The Camden chronicle. (Camden, S.C.) 1888-1981, May 23, 1930, Image 3
Vo Negroes Died
In Electric Chair
I South Carolina's legal instrument
Bf death this morning claimed its
ar d third victims within ih
Ba.v> when the lives of Aussie Moore
E,<i Ccorge Washington, Allendale
Bounty, negroes were snuffed out at
B?. state penitentiary between the
and 7 o'clock. Silently,
B"V(' ^or mumbled prayer, and an
B(|monition to "Meet me in Heaven,",
j B ' negroes paid the death penalty ,
| Bor the murders of Frank Harley,
' farmer, and Shan Bates, negro,
j B?$t February near Allendale.
{ I bong before the appointed time
[ Bnore than 100 curious spectators had
1 Ksthered in front of the penitentiary,
ML. ng admittance. A large dele
irBation from Allendale, headed by
Kheriff Hugh McMillan, and includBng
a brother and several relatives of
B'rank Harley, came to witness the
H . Admission cards were
M out and Col. James N, Pear^B.an,
superintendent of the peniten
tiary, announced that only half of
the crowd could witness each execution.
At 0:06 o'clock, al>out 50 people,
including one woman, had crowded
into the small death chamber. The
condemned men could be heard sing
ing in their cells not far away, as
they counted the minutes that they
had to live. The guards were arranging
the straps and Sam Cannon,
state electrician, was making the last
tests on the switchboard while Superintendent
James N. Pearman and
two negro ministers were talking to
the negroes in their cells,
Then the death march began.
Aussie Moore entered the death
chamber at 6:18 o'clock, preceded by
the ministers and a guard. Moore
paused at the entrance of the little
room where he was soon to breathe
his last and where the light of day
would soon leave him forever. He
made a slight how to the spectators
as if to welcome them as spectators
of a tragic drama in which he was
to be the leading actor. He calmly
proceeded to the chair and seated
himself. He made not a sound and j
showed no sign of nervousness.
After the negro was securelyI
Strapped in the big oaken chair, Col.
Pearman's usual question was asked:
"Do you have anything else you wish
to say before you die, Moore?"
"I hope God will meet me in
glory," he calmly said. "I am going
to my death for telling the truth."
Col. Pearman reminded him that he
was not dying for telling the truth,
but for what he had done.
"Yes, sir," the negro replied, "I
told everything I know about it and
I hope you all will meet me in Heave."
Those were his Inst wofxis and
not another sound did he utter while
the cap was being placed upon his
shaven head. Captain J. O. Sanders
was standing a few feet from the
chair with a small bell at his back
and Sergeant Wallace, executioner,
advanced toward the switch.
A light tinkle of the little bell,
and at 6:16 o'clock 1,350 voKs of
electricity shot through the body of
Moore.
The burining of the flesh where
contact was made with the electrodes
on wrists and ankles created a sickening
odor. A young man, standing
almost in front of the chair, staggered
and fell into a faint upon the
shoulder of a friend whom he had
jokingly requested, as he entered the
-room a* tew minutes before, to "hold
me up if I happen to fall." He was
carried from the room as Dr. P. E
Payne and Dr. M. W. Cheatham were
examining the body of Moore.
The spectators could see the ne
gro'? hand clinch and the thumb of
the ught hund moving and the doctors
did not have to inform them
thai life \vttS not entirely extinct. A
second clrarge sent 2,300 more volt*
into Moore's limp body and at 0:25
o clock he was pronounced dead.
While the doctors were examining
Moore after the second charge, the
deathly silence in the chamber was
broken by the strains of a negro
spiritual. It was the voice of George
Washington, who was awaiting his
fate just a few feel from the dead
body of his companion m crime.
The condemned man's singing
stopped as the officers went to his
cell to prepare him for his march
to death. The witnesses of the execution
of Moore left the room, with
the exception of newspapermen, and
about 00 new witnesses entered the
small death chamber to see Washington
die. Among them was a Columbia
negro, the first negro to attend
an electrocution for a long
time, prison officials said.
Washington entered the room at
6:32 o'clock, as silently as though
he were already the ghost he was
destined to be within the next few
minutes. As he sat down in the
death chair he seemed to lx* more
concerned about the manner in
which the guards were strapping him
in, than in what was to follow. His
manner was as calm as that ofvj^oore,
who Washington knew had died in
the very manner that was about to
be his undoing.
