{"id":578,"date":"2023-06-09T17:23:18","date_gmt":"2023-06-09T22:23:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tngenweb.org\/lincoln\/?p=578"},"modified":"2023-06-09T17:23:18","modified_gmt":"2023-06-09T22:23:18","slug":"legal-executions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tngenweb.org\/lincoln\/legal-executions\/","title":{"rendered":"Legal Executions"},"content":{"rendered":"

May 30, 1907 Fayetteville Observer
\nLegal Hangings in Lincoln County<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The first legal execution occurred in Lincoln County in 1829. A white
\nshoemaker, Samuel McClure killed a blacksmith, Edward McBride. He was
\nindicted at the September term, 1828, of the Circuit Court, and after
\nconviction appealed to the Supreme Court which affirmed the decision at the
\nJanuary term, 1829. The hanging took place a short distance west of the
\nstone bridge. We are informed by Mr. W. B. Lamb that his grandfather, Dr.
\nWilliam Bonner, maintained that McClure was insane and should have never
\nbeen executed.<\/p>\n

Bill Moore, col., was convicted at the February term, 1844, of the Circuit
\nCourt of Lincoln County for attempted rape, convicted and sentenced to be
\nhanged. An appeal was taken and the Supreme Court on January 30, 1845,
\napproved the conviction. He was sentenced to hang March 14, 1845. The
\nexecution occurred north of the Wilson School building.<\/p>\n

Alfred Stevens killed his master by striking him on the head with a stick
\non November 3, 1859, and secreted his body in a cave on the farm now owned
\nby Mr. H. W. Bonner. He was indicted and convicted at the July term, 1860,
\nand sentenced to be hung August 30, following. An appeal was taken to the
\nSupreme Court which affirmed the judgment, and he was sentenced to hang
\nMarch 1, 1861. This occurred where the reservoir is now located.<\/p>\n

In 1867 Hosea Towry was killed on Sunday afternoon by John George near
\nCamargo over a dog fight. Six years later he was arrested in Jackson
\nCounty, Ala., brought back convicted and sentenced to hang. In 1874, a few
\nweeks before the date set for the execution, George broke jail and escaped
\nto the Indian Territory, where he is said to have died.<\/p>\n

On August 31, 1889, Thornton Burkley, col., was murdered 6 miles south of
\ntown. George Stone was charged with the crime. He was convicted at the
\nFebruary term, 1880, and sentenced to hang April 18. An appeal was taken
\nand the Supreme Court affirmed the decision on January, 1891, naming March
\n18, 1891, as the day for his execution. George confessed his guilt and
\nnamed Clem Massey as his accomplice. The latter was arrested and because of
\ndelay in his trial, Stone was respited a number of times. July 3, 1891,<\/p>\n

October 3, 1891, March 4, 1892, and July 8, 1892, being named in turn as
\nthe time for the execution. Massey was acquitted at the June term and the
\ndecree of the court was executed on the last date. It occurred in the jail
\nin the north of tow. George Stone was of such a low order of intelligence
\nthat he was thought by many to be of unsound mind. He was by no means a
\nvicious negro but was well thought of by the whites.<\/p>\n

C. W. Baird was hung in the county jail May 24, 1907, for the murder of his
\nwife, and is the second white man to be legally executed in Lincoln County
\nsince it organization. He was a native of Wilson County. On December 1,
\n1905, about dusk he murdered his wife near Blanche while the two were in a
\nbuggy returning home. He was tried at the February term, 1906 of Circuit
\nCourt and sentenced to hang April 13. An appeal was taken to the Supreme
\nCourt and that tribunal affirmed the decision on February 18, 1907.
\nGovernor Patterson twice respited Baird. Granting first a 30 days respite
\nand then Naming May 24th as the day. Baird while standing on the gallows
\nclaimed he was guiltless.<\/p>\n

\n

March 4, 1909 Fayetteville Observer
\nPaid The Penalty
\nFrank Gilbreath, col., Executed on last Tuesday for the Murder of Mr. Ed Pigg
\nConfesses to the Sheriff That He Committed the Crime<\/p>\n

By daylight Tuesday morning a crowd began to gather around the jail and in
\na short time there were probably 150 present, a large per cent, of whom
\nwere boys. There is a trait of savagery in the breast of every boy or man
\nwhich makes him want to see an execution; some may deny they have it but
\nthe ones who do not are scarce. Why this is so we can not say; it is a
\nstatement of fact without offering a reason for it.<\/p>\n

Gilbreath’s father and brother were with him Monday but his mother did not
\ngo to the jail, being unable to stand the ordeal. The colored Methodist
\nminister held service in the jail Monday and Gilbreath expressed a desire
\nto be baptized. Sheriff Taylor said it had to occur in the prison and the
\nrite was administered by sprinkling.<\/p>\n

The gallows used was the same one on which Baird was executed. It was set
\nup Monday by Mr. S. M. Brogan, and Gilbreath displayed much more concern
\nduring its preparation than was shown by Baird. The death watch the night
\nbefore the hanging said the condemned man seemed to have slept very well.
\nThe time set by the Sheriff for the fulfillment of the court’s decree was
\n12:15 o’clock, and at that time there were about twenty-five persons in the
\njail. The scaffold was at the west side of the jail and steps at the east
\nside led to the top of the cell. The prisoner climbed the steps and stepped
\nfrom the cell to the trap. While his tread was firm, his voice had a tone
\nof despair and his general appearance betokened a shrinking from his
\nimpending doom. After the reading of the death warrant, he asked permission
\nto pray and kneeling on the scaffold with legs and arms pinioned, in a low
\nsing-song tone he offered his petition. While the black cap was being
\nadjusted he asked permission to see his father, but he was not in the jail.
\nAt 12:29 the trap was sprung and the prisoner fell about 4 feet, the body
\nturned around once and then hung still. There was a perceptible twitching
\nof the muscles.<\/p>\n

After hanging 14 minutes, Dr. Goodner pronounced him dead and the body was
\ntaken down and taken in charge by Higgins Bros. and carried to Boons Hill
\nfor burial. Gilbreath confessed to Sheriff Taylor that he committed the
\nmurder but told it different from the way in which it was told on the
\ntrial. He said Boyd Buchanan, one of the chief witnesses not only told him
\nMr. Pigg was coming but lent him a coat and pistol and starting away came
\nback to give him the cartridges, which were in his trousers pocket. Frank
\nsaid the body was removed by other negroes, and that he had no part in
\nremoving the traces of the murder. This acknowledgement was made several
\ndays ago; he gave no confession on the scaffold and by request of the
\nSheriff no questions were asked him. The fact that Gilbreath’s overalls and
\nshoes, were found concealed in a barn loft is regarded by some as a
\nrefutation of his statement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

May 30, 1907 Fayetteville Observer 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…<\/p>\n

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