June 1885 Execution of Perry & William Melton of Spearsville, Union Parish Louisiana Submitted by: Shawn Martin Date of Submission: 12/2008 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ================================================================================== ================================================================================== June 1885 Execution of Perry & William Melton of Spearsville, Union Parish Louisiana From the New Orleans "Times Picayune", issue of 20 June 1885 ================================================================================== ================================================================================== HANGMEN’S DAY. _________ Three Men Executed in Louisiana for Murder. _________ Two White Men and One Negro Satisfy the Demands of Justice. _________ Details of the Crime and the Retribution. _________ PERRY AND WILLIAM MELTON Executed at Farmerville for the Murder of John W. Cherry Farmerville, June 19—Special to the Picayune: Perry and William Melton, father and son, were executed here today for the murder of John W. Cherry on April 15, 1884. Both were white men. The hanging took place in the Parish Prison here. Both men were remarkably cool and collected. They took their places on the platform of death with unconcern and without sign of fear. They asked that the rending of the death warrants and the other documents be disposed with, as they wanted the execution to get through as soon as possible. Neither had anything to say about the crime of which they were convicted, and when asked if they had anything to say answered in the negative. They knelt on the platform and prayed fervently, their words being scarcely audible. Both begged repeatedly to be allowed to hear the signal for thecutting of the rope. Outside of this not fifty words were spoken. The ropes were adjusted around their necks, and at exactly 1:37 o’clock the drop fell. The older Melton’s death followed almost immediately. His neck was dislocated and a slight shrug of the shoulders was the only sign he gave before life was extinct. William died a horrible death of terrible agony. The noose slipped as he dropped from the gallows and caught over his chin. This held him dangling in the air but allowed him to breathe. After suffering in this way for fifteen minutes the rope was readjusted around his neck and his death struggle began. In eleven more minutes he had ceased to live. At 6 minutes after 2 o’clock the attending physician pronounced the men dead, and the bodies were cut down. The remains were placed in coffins and taken charge of by friends. The hanging was a very quiet affair and there was only a very small attendance. The two men, Perry and William Melton, together were tried and convicted of the murder of John W. Cherry before the District Court of Union parish, La. The trial lasted four days and attracted a very large crowd during its entire progress. The testimony of all the witnesses was listened to with intense interest. Mrs. Cherry, the wife of the murdered man, who had witnessed the killing of her husband, was one of the most important witnesses placed upon the stand. A small, delicately formed lady, apparently about 33 years of age, she feelingly but with remarkable composure related all the circumstances attending the unfortunate difficulty which terminated in her husband’s death, with a handstick, about five feeT long, the fatal instrument of death, blood stained with the life-blood of John W. Cherry, was handed to her for identification. Taking one end of the stick in her hand, the other resting on the floor, with tears streaming from her eyes, she rose from her chair and exclaimed between the sobs which convulsed her: “This is the stick Billy Melton knocked me senseless with; and killed my poor, dear husband with; and this is his blood;” pointing to the blood stains on the stick. Sympathy for the widow was manifested in the eyes of the judge, jurors, attorneys and spectators by the tears they could not repress. The testimony adduced on the trial was briefly as follows: On the morning of April 16, 1884, Perry and William Melton, on their way to work the public road, were passing John W. Cherry’s place, Perry Melton saw Cherry at his turnip patch, which was near the road. Melton approached Cherry and told him that they must have a settlement. Then Cherry opened the gate of the patch, went inside of it and closed and fastened the gate after him. The two Meltons followed cherry into the patch, caught him by his arms and Perry said that they must have a settlement then. Cherry begged off from his assailants, who then released him and both of the Meltons went out of the patch into the road. William Melton started on his way up the road and told his father to come with him. Perry Melton refused to do so. After his son had gone about thirty yards he called him back, saying, “Let’s kill him.” William returned to his father and both again entered the patch with their pocket knives open and in their hands. Cherry, drawing a Smith & Wesson pistol from his pocket, shot twice, the first shot wounding Perry Melton in the arm, but the second was ineffective. After the shooting Cherry attempted to get to his dwelling for the purpose of getting his shotgun. he was pursued by the elder Melton, while the son intercepted him, compelling him to change his course and enter the back yard of the dwelling house. In the meantime Mrs. Cherry had gotten the gun and was attempting to give it to her husband, which she succeeded in doing just as both of the Meltons grappled Cherry in what proved to be his death struggle. The three men were no in the yard of Cherry’s residence. Mrs. Cherry, in her efforts to assist her husband, picked up a hand stick and struck William Melton with it. Her blow only attracted the attention of young Melton, who turning upon her, wrenched the stick from her hand, and according to her testimony, struck her with it, knocking her senseless. He then dealt Cherry, who was securely held by the older Melton, the murderous blows upon his head, crushing his skull and causing his death. The two Meltons left Cherry weltering in his blood and made their escape. They were arrested in Palo Pinta county, Texas, about four months after the crime was committed, brought to Union parish for trial, convicted of the crime of murder and sentenced to be hung. From the judgment of the District Court they appealed to the Supreme Court. The judgment of the lower court was affirmed in January, 