Union recorder. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1886-current, September 28, 1886, Image 2

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Newspaper Page TextUNION & RECORDER. TOE EXECUTION OF FRANK HUMPHRIES. On Friday, 24th inst,. the last dread penalty of the law was executed upon Frank Humphries. That one night of crimes most terrible; such as were rwver committed in this county before, has been terribly and justly avenged. After holding out for months in a weak denial, he confessed at last, when his very hours were numbered, suad when, let us hope, the infinite mercy of God had given him a chang- ♦•d heart, which would not permit him lo persist in an untruth. His confes- ishon was made finally, to Sheriff En nis who had been kind to him, and «? mb races the admission of those most revolting details, which on the wings al rumor have been scattered broad- c throughout this community, and which in fact were brought out in the evidence at his trial, as published by jrg that time. Let us, if possible, draw the veil of forgetfulness over them and bury them in oblivion, so that --ire and our children may no more have to shudder at the thought that Mich things were po-sible in this land of bibles, sabbath schools and the jrreaching of the gospel. in this case, the course of justice has not been clogged by those delays which the legal defenders of criminals so often succeed in placing in the way the prompt execution of the law. The case was taken up at the ad journed term of the Superior Court in August and the trial, though conduct ed fairly and without undue haste, was carried through and completed in a shorter length of time than might have been expected. into the enclosure to see the spot where the execution had taken place. It is said that last March, his wife in answer to a letter written by Hum phries, told him there was “no hope,” and asked him where she should bury him and he replied, “near home.” On the day of • his execution, he was 30 years and 11 months old. None of his family were present at the execu tion. The deceased, always quite thin and slender, was still more so at the time of his execution, and his appe tite, which had been fairly good, gen erally, has been failing for a week past. He wore a neat grey suit of clothes. While he maintained outward ly the appearance of composure, was manifest that he was scarcely able to stand the great strain 4n his nerves. It was remarked thit his features were less distorted afid un natural than is ordinarily the case un der such circumstances. AT THE JAIL.. By lOo’clock, A. >r., a large crowd of people, black and white, had col lected around about the jail. A ■detachment of eight members of the Baldwin Blues were stationed "there as a guard, to keep tha crowd out. During the morning, Lev. Mr. Ham mond and Mrs. Wootten were with the prisoner most of the time, en gaged in prayer, singing and conver sation appropriate to the occa sion. Humphries exhibited mark ed evidences of nervousness, but he was doubtless comforted and express ed himself as prepared to die in the -xorcise of a hope of the pardon of his sins. At 11:35 a. m. a carriage from Whil- nien's livery stable arrived at the jail and the prisoner, accompanied by Sheriff Ennis, Rev. Mr. Hammond, and Dr. Whitaker of this city entered it and were driven to the gallows. The latter was situated about half a mile west from the Central R. R. depot, «xiid -about fifty yards to the right of viie Macon road”, on the east side of the branch at that point. At the gal lows, a large crowd had collected and were awaiting the time of the execu- i on. The enclosure which contained the gallows was about fifteen feet square and t wenty high, and consist- •d of undressed plank placed upright and held in position by a slight frame oi scantling. ~Ke may remark that a pretty con siderable crowd accompanied the car riage to the place of execution and thereby increased the numbers of those already there. Within the in- closure were nineteen persons, includ ing several of the before mentioned guard-, Sheriff Ennis, Rev. Mr. Ham mond, Doctors Whitaker, O'Daniel, Hal]away and Allen. Among the re porters were Messrs. Bridges Smith the Macon Telegraph, M. M. Fol som and Geo. D. Case, representing the'Constitution, Thos. Morris of the Chronicle of this city and Charles Herty representing the Athens Ban ner-Watchman. There were also present the guard and a few other cit izens. 