Newspapers / The Sanford Express (Sanford, … / May 29, 1930, edition 1 / Page 3
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Spivey Pays Penalty With His Life Efforts Made to Save His Life By His Mother and Attor ney, H. M. Jackson, But Gov. Gardner Refused to Commute His Sentence to Life Impris onment—Went to His Death Without Having Confessed the Crime—Body Brought Back and Buried in Lee County. Jantes Spivey, who was under sen Bettie Spivey, in this county, on the tence of death charged with killing night of September, 21st last, paid (the penalty lor his crime in the elec tric chair at the Penitentiary in Ral ■eigh last Friday morning at 10:30. The Raleigh correspondent of the Greensboro News, writing under that date gives the following story of the electrocution: James Spivey, with a 10-year-old mind and a 26-year-old body, went down death row this morning shaking hands as though he was negotiating the receiving line at a governor's re7 ception, then dropping into the elec tric chair, led a prayer meeting which ended with his death. Spivey, about the stupidest of all the 103 chair victims, came nearest among all the modems to furnishing anything of drama. He had made a garrison finish to a long campaign for clemency. His lawyer and his mother visiting him yesterday heard that he had lost. When Mrs. Spivey could not stay to hear that her son had won a reprieve, she remained to carry back his body to their home. Spivey’s conduct puzzled the party which filled the death room and ran it over in the vestibule. Unable to read or write intelligently he had stuck out for his innocence, though there was something painfully lacking in convincing power. His "conver vimipictCi ne r i>411 worked himself up to an ecstasy. The ministers working with him were sat isfied that his belief was genuine. They could not reconcile his transfor mation with a last minute lie. So when they followed him in this morn ing, they were set for the truth and after it was over they oould not say whether they believed young fellow or not. They finally reached a sort of conclusion. The fellow’s mind was an easy fit to any sort of story told him. The prisoner’s proclamation of in nocence was not unconditional. “I am not guilty of the charges against he,’ ’he said as he rolled down his own prison socks and turned up the right trousers leg to assist his attendants in their work. He directed the tightening of the bonds and suggests ed that attendants look them over. Then he asked to say a word of prayer He prayed extemporaneusly, ask ing blessings upon everybody **who has helped me in this trouble” and forgivenes for ail who had done him wrong. Every minute of the minis terial labors with him had drilled into him the necessity for his own exer cise of forgiveness. If the boy had aught against a soul his leave tak ing did not show it. What he meant by innocence of the charges even his ministers did not seem to know. They remembered that he always made those reserva tions and that he never declared ab solute innocence of all crimes. The boy knew that he was suspected of other murders, than that of his sweet heart. He may have had those charges’ in mind. To the Rev. J. A. Denton, his pastor, he dictated the following letter which the minister gave imme diately after the electrocution: “Dear Mother and Family: “I write you all a few lines this morning to let you know that I am feeling fine. Tell all my people to be good and meet me in Heaven for I feel sure that I will be waiting there for them, for 1 have no fear of death since I am ’trusting in Christ xny Saviour, for He said whosoever believeth in Me hath everlasting life Again. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth on Him might perish but have everlasting life. ^Waht you and Aunt Lottie to be sure and remember the last word told you—tell everybody to keep good company, for in bad company people get in trouble Tell my brother, sis ters and everybody that I said trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and meet me in Heaven, for I know I am ab solutely saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. Good-bye to everybody. In glory forever. “Good-bye dear old mother,” “From J. C. Spivey.” With the praying ended and bene dictions upon his household, the bell-built young fellow, leaned back and the leather straps were pulled over his face. The current shot througn mm ana me sloui Doay re sisted death. One minute and 55 sec onds the fire burned, the body turned purple. Joe Stone shut off the elec tricity and the heart beat could be seen beneath the blue shirt. Another application stilled the organ, and the crowd filed out as the dead basket was brought in. More spectators turned their heeds today than ever looked off when a map died in that chair. In the crowd was James Webb Gardner, son of the governor. Young Gardner has seen his ninth. The boy got interested in