The hanging of Talt Hall in Wise, VA. 1892 Stories The Hanging of Bad Talt Hall 1892 | Wise County Virginia The following is reprinted from an article published in a special edition of the Big Stone Gap Courier-Journal, from Wise County West Virginia on September 2, 1892 Noted Mountain Desperado, Hanged in Wise, VA September 2, 1892 Talton Hall, noted desperado and murderer, was hanged here today at 12:34 o’clock. The execution was without marked incident to distinguish it from other scenes of like character, but it removed a feeling of nervous tension that has existed here for a week. All night long last night, armed guards had patrolled this peaceful little village and armed pickets guarded every approach. They had little to, as everything was quiet. A couple of moon shiners, who were trying to smuggle whiskey into town were arrested. In his stuffy cell in the county jail, Talton Hall laughed, swore and begged for whiskey in turn. Toward daylight, he slept a few minutes. Early in the evening he finished the manuscript for his autobiography which will appear in a few days. After that he chatted with the death-watch pleasantly. At times he swore at a lively rate, when whiskey was refused him. He talked of his past life in a careless, cheerful manner and he said that he had never done anything that he was really sorry for. About 7 o’clock, his sisters, Mrs. Bates, was admitted to the jail with a hot breakfast for the condemned man. “Pretty mornin’ out of doors, ain’t it?” he said, with a forced smile. “Yes,” she replied, “the last pretty morning you’ll ever see on earth.” Then lowering her voice she said, “Somebody’s got to suffer for this.” He made no audible reply to this and sipped at a cup of coffee. He also nibbled at a biscuit but only swallowed two or three bites of breakfast. At an early hour, every road leading into town was alive with people and by 10 o’clock there were 3,000 to 4,000 in the neighborhood of the jail. Pickets on the road disarmed every man who carried a Winchester or a pistol. There was some lively kicking, but all were compelled to submit alike. Between 7 and 8 o’clock, Father Lynch of Lynchburg, went into the prisoner’s cell and remained, except at short intervals, with him until he was taken to the gallows. He administered the last rights of absolution and last sacrament. Mrs. Bates remained in the cell until the last minute. In company with her was Mrs. Houk, widow of one of Hall’s last victims. At 11:50 Talton Hall was brought from his cell to the front window of the courthouse for the purpose of addressing the people. He had asked for this privilege two weeks ago and promised to roast his enemies in great style. When he appeared at the window, there was a tremendous crush on the outside of the courthouse lot. He surveyed the great crowd, much as a campaign orator does when he steps on a platform and every ear in that vast multitude was strained to catch his every syllable. For ten minutes he stood at the window, looking over the crowd and at the far away Kentucky mountains where his dead body was soon to be taken. He did not utter a word. His face was a study. There was a look of anguish, of utter despair, that fairly chilled the spectators. Twenty reporters stood under the open window with open note books and the crowd outside the enclosure surged against the fence. It was a scene worthy of the greatest painter. Finally, from either stage fright or exhaustion, he fell back into the chair and was led away by Honorable Charles Richmond, one of his attorneys. After a stout swig of whiskey, he said that he would speak anyway an again the pale and distorted face appeared at the window. He forced a smile and his lips parted. An upturned face just below the window caught his attention. He waved his hand and asked, “What my be your name?” The person addressed told him and he said, “That’s all right” and voluntarily turned from the window. He was conducted to his cell where dressed for the leap into the unknown. In the meantime, twenty special guards, several reporters, two physicians and a number of friends that he had selected to witness his execution were conducted to the small enclosure where the hideous gallows had been erected, entirely hidden from the view of the public. A few minutes later, or at exactly 12:18, the doomed man entered the enclosure between Sheriff Holbrook and Father Lynch. He looked around the crowd and recognized several acquaintances among the guards and reporters. He shook hands with all those he recognized and bade them farewell. With a firm step, and perfectly erect, he mounted the steps to the scaffold, saying to himself, “My God, that’s awful.” There he paused, and looking first at the rope; suspended a few inches in front of him, he turned to Sheriff Holbrook and said, “I have only one more word to say. I am afraid that rope will break.” There was not the slightest tremor in his voice, or the least appearance of fear or nervousness in his veering. He faced the crowd as if to make a speech, when his faithful sister, Mrs. Bates, entered the enclosure and rushed up the steps. She threw her arms around her brother’s neck and rained kisses on his pallid cheek. “Do you feel any fear of dying?” she asked. “Not a bit,” he replied as tears stole into his eyes. “I have only thing to say to you. Don’t take this hard; let it end all my troubles. See that nobody is killed on my account.” Her reply was, “Very well, Talton, but there are men here today who better deserve hanging than you do. Remember that.” They exchanged farewells and promises to meet in Heaven and she left the enclosure. At 12:23 the Sheriff and Father Lynch adjusted the rope and black cap. Hall held a whispered conversation with both, and several guards bade him goodbye again. At 12:34 Hall said he was ready. The sheriff, with tears streaming down his face, cut the rope and the terror of the Virginia and Kentucky mountains dropped into eternity. His neck was broken by the fall and in seventeen minutes, the physicians pronounced him dead. An hour later, a heavy two horsed wagon was on it’s way across the mountains bearing to it’s resting place Letcher County Kentucky, the land of his nativity, all that remained of Talton Hall, followed by a lengthy procession of his old-time friends. Created by gephart756830 16 Nov 2010 The Trial of Bad Talt Hall 1892 | Wise County Virginia
Posted on: Mon, 23 Sep 2013 23:51:03 +0000
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