By Brock Barkley
Raleigh, Sept. 15—The state’s prison electric chair sniffed out the lives of two negro ravishers of a white woman this morning, avenging, by process of law, the crime for which an angry mob sought to lynch them some six weeks ago.
Angus Murphy, the elder of the two, confessor to the actual deed, went first, mumbling after his spiritual comforter a plea for the repose of his soul. Joe Thomas had 10 minutes “overtime” while 1,800 volts were pushing the life out of Murphy, and he gave that up to hearing about the hereafter. When his call came, he shuffled down death row, waved a farewell to the eight remaining occupants of the chamber and limped into the chair. The whole thing, the fourth double electrocution at the prison, was over in 20 minutes. The dynamo pushed two shots of electricity into Murphy, each lasting about a minute. Thomas got a similar amount. Two undertaking wagons carted their bodies away.
Out the rear court of the prison John Lee worked away, doubtless aware of the fate that had befallen his companions of the night in August when the trio fell upon the camp of the Connecticut tourist and his wife down in Moore county. They shot the husband, A.E. Ketchen, and ravished his wife. Caught next morning, they were rushed to 20 minutes in the lead of a crowd of angry citizens. If that crowd had got them, the execution likely would not have taken place today.
As it was, a speedy trial saved the life of Lee, who got 12 years, and it gave Murphy and Thomas 30 days to get ready for death. Both declared this morning they were ready to go. Murphy’s last words were a confession of his own guilt and a declaration that Thomas was innocent of the actual deed. Thomas said nothing.
Four trained nurses from Rex hospital looked on at both executions, the second time women have seen the electric chair in action. Two shifts of spectators saw the performances, the authorities run out all but 12 witnesses after the first execution and letting in a second crowd. Four to 100 whites and blacks piled on boxes in front of the prison grounds and craned their necks in the hope of seeing something.
It was the first experience at the “ring side” for many of the spectators and some of them came near fainting. As the current was played through the body of Thomas and a frail line of smoke curled upwards from the connections on his wrists and ankles, a deputy sheriff from Cumberland county called out for air and made a dive for the window. Several others became fidgety and pushed near the windows, while pale white faces were numerous. The four nurses, declining Warden Bushbee’s offer of smelling salts, displaced true professional interest.
Many of the witnesses were from Moore county, the scene of the crime for which the negroes died. Sheriff Blue, who beat the mob to Raleigh on the morning after the attack, was present, as were also physicians who attended Mr. and Mrs. Ketchen. The victims themselves have gone to their home in Connecticut. It was said friends had advised them by wire of the execution. At the time of the attack they were traveling by automobile from Florida to their home and had pitched camp for the night in a deserted garage building out from Southern Pines.
From the front page of The Wilmington Star, Saturday morning, Sept. 16, 1922
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