The Dewsbury Chronicle, and West Riding Advertiser. — 1875-04-24 (Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England)

AMERICAN EXECUTION.  The New York Herald gives the following account of the execution of a murderer in Mississippi :—The scaffold was newly erected out of two new pieces of timber, posted four feet apart, a cross beam at the top at the height of 14 feet. The trap-door, or platform for the prisoner, was set six or eight feet from the ground. As the cart was driven near the platform the prisoner assumed a deeply ashy hue, and a feeling of awful dread covered his countenance. He was then lifted from his coffin to the platform of the scaffold in a standing position, and the rope around his neck tied to the beam above, and was informed that he was at liberty to make any remarks he desired. He requested the coloured preacher, Mr. Turner, of the Baptist Church, to perform some religious services. The preacher read a portion of the Scriptures, and gave out a hymn, and a portion of the coloured men and women sang, during which time Wilson fervently, and in an audible and bewailing voice, engaged in prayer, saying :—" Jesus have mercy on my soul ! " His strength evidently began to fail him, and the gaoler, perceiving there was danger of his moving, and the trembling body losing its equilibrium, came to his support and held him in a standing position until the end of prayers. After the close of the religious services he was told by Sheriff Cox that he •could say anything he liked to the audience. He was asked by one of the bystanders if he was guilty of the charge for which he was being executed, and he replied that he "had just told all about it." He was then told that it could not be ascertained by his remarks whether he denied or confessed to killing Saunders. He made no reply. Then the question was put to him direct—" Did you cr did you not kill Saunders ?" and he replied, "I know nothing about it." He then asked if his wife was present—he wanted to see her before he went. The name of Mollie Rembert was then called out, and the reply was that she was present, when a rather good-looking mulatto girl, about 25 years of age, appeared and stood up on the waggon in front of him. She appeared a little affected. lie took her by the hand and said in these exact words: " Mollie, you see me where I am to-day. Be a good girl. Quit all your bad ways. Put all of them down. This is a 'sample' to you. Telliyour mother good-bye. Tell her to meet me in heaven, Mollie, good-bye." Shaking hands with her, she retired from the waggon into the crowd. A piece of black cambric was put over his eyes, before which he shook hands with the sheriff, gaolers, preacher, and those who were near him on the scaffold, and just as the sheriff, gaolers, and preacher were stepping down from the scaffold Joo enquired the time of day, and he was informed that it was two o'clock. After the cap was drawn over his face, and all had got down on the ground, and the sheriff was about to cut the string, he called Mr. Millsapps again on the platform to him and asked, "Are you going to do what you said you would do tq see me buried ? " Being answered in the affirmative, he then went off into his last prayer :—" Lord, save me to-day. You know all things. Be with me this day. Receive me. Do Thy righteous will, not mine; pray receive me." The fatal spring was then cut, the trap fell, and the body of Wilson fell heavily to the length of the rope. One loud scream, as if from a woman, was heard far away in the crowd and all was silent as death. The body of Wilson after being motionless a few seconds, began a severe struggle, with efforts to release his tightly-pinioned arms, then drawing up his body, plunged down his feet, and struggled in violent contortions as if to save himself. These spasmodic efforts soon gave way to gradual contractions of his muscles, until life became extinct, and the spirit of Joe Wilson took its last fight to the unknown world.