Spivey. Last night after 12, the younger Gardner went to his father’s room and asked his excellency if he meant to allow Spivey to lie. The governor went to bed with che Spivey spectacle before his eyes. There wasn’t much sleep for the executive. Sanford and Lee county sent over quite a delegation. Among them there appeared no doubt that ,Spivey had killed the girl. Public opinion was strongly against him. Prison officials had doubt of his guilt. But every body had today to ask the question, was Spivey mentally responsible ? And unfortunately the state’s way of handling them by electric expedition leaves little material on which to make such an investigation. Spivey will be buried in Lee to morrow. Picked Up A Stranger. Another thing Spivey divulged on Thursday was his assertion that on the night Bettie Spivey was killed he (Spivey) picked up two strangers at the Ford agency in Sanford and drop ned them on the highway just before he turned off to go to Bettie Spivey’s home. Spivey alleged iii the case that shortly after Bettie Spivey was mortally wounded with an axe near the bam at the Spivey home he saw “two men bulge and run away.” It was also brought put in the trial that the two men were seen through the windows of the Spivey home a short time before the girl was killed. Saw Men Kun Away. “Bettie ana i went out to see about a noise in tne lot, thinking somebody j was trying to steal* a cow,' said fcjpi vey. '*bue leit me at the door of tne house, telling me to wait, and went j out to tne Oarn py herseii. hater I I heard a scunle and went out to see | wnat was tne matter. 1 found her groaning wih a hole in her head, and about tins time 1 saw two men run away. I coU:d not tell whether tney were white or colored.” Series Other Crimes. Spivey .was very vague and indefi nite about dates, the distance from ^the 'Spivey home to the Spivey barn, but he emphatically denied veiled re ports that he was implicated in the Waddell, Kelly and Matthews killings in Lee county during the past few years. .. Scott, the coroner doctor, and others didn’t treat me right,” he as iitiu to mix me up with the killing of Lacy Kelly and old Mrs. iviattnews. 1 am innocent of these crimes. Why do they try to tie; everything on me?” Wilbur McLeod, Lee county negro, is now on “Death Row” awaiting elec trocution for the slaying of Mrs. Mat thews, but indication are that Gov ernor Gardner will commute his sen tence. Fighting For His Life. H. M. Jackson, Sanford attorney, was here Thursday with Mrs. Charlie Spivey, mother oi Jmes Spivey, and <S. A. Buchanan, uncle of Spivey, to go over the case with Governor Gard ner and executive counsel O.M.Mull in an effort to have the death sen tence commuted. Federal district at torney E. L. Gavin, of the middle district, who has also been retained by Spivey, is due to see Governor Gardner regarding the commutation sometime Thursday afternoon. Governor Gardner said earlier in the week that he did not plan to in terfere with Spivev’s death sentence, but said it with tne proviso that no further evidence turned up in the case. KIWANIS CLUB HEARS REPORT ON PIG CLUB WORK Th6 Kiwanis Club held its regular •weekly meeting at the Carolina Hotel last Friday night and was called to order by President June Gunter. The members of .the club rendered a song while facing the flag with Miss Louise. Futrell at the piano. Mrs. Dan B. King and Mrs. Guy Jones called at the hotel and sold poppies to the members of the club*. ; The program was in charge of four new members, Harold Makepeace,! Bert Marsh, Gilliam Anderson and , John Davenport. Each briefly stated ; his impressions of Kiwanis Interna- | tional. They were good. President Gunter, whose name was chosen, gave a brief history of his life. Kiwanian H. M. Wagner called the club names of the members, giving them 100 per cent. The following were aiubsts of the club: Misses . Lolita Ellis, Edith Way and the following high school pupils, Mary Mercer Reeves, Bernice Sea well, ,Sam Lane and Bryant John- | son. To the accompaniment of Miss i Ellis on the piano and Miss Futrell | on the violin, they charmingly ren- i dered several Indian songs. They were ■ joined in these songs by the following other pupils who came in late, Mar garet Currie, Rebecca Moffitt, Max ine Buchanan, Elizabeth McCormick and Myrtle Ray. It was one of the best musical programs put on in the history of the club. All enjoyed fh# recital by Miss Wakefield. The next thing on the program was the report by Secretary D. B. Teague of the Pig Club which is pro moted by the club. The report show ed the following members of the club in the Cool Springs territory: Roy Craig, Gilmore Ross, John Orr, Elton Foushee, Tom Mullis, Thomas Gil more | In the Lemon Springs territory: Milton Cheshire, James Godfrey, Francis Willett, Archie Kimball. The Kiwanis Club started with the distri bution of 6 pigs. 11 boys have had pigs and