'sThe gallows consisted of the cus tomary two uprights and cross beam -an top, with the rope attached and a tpi&iform containing a trap-plank np- 'on which the prisoner stood; held in Position by a brace at one end and a rope at the other, and when the rope was cut the trap fell. immediately on entering the en closure the prisoner ascended the •steps of the platform alone. He was followed by -Rev. Mr. Ham mond and Sheriff Ennis. Mr. /Hammond immediately commenced a prayer and the prisoner soon knelt ■down and remained in that position euitil the end of the prayer. Mr. Ham mond then bade him farewell and de scended the steps, leaving the prison- or and the Sheriff alone on the plat form. Humphries was then imme diately placed on the trap-door, and his hands bound behind him and his *eet also tied together. The Sheriff NOTES. Judge D. B. Sanford and Col. Mil ler Grieve were ablft and faithful at torneys for Fiank Humphries, but could do nothing for him—his doom was sealed. Jehu Humphries did all he could for his unfortunate brother Frank. He got up a petition to the Governor to commute his punishment to life time imprisonment. The Governor declined to interfere with the decis ion of the court. It is known that Frank Humphries made a full confession, which has not been made public in all its revolting details, but it fully warrants the con struction placed upon the evidence by the court and jury on the trial, which we published at the time. Mr. Tom Morris, of the Chronicle, visited Frank Humphries frequently, and has given the public, through the columns of his paper, detailed statements of what he said and did. His account is well written and does credit to his head and heart. Repor ters for daily papers were also on the scene and full accounts of the execu tion and everything connected ^vith the horrible tragedy that could be gathered has already been published; hence we have thought best to make our account brief. Let’s draw a veil over the sad affair, and turn our thoughts to more cheerful topics. A hanging is a sad day for any com munity—sad indeed if it fails to im press upon the people the terrible majesty of violated law. On last Fri day, Frank Humphries, a man in his prime, reared in a Christian commu nity with at least the usual advan tages,-was hanged by the neck until he was dead, for the’ most horrible crime known to the history of this county. What was the cause of this? How came he to be so bad? With a terrible death before bis eyes, know ing that he was going into the pres ence of his Maker, he declared all the time that the drinking of whiskey was the cause of all his woes. Ought it not, at least, to make young men re solve never to form the habit of drink ing? xVnd! should not everybody, in this section at least, be satisfied that the traffic is to cease among us, even if we knew that it would in some de gree injure our business interests? Mrs. S. D. Wootten is a very zealous and working member of the Metho dist Church in this city. When Frank Humphries was placed in prison here charged with the crime of murder, Mrs. Wootten was one of the first to visit him and talk with him upon the subject of confession of his crime and repentanc, etc. It appears she gain ed his confidence and was probably instrumental in doing him much good. We learn that he sent for her Friday morning, and she was probably with him, at the jail, up to the time when he left there for the gallows and her words of consolation and encourage ment may have contributed to give him the fortitude and composure which he exhibited in his last mo ments. FIRE. ‘then placed the black cap over his head. As the noose was being ad justed around his neck, Humphries 1 “Pull the cap up Captain; don't iai •.smother me.” His request was com plied with and these were the last words uttered by the condemned man Capt. Ennis then descended from the [platform, saying: “Farewell, Frank; 3 hope 1 shall meet you in Heaven, and he then removed the planks .•which formed the platform except vhe one which sustained the prisoner, and which served as a trap-door. The time was then one minute after iwelve. Every thing was as silent as death and with one blow of the hatch et in the hands of the sheriff, the rope which supported the plank or trap cloor was severed and Frank Hum phries 1 body descended five feet in an instant. His neck was broken by the shock and his body slowly swung around in a circle; his shoulders at in tervals being drawn up with a con vulsive shudder and about five min utes afler wards his feet were drawn sip to his body. In thirteen and a half minutes he was pronounced dead by the attending physicians and at the end of thirty minutes his body was taken down and turned over to Mr. Andrew J. Banks, as the repre sentative of the family of the deceas ed. The body was then placed in a plain wooden coffin and put in a wag on which was in waiting. As soon as On Friday night a little before nine o’clock, the clamorous ringing of the fire bell aroused the people of our city and in a short time* a large crowd had assembled on Wayne street, in front of the New York Store, kept by R. L. Holloway A Co. The fire originated in the back part of the cellar, where there were a number of empty pack ing boxes and a small quantity of fodder. The back door was not open as was rumored on the night of the fire, but