"All you try to meet me in
Heaven," he suid; "Heaven is my
home." Captain Sanders told him
that he had sent the two dollars to
his wife us he had been requested
?the last two dollars that the man
ever owned. The negro's reply,
"Thank you", were his last words,
and like Moore, he did not make
another sound. The current entered
his body at 6:50 o'clock and a minute
and a half later the doctors examined
his body several times to
find that he, too, needed a second
charge to entirely exterminate life.
Sergeant Wallace released the current
the second time and as it entered
the body, the dead was jerked
clear of the chair. The doctors pronounced
him dead and it was 6:50
o'clock.
It took exactly 0 minutes to entirely
extermiinaIife of each
negro, after the current had entered
their bodies the first time. Dr.
Cheatham said that Moore breathed
twice after - 1,350 volts had passed
through him body, which was unusual.
Penitentiary officials declared
that the necessity of sending
two charges of electricity through
a man's body before death is very
infrequent.
Sheriff McMillan said this morning
that the families of Moore and
Washington are selling their hogs in
order to raise money to convey the
bodies back to Allendale county for
Christian burials.
Death of George W. Catoe
George W. Catoe, aged 79 years,
died at the Lancaster county home
Monday, May 12th, and his remains
were brought to Kershaw in the funeral
car of the Kershaw Mercantile
& Banking Company on Tuesday
morning at 11 o'clock. The funeral
services were conducted by Rev. J.
M. Neal, pastor of Thorn Hill Baptist
church, of which Mr. Catoe was a
member.
Mr. Catoe will be remembered by
very many peopfeTof the town and vicinity
as a lifelong resident of this
section. He was never married and
in the later years of his life all the
members of the immediate family had
passed away. His sight failed him
a few years ago, and during last fall
he was admitted to the county home
of Lancaster county, being taken
there by D. R. Fletcher and Frank
Faile. He was not friendless in every
sense, however, for kindhearted ones
saw to it that he was properly laid
away, a very large crowd attending
his funeral and the floral tributes
were beautiful and numerous, literally
covering the mound above him.
He is survived by several nephews
and nieces, and ,C. S. Catoe and Mrs.
Zeb Alverson, nephew and niece, of
Spartanburg, came to attpud the funeral
of their uncle.?Kershaw Era.
Bandit Shoots Cuckoo
New York, May 18.?A cuckoo
which popped out of its clock to announce
the time of day was shot today
by a nervous holdup man, who
shortly thereafter found himself in
the law's clutches. Two youths entered
the Travers City Club in
Queens. One started toward the cash
register, while another held the patrons
at bay with a pistol. Just then
the cuckoo began his four o'clock
song. The robber -whirled about,
fired blindly and the bird, wounded,
retired to his recess. Two patrolmen,
attracted by the noise, captured
the pair, who said they were John
Bergin, 28, and Edward Helsin, 26.
*
Four Negroes To Die
For Murder of Man
Wilaon, Muy 16.?-Four negroes
we is! sentenced to death in the electrie
chair at Kaleigh, Friday, June
lit, by Judge Henry A. Grady, of
Clinton in Wilson county superior
court here tonight for the murder
of Callie C. Williford, aged Sugar
Hill farmer, who was beaten to death,
his home robbed and burned the night
of April 10.
Aaron Sharp and Berry Kiehard .
son, who confessed their part in the
crime and implicated Hynum and
Randall were convicted of first degree
murder Wednesday night by a jury
that deliberated hut seven minutes
before reaching a verdict on the first
bit Hot cast.
Before passing sentence, Judge
Grady stated to the large crowd in
the courtroom that he believed the
negroes had been given a fair and
impartial trial.
Kundall brokedown and wept when
sentence was pronounced, but Bynum
and Richardson and Sharp received
it calmly. Wives and relatives of the
four negroes yelled and screamed
hyste rically.
Williford was found dead, his head
battered in, in front of his house,
which was burned to the ground, by
a farm boy.. the_morning of April 11.
A large amount of money he kept
on his person was missing. Officers
discovered footprints in newly plowed
ground nearby the house and other
tracks leadng from the back door.
