SCIP. HOLLY.

Title

SCIP. HOLLY.

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

Tuskaloosa Gazette

Publication Place

Tuscaloosa, AL

Publication Date

09/04/1884

Transcript

SCIP. HOLLY. The following special was sent from Tuskaloosa to the Birmingham Age, and we transfer it to our columns as a fair account of his taking off: TUSKALOOSA, Aug. 29.-The negro Scip. Holly was hung here to-day for the murder of Mr. Luther Sealey in Foster's settlement in January last. He has been confined in the Birmingham jail since his conviction at the spring term of the circuit court, as it was feared by the sheriff that he would be lynched by young Sealey's friends after the case was carried to the Supreme Court. That court affirmed the decision of the lower court, and his execution took place privately in the jail yard in the presence of those authorized by law to witness it. The facts of the case are about as follows: Holly was living on young Sealey's farm, and had everything packed up to move off owing him a sum of money, about $20. Sealey asked him to leave his shotgun with him as security until he paid the amount. Scip had the gun in his hand at the time, and, without a word of warning or a cross word having passed between them, discharged the contents of the gun into young Sealey's body, killing him instantly. Young Sealey's father was standing by at the time, but being unarmed was powerless to do any- thing. Scip. escaped into the swamp, was run down by blood hounds, and was captured in a lake in water up to his chin. He would have been lynched on the spot but for old man Sealey's earnest wish that the law be allowed to take its course. The following anonymous incendiary document was received by Judge Browne, which we send you verbatim: TUSKALOOSA, Ala., Aug. 28. Judge Brown: Sire- i sit down this evening to write you a few lines in regards to the hanging of that man to you and the citizens of Tuskaloosa and Tuskaloosa county hang him if you want to but we the colored People of this county and state intend to if this is done to put this our town in ashes if it takes Twelve months we cannot stand it any longer we are going into an open fight that kill or be killed there is no law no how Everybody is doin just as they Please that is the white people as we are going to Take chances live or die i dont care a Dam. Scip was visited in the jail by your reporter on yesterday evening, and he said that he was " willing to go :" that he had but one time to die, and that he was going to meet his God. He was reading his Bible all day yesterday, and was visited by his spiritual advisers-- Revs. Rodgers and Butler, (colored), who prayed for the forgiveness of his sins; that the sheriff might have grace to do his work well, and that the author of the incendiary letter above printed might be caught and brought to justice. Holly refused to the last to make any statement as to his guilt. There was no excitement outside the jail.--- The Warrior Guards did duty at the jail. The drop fell at twenty-five minutes past 10 o'clock. Holly's neck was broken, and after hanging nineteen minutes, the body was cut down and turned over to relatives.

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