was closed and fastened bv a cross bar placed in proper position. There was a window however in the rear, w itli the usual iron bars across it but it had no shutter, and an in cendiary might have thrown fire through it into the cellar. The pro prietors stated that they had left the window in that condition to furnish ventilation to the cellar, that beinc the only place that fresh air could enter it when the door was closed They also stated that they intended to have shutters placed at that wind ow immediately. A small partion of the goods was removed to the street but the loss by breakage or stealage was very trifling, if any. It was only a few months ago that a fire occurred in the same cellar and its repetition last night is strong evidence that they both had an im cendiary origin. The scoundrel who is trifling with his life in committimr these crimes, will find his just reward some of these days, if he does not pull up short in his evil career. There is scarcely any offence against the law that will more quickly and surely arouse a sweeping and determined popular indignation than that of in cendiarism. The fire company with its engine was soon on the ground last night and under the direction of Mr. Staley chief of the Fire Department did first rate work. Milledgeville has reason to be proud of its colored fire com pany. . Aiie body was removed, the crowd Conn & Co., had gathered outside rushed* these goods. Merchants who deal in family med icines should not forget that W. T. are headquarters for 11 3t. JWCAPITAL PRIZE, S75,000.-» Tickets only $5. Shares In preportion. LoiiSjf^^JrrSaiiy. “We dohereby certify tkat we supervise tbe arrangements for all the Monthly and Qoar- terly Drawings of The Louisiana State Lotte ry Company, and in person manage and control the Drawings themselves, and that the same are conducted with honesty, fairness, and in good faith toward all parties, and we authorize the Company to use this certiticate, with fac-similes of our signatures attached, in its advertise ments.” The Old Hardware Store Still open and ready to serve my old and new customers cheaper than ever, in all kinds of Hardware, Stoves, Coal Grates, Tinware, &c. 1 have just received a large lot of Commissioners. We the undersigned Banks and Bankers will pay all Prizes drawn in the Louisiana State Lotteries which may be presented at our coun ters. J. H. OGLESBY, Pres. Louisiana Nat’1Bk. J. W. KILBRETH, Pres. State Nat'I Rank. A. BALDWIN, Pres. New Orleans Naflllk. Incorporated in 1868 for 25 years by the Legis lature for Educational and Charitable purposes —with a capital of $1,000,000—to which a re serve fund of over $550,000 has since been added. By an overwhelming popular vote its franchise was made a part of the present State Constitu tion adopted December 2d, A. D., 1879. The only Lottery ever voted on and endorsed by the people of any State. It never scales or postpones. Its Grand Single Number Drawings take place monthly, and the Extraordinary Drawings regularly every three months instead of Semi-Annually as heretofore. A SPLENDID OPPORTUNITY TO WIN1 A FORTUNE. TENTH GRAND DRAWING, CLASS It., IN THE ACADEMY OF MDSJC, NEW ORLEANS, TUESDAY, October 13th, 1886—197th Monthly Drawing. CAPITAL PRIZE, $75,000. 100,000 Tickets at Five Dollars Each, Fractions, in Fifths in proportion. LIST OF PRIZES. 1 CAPITAL PRIZE $75,000 1 do PRIZE 25,000 1 do PRIZE 10,000 $6000 12,000 Rubber Belting, Rubber, Hemp ani Soap Stone Packing and Lace Leather, Which I will sell as low as the lowest. I have one lot of Stoves will sell less than cost. Call soon before they are all gone. Don’t! forget that the Old Hardware Store cannot be undersolcl. JOS. STALEY. and Cluttering done at satisfaction. Milledgeville, Sept. 28th, 1886. I^pTloofin" ranted to o erive the lowest prices, and war 12 tf Unparalleled Stock! : PRIZES OF 2000 10,000 “ 1000 10,000 “ 500 10,000 “ 200 20,000 “ 100 30,000 “ £0 25,000 “ 25 25,000 APPROXIMATION PRIZES. Approximation Prizes of $750....$6,750 “ “ 500 4,500 “ “ 250.... 2,250 Unprecedented Sales B ot fo 18 1967 Prizes, amounting tc $265,500 Application for rates to clubs should be made only to the oilice of the Company in New Orleans. For further information write clearly, giving full address. POSTAL NOTES, Express Mon ey Orders or New York Exchange in ordinary letter. Currency by Express (at our expense,) addressed M. A. DAUPHIN, New Orleans, La., or >1. A. DAUPHIN, Washington, D. C. Male P.0, Money Orders payable and address Registered Letters le p all Goods arriving daily, and our immense storeroom put to hardest test. The building is filled from cellar to garret. We hai in stock and on road: 1,000 Barrels Flour. 150 Barrels Sugar. NEW ORLEANS NATIONAL BANK, New Orleans, La. Sept. 14th, isse, io 4t Personal and General. The rumor of Secretary Lamar’s en gagement to Mrs. Holt, of Macon, Ga., has been renewed. The Knights of Labor of Atlanta have indorsed the prohibition candi dates of Fulton county for the Legis lature. Sept 2oth.