Bloodhounds were put on the trail,
resulting in the arrest of Sharp at
his home.
Oldest City Growing
St. Augustine, Fla., May 15.?This
most ancient city of the United
States, which celebrated its :i05th
birthday this year, almost doubled in
population during the ten years past.
Census figures released today
showed a population of 11,9.10, compared
with 6,192 for the 1920 census,
a gain of 5,738 persons.
Founded by the Spaniard, Pedro
Menedez de Aviles, on May 28, 1566,
St. Augustine has seen the flags of
four nations fly from her battlements.
At one time it was the largest city
in Florida.
Mayor James J. Walker is returning
to Newr York from Bermuda,
where he spent ten days resting.
I)r. Derrick To Quit.
Newberry, May 17th*?Dr. Sidney
Jacob Derrick, president of Newberry
college since June 1918, has forwarded
his resignation to the board of
trustees because of ill health, it was j
announced here today.
The board of trustees will meet
June 2, to consider the resignation
and, in all probability, choose a s*cccssor,
according to George B. Cromer,
president of the board.
President Hoover rec^lly sent a
message to congress recommending
an appropritaion for radios for naval
ships. The appropriation, $332,000,
was promptly made by the house.
|| "Things I Ate 1
^ Hurt Me"
I
"I had a severe
case of indiges- lv|
t ion," says Mrs. Bell ^
Buckheister, 7 River L
St., Piedmont, S. C. W
"So many things
that I ate hurt me, L
I almost quit eat- M
in?- n\
Ii "I would burn in my chest. I ^
had severe headache, and such W
n a tight, smothering feeling. I
1 would be obliged to eat a little, u
\J then it would hurt me. N
, ^7 "A friend said to me: *Why d
1 1 don't you take Black-Draught?' V*
I V "I was just too weak then to m
I ij do my work. I began taking n]
I i small doses after meals and in C,
I J just a few weeks I could eat M
I J anything I wanted to, then *v
j take my email dose of Black- W
(| Draught and feel fine. I soon re- til
gained my health and strength.** ftv
? Coats only 1 cent a dose. {fl
jj THEDFORD'S i |
1 Black- 1
: Draughts
|' For CONSTIPATION, ?'
P INDIGESTION, BILIOUSNESS ^ j
l| Nv,Mrv who need a tonic should take W |
L"ae^o^^oO^years^j
Week-End Specials
MIMNAUGH'S
CLOSING OUT SALE!
Ladies' White Kid Pumps
One Strap and Ties, all regular $5.00 &Q QC
Special IpO.yO
*
1 Ladies' Pure Thread
Silk Hose, special 98c
One Table of Keds
Special 85c j
IIMEN'S BROADCLOTH SHIRTS I I
1 98c II
11 One lot of Children's
11 Slippers 49c
Mens Blue Chambray j
Shirts 69c I
I 40-in VOILES?solid colors 25c
|| | MEN'S HOSE 19c
36-inEnglish Prints 19c | I
On Saturday, 3 to 4 o'clock, with every pair J
of Ladies' Shoes sold, we will sell I
i ^ , I
one pair of Silk Hose for 50c | j
r _
11 ii i i 1.1 i , i a ....
|redpath!
jjfi Notable Lectures S
|'j at the S|
| REDPATH CHAUTAUQUA $
$ m
& "Keeping America American" |jj|
|| Theodore F. Graham 1
1 Immigration Authority |i.^
Elwood T. JSailey
"Full Speed Ahead" ? if
_ is
| THE LOMBARDS |
|| From WLS Showboat ||
A Community Vacation
| REDPATH WEEK |
i? 5 Big Days !$j
fljjj $2.50 Plus War Tax JdS
IredpathI
H OPENS HERE MAY 26. p
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I OUR EQUIPMENT IS UNSURPASSED! I
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|j OUR PRICES ARE RIGHT! Moth-Proof Bags Furnished Free! j j
11 Ladies' Fur Trimmed Coats $1.25 j| Men's Woolen Suits $1.00 Ij
I Plain Coats and Dresses $1.00 |j Linen Suits , .75 j j
j Why send your business out of town? We DRY CLEAN ANYTHING! j j
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