May 30, 1907 Fayetteville Observer (Lincoln Co TN)


Legal Hangings in Lincoln County

The first legal execution occurred in Lincoln County in 1829. A white
shoemaker, Samuel McClure killed a blacksmith, Edward McBride. He was
indicted at the September term, 1828, of the Circuit Court, and after
conviction appealed to the Supreme Court which affirmed the decision at the
January term, 1829. The hanging took place a short distance west of the
stone bridge. We are informed by Mr. W. B. Lamb that his grandfather, Dr.
William Bonner, maintained that McClure was insane and should have never
been executed.
Bill Moore, col., was convicted at the February term, 1844, of the Circuit
Court of Lincoln County for attempted rape, convicted and sentenced to be
hanged. An appeal was taken and the Supreme Court on January 30, 1845,
approved the conviction. He was sentenced to hang March 14, 1845. The
execution occurred north of the Wilson School building.
Alfred Stevens killed his master by striking him on the head with a stick
on November 3, 1859, and secreted his body in a cave on the farm now owned
by Mr. H. W. Bonner. He was indicted and convicted at the July term, 1860,
and sentenced to be hung August 30, following. An appeal was taken to the
Supreme Court which affirmed the judgment, and he was sentenced to hang
March 1, 1861. This occurred where the reservoir is now located.
In 1867 Hosea Towry was killed on Sunday afternoon by John George near
Camargo over a dog fight. Six years later he was arrested in Jackson
County, Ala., brought back convicted and sentenced to hang. In 1874, a few
weeks before the date set for the execution, George broke jail and escaped
to the Indian Territory, where he is said to have died.
On August 31, 1889, Thornton Burkley, col., was murdered 6 miles south of
town. George Stone was charged with the crime. He was convicted at the
February term, 1880, and sentenced to hang April 18. An appeal was taken
and the Supreme Court affirmed the decision on January, 1891, naming March
18, 1891, as the day for his execution. George confessed his guilt and
named Clem Massey as his accomplice. The latter was arrested and because of
delay in his trial, Stone was respited a number of times. July 3, 1891,
October 3, 1891, March 4, 1892, and July 8, 1892, being named in turn as
the time for the execution. Massey was acquitted at the June term and the
decree of the court was executed on the last date. It occurred in the jail
in the north of tow. George Stone was of such a low order of intelligence
that he was thought by many to be of unsound mind. He was by no means a
vicious negro but was well thought of by the whites.
C. W. Baird was hung in the county jail May 24, 1907, for the murder of his
wife, and is the second white man to be legally executed in Lincoln County
since it organization. He was a native of Wilson County. On December 1,
1905, about dusk he murdered his wife near Blanche while the two were in a
buggy returning home. He was tried at the February term, 1906 of Circuit
Court and sentenced to hang April 13. An appeal was taken to the Supreme
Court and that tribunal affirmed the decision on February 18, 1907.
Governor Patterson twice respited Baird. Granting first a 30 days respite
and then Naming May 24th as the day. Baird while standing on the gallows
claimed he was guiltless.
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March 4, 1909 Fayetteville Observer


Paid The Penalty

Frank Gilbreath, col., Executed on last Tuesday for the Murder of Mr. Ed Pigg

Confesses to the Sheriff That He Committed the Crime

By daylight Tuesday morning a crowd began to gather around the jail and in
a short time there were probably 150 present, a large per cent, of whom
were boys. There is a trait of savagery in the breast of every boy or man
which makes him want to see an execution; some may deny they have it but
the ones who do not are scarce. Why this is so we can not say; it is a
statement of fact without offering a reason for it.
Gilbreath's father and brother were with him Monday but his mother did not
go to the jail, being unable to stand the ordeal. The colored Methodist
minister held service in the jail Monday and Gilbreath expressed a desire
to be baptized. Sheriff Taylor said it had to occur in the prison and the
rite was administered by sprinkling.
The gallows used was the same one on which Baird was executed. It was set
up Monday by Mr. S. M. Brogan, and Gilbreath displayed much more concern
during its preparation than was shown by Baird. The death watch the night
before the hanging said the condemned man seemed to have slept very well.
The time set by the Sheriff for the fulfillment of the court's decree was
12:15 o'clock, and at that time there were about twenty-five persons in the
jail. The scaffold was at the west side of the jail and steps at the east
side led to the top of the cell. The prisoner climbed the steps and stepped
from the cell to the trap. While his tread was firm, his voice had a tone
of despair and his general appearance betokened a shrinking from his
impending doom. After the reading of the death warrant, he asked permission
to pray and kneeling on the scaffold with legs and arms pinioned, in a low
sing-song tone he offered his petition. While the black cap was being
adjusted he asked permission to see his father, but he was not in the jail.
At 12:29 the trap was sprung and the prisoner fell about 4 feet, the body
turned around once and then hung still. There was a perceptible twitching
of the muscles.
After hanging 14 minutes, Dr. Goodner pronounced him dead and the body was
taken down and taken in charge by Higgins Bros. and carried to Boons Hill
for burial. Gilbreath confessed to Sheriff Taylor that he committed the
murder but told it different from the way in which it was told on the
trial. He said Boyd Buchanan, one of the chief witnesses not only told him
Mr. Pigg was coming but lent him a coat and pistol and starting away came
back to give him the cartridges, which were in his trousers pocket. Frank
said the body was removed by other negroes, and that he had no part in
removing the traces of the murder. This acknowledgement was made several
days ago; he gave no confession on the scaffold and by request of the
Sheriff no questions were asked him. The fact that Gilbreath's overalls and
shoes, were found concealed in a barn loft is regarded by some as a
refutation of his statement.