—A rumor was current in London that a plot had been discover ed to assassinate Prince Alexander and that two men have been found who were paid to commit the crime. The Taylor brothers, who are run ning for the office of Governor of Ten nessee, are both pretty fair violinists. The contest now going on between them is to see which will play second fiddle. Senator Colquitt expresses confi dence that prohibition will become national. He meets Senator Blair half-way. Both, however, desire to separate the question from politics, and both will be disappointed.—Au gusta Chronicle. • Gov. McDaniel, Adjutant General Stephens, Hon. E. P. Howell, Hon. N. J. Hammond, Miss Gipsy McDaniel and Mr. Sanders McDaniel have recently returned from the Phila delphia convention of the Governor’s of the “Original Thirteen states.” Hon. Allen D. Candler favors the establishment of State banks. They would afford the people cheaper mon ey and their re-establishment would be a great general benefit especially to the farmers who have been paying ruinous per cents for monetary accom modations. Mr. G. L. Powell, at Seney, took morphine to allay an intense pain caused from neuralgia. He got too much of the drug, and lay in a stuper for nearly two days, his family and friends being seized with extreme an ticipations regarding his recovery and working assiduously to pull him through. Their efforts have been successful. The alleged wife of Parsons, the convicted Chicago Anarchist, who claims to be of Mexican and Indian origin, turns out to be only his mis tress, and the daughter of a mulatto mother and a white father. Her husband, Oliver Gathens, whom she deserted to go with Parsons, is a re spected colored man, living at Waco, Texas.—CoiAier Journal. The Presidential party has return ed to ^Washington from their summer vacation. Secretary Manning has not decided whether he will hold on to his position as Secretary of the Treasury. Fires have recently done a great deal of harm in Ohio and Florida. A fire in|Peabody, Massachusetts, on the 23rd in a three story building was for tunately subdued in time to save the lives of a large number of sleeping boarders. It is stated to have been the work of strikers. Several were arrested and held for trial. If found guilty, the punishment should be as great as the law will allow. Such per sons are murderers at heart. 200 Boxes Tobacco. 225 Cases Sardines, bought before the advance. 200 Boxes Soaps. 200 Cases Potash. 50 Sacks Peanuts. 100 Sacks Coffee. 50.000 lbs. Red Rust Proof Seed Oats. 230 Boxes Crackers. 75.000 Cigars. 200 Cases assorted Can Goods. 1 car load Lard. 100 Boxes Cheese. 600 Pails, 80 half barrels, and 25 barrels breakfast Mackerel. in pl< wc co; shi saf tor aliz ina the T \yil bag Yoi nev mei oth city nesi mg Mil dup And an enormous lot of other goods too numerous to mention better facilities than we ever had before, we are prepared to cate the prices of any house in Georgia. We do not ask yon to hi of us, but just let us price you our goods and we will surely m join! , j thing T invi of 1 plet gooi Hel havi inti a ce wan his s the i you on our long list of customers. W. T. CONN & CO., Wholesale Grocers. ingt 22 & 24 S. Wayne Street, Milledgeville, Sept. 21st, 1886, 29 No. 17 South Wayne St.' WHITE & TREANOR. We invite all our Patrons and Friends to come and examuM new goods, which 5ve are daily receiving. We can suit any Wf pocket book, both in quality and price of goods. Wc do not p pose to make any cuts on prices but will sell you what you wantfc Guarantee Satisfaction on all Goo We would say, particularly to our regular patrons, that at all t we will try to fill their orders with the Nicest and Freshest Goods, the market affords. We do not buy in very large lots, but! often. By this means, we can always sell fresh goods. Wet particular attention to Our Stock of Flour, which is complete. We have on hand “White Swan,” “"V) Loaf,” “White Satin” and “Jersey.” Tha above grades are pafr 1 - *' n ” “AIWoc » j a ftGe Then we have also “New Constitution,” “Moss Rose,” and Trump,” If you want nice white bread, buy good Flour and 6 best Lard. We have the finest Leaf Lard on hand, which costy little more than poor stuff. Our stock of Canned Goods, cannot be excelled. Fancy Cy and Crackers of all kinds. # Sugar, Coffee, Teas, Spice, &c In fact, anything you may want. Bran for your cow at lowest Mognolia Hams, Breakfast Bacon and White Meat. Jersey I always on hand and on Ice. We invite our country friends t on us and get prices, we will sell them their goods as cheap a Tobacco by the plug or box. Remember the place. one. GREEN STORE! | WHITE & TREANOEj Aug. 31st, 1886.

Georgia Historic Newspapers

Union recorder. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1886-current, September 28, 1886, Image 2