his dying breath for Pvs TO be freed
The they could hang returned a. last TO his farm
stead married and reared II children Every Sunday he went
to church and gave thanks that his life had been saved
But over Bill Purvs there still oomed fhe shadow Of
CHASTITY suspicion 20 years before another farmer
fssssd his dssihbsd TO the White Caps murder.
vndeaisd at last, Bill Pvrvs fought for full pardon
compensation for hanging nissng legislature awarded
him $4,000 the price that had been set on his head
SIXTH JUROR DIES
BY then sixth Juror had died suddenly his shoes still
laced Just tho frenzied in the dock had orsold
Bill Pvrvis always said he had meant 10 put
on shs ivrymen But when he himself lay dangerously III in
hospital 1885, reporters decided check the fate Of the
Eleven they found had gone the great beyond and
not one had died in his bed.
Bill Purvs. too his last legs. The doctors de-
SPARED Then friend mentioned that The 18th iurymsn
sidors Cook still alive and ws-snd Bill staged
ling recovery
He Up and took novrishmsnf Ten days later, when
he had fatal relapse he died probably imagining that his
courtroom forecast had not been fulfilled.
Doctors had not dared fell him hs astonishing truth Four
days earlier however, sdors Cook had changed from slip
psrs TO shoes TO 90 for walk and dropped dead.