moved out of the county or given up the work. Bight boys are I n<*w on the waiting list .This shows that the beys are'will interested and , wjfcht to keep raising/ blooded pfgs. Mr. JE. O. McMahan, County Demon stration Agent, thinks interest in hog I raising has been stimulated. Friday night is ** Ladies Night.” ! The Club will meet at the Carolina Hotel at 7:00 instead of 6:30. It is hoped that there will be 100 per cent aUendaiicc. Every member is cXpecb I ed to bring his wife or sweetheart or some other lady. WILL TEACH GRADING TO COTTON GROWERS A six weeks course in cotton grad ing and classing will be offered to growers, buyers, warehousemen, mill men, and scientists interested in cot ton lint at the State College sum mer school this year. The course begins on June 16, and lasts through July 25th. ut. coiner explains umv inuusauus of. samples of cotton representing most of the grades produced in the United States will be available for ' study. The Universal cotton grades worked out and established by the United States Department of Agricul ture will be used as a basis for com parison. Those who attend the course will be given a certificate from Hhe college. Dr. Cotner says also that many who have received these certificates have later passed the rig id examinations given by the Civil Service for positions as federal grad ers. The course as designed by Dr. Cot ner will give thorough training in cotton grading at small cost. No entrance requirements are asked. The student must be mature and with a sincere purpose to learn what he can. NEW JERSEY WOMAN SAYS HER . HEALTH RESTORED AFTER FIVE YEARS. Mrs. S. L. Taper says for five years I have been suffering with indigestion and stomach trouble. A friend of mine- told me about SPEAGOLAX, sq I tried it and the first bottle did me so much good that I took two more. I havent’ had a sign of indigestion since, arid I can eat things now that . I haven’t been able to eat for years. My nerves are back to normal, my backaches have stopped and I feel lik a new person, and I give SPEA GOLAX the credit. MRS. S. L. TAPPER, Long Branch, New Jerseyt Sold by Acme Drug Company in Sanford. t Go this way and * 1 "r -- * DODGE THAT DETOUR! Avoid detours and delays this summer—by driving around them! : : i * . SHELL Travelaide Service shows you how : : Just drive into a shell Service Station and look at the Big Travelaide Map Bulletin. All important smx S*uu SHELL road construction work is shown on this map—and you can instantly pick out a route that dodges detours, pne-way traffic delays, or tom up roads : : brought up to date every week : : It’s the latest news— about the road ahead of you : : Every shell Service Station handling SHELL Products exclusively has a Travclaidc Map Bulletin. Drive in and check up on the road you want to take before you start. Ask for a shell Road Map, too—so you can mark down the detours you want to avoid f i i Feel free to use this service as often as you like. # •• not her Exclusive shell Service C. F. Lineberry, Agent, C. C. Bowers, dctit&inan Sure Way to Stop* Night Coughs Famous Prescription Brings Al most Instant Relief. Nignt coughs or coughs caused by a cold or irritated throat, can now be stoped within _ 15 minutes by a doc tor’s prescription which works on an entirely different principle. This prescription is put up under the name Thoxine and is available to ev eryone. Having Thoxine on hand is a safe tv measure p gainst all coughs and throat irritations. Thoxine contains no harmful drugs, is pleasant tasting and safe for the whole family. Sold on a money back guarantee to give bet ter and quicker relief for coughs of; sore throats than anything you ever; tried. Ask for Thoxine, put u* 1 ready for use in *35c.. 60., and |1.00| bottles. Sold >y all druggistes. i TRY CHIROPRACTIC FOR Stoinuch Troubles* Horarseness, Liver Troubles, Sore Throat, Kindey Troubles, Constipation, Nervousnvi'o, Paralysis, Headache. Blindness, Backache, Deafness, Colds, Loss of Appetite Neuralgia. Indigestion, Neuritis. Gastritis, Lumbago. High Blood Pressure Goitre, Insomnia. Debility, .Pelvic Disorders. Sciatica, i h runic Appendicitis* Bronchitis* Other oiiulltions too numerous * to mention. • DR. K O. HUMPHREY, •• SartfoYd,'N. C. •Among the leaders in our line for Over’a Quarter of a Century* Special Prices on Asphalt Strip Shingles KING MANUFACTURING COMPANY, ROOFING AND SHF FT METAL CONTRACTORS, SANFORD, N. C. DR. J. C. MANN, The Well Known Eyesight Specialist and Optician Will be over the Post Office, inford, N. C., every ’ Wednesday om 10 A. M.f to 3 P. M. Head he relieved when causet} by Eye rain, Classes fitted that is easy id restfal to the eye. Over, 25 years daily experience examining eyes. Consultation
The Sanford Express (Sanford, N.C.)
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May 29, 1930, edition 1
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