1885. In March Gov. McEnery issued the death warrant, fixing their execution for April 10. Subsequently he granted a respite on the prayer of many people of this parish that they hoped to produce such evidence as would justify a commutation of the sentence; but this they failed to do, and the Governor finally directed the sentence of the court to be executed today. Perry Melton was born in Twiggs County, Ga., September 1825. When he was 16 years of age his parents moved to Bibb county, Ala. His parents were hard working, industrious people. They had a large family of children to whom they were unable to give even a common school education. Perry was taught to read and write, and this comprised his early education. he was twice married. In 1847, he married his first wife in Bibb county. By this marriage he had five children, four of whom are now living. In 1854, he moved to Union parish, La. where he resided until the murder of Cherry. In 1866 he married his present wife, in Union parish, who now lives on the farm which has been the family home for many years. By this marriage he has had nine children, the youngest only about six month old, all of whom are living. He was a member of the Christian church, to which sect he has belonged since 1866. In appearance Perry Melton made a favorable impression. He had a clear blue eye, light hair which was frosted with grey, stood very erect and measured six feet one inch in height. His face indicated a kindly disposition. Wm. Melton was born in Bibb county, Ala. April 11, 1848, and was one day less than 37 years of age on the day of his execution. he was the oldest child of Perry Melton by his first wife. He was unmarried. His education was limited to reading, writing and arithmetic. He was five feet four and one-half inches in height and very stoutly built. His face was kindly in expression, and it is said that his disposition was generous, frank and he has always been devotedly attached to his father. It was this devotion which brought him to the gallows with his father. He was baptized and joined the Baptist church since his conviction of the crime of murder. Perry Melton was interviewed and made the following statement: “On April 16, 1844, I was on my way to work the road. Meeting Mr. John W. Cherry in the road, close to his house, we entered into a confab and turned to a gate on the side of the road. he was loading a horse which he turned in the gate. After talking some time he (Cherry) called to his wife to come out to where we were. When she came I said to him that he had called her twice on to me for a difficulty, and I would have no more to say to him. Then I started off on my way and had gone five or six steps. “Billy, my son, had gotten about twenty yards ahead of me. Cherry was still inside of the patch and was advancing parallel with me; he on the inside of the path, and I on the outside, in the road. My son about this time spoke to me and said, “Look out, Pa, Cherry is getting out a pistol.” Then I looked across the fence at cherry and he was drawing a pistol from his coat pocket. I asked him what he meant, saying: “John, what do you mean.” About that time he fired at me twice, shooting me through the arm at the first shot, and said something. I am not certain what it was. I raisedmy arm and told Billy I had been shot. “About this time Cherry called to his wife to bring his double-barreled shotgun. I had then gotten on the opposite side of the road from him. When he called for his gun he looked up toward his house and started that way. Billy was almost directly between Cherry and his house. I told Billy not to let Cherry get that gun. Billy told Cherry not to come that way, when he turned, his course, but still continued going around in a direction toward the house, I again spoke to Billy, and told him not to let Cherry get the gun. Then Billy got into the yard between Cherry and the house, and I also got into the yard and told Cherry to stay back or go back. he still came on, and fired at me again with his pistol. His wife, by this time, was coming out of the house with the gun. When Cherry saw her, he ran by me and she handed him the gun. he threw the gun over on me to fire. As he did so I caught hold of it. When he found I had hold of the gun he turned it loose and threw his arm around my neck with a tight grasp. At this time Billy came up on the opposite side. Having a piece of maple timber in his hand he dropped it and took hold of Cherry’s hand, in which I thought he held the pistol, when Cherry grabbed Billy around the neck also. “We all three stood in that position for some time. Cherry told his wife to knock us in the head, or something to that effect. She had in her hand a piece of stove wood, about as big as a man’s wrist, with which she struck Billy two or three licks and she hit the bone. She then whirled around and got a hand-stick from some place, and stuck Billy with it on his head. He still hears the roar from the lick. He was knocked down by the lick, but soon rose staggering and caught the hand stick in Mrs. Cherry’s hands as she was in the act of striking another lick. “Billy took the stick from he and knocked Cherry loose from me. He struck a second time at Cherry, and hitting him on the head, brought him to the ground on his hands and knees, when he was struck a third time on the back of the head. I then told Billy not to hit Cherry any more. Cherry had fallen down with his face to the ground. “Billy dropped the stick when I spoke to him, and turning to me, caught hold of me and asked: ‘Pa, where did he hit you? Are you hurt badly? Let me see where the bullet holes are?’ “I told him I had been shot through the arm and thought I was shot through the lungs; I had been hit by the second shot in the waistband of my pants, although I could not tell at the time how badly I was hurt. Billy wanted to examine to see how badly I was shot, but I refused to let him, and said: ‘Let’s get out of this yard.’ We went out at once, carrying both Cherry’s gun and pistol, which we picked up from the ground as we went out.” “I did not know that Cherry was killed, and so far as telling Billy to go back and hit Cherry again after he had been knocked down, it is not true: nor was there anything of that kind said. Neither was Mrs. Cherry knocked down during the difficulty, although I believe she received an accidental lick from Billy as he drew back to hit Cherry. neighbor was Em. Jackson present at any time during the difficulty. Shewas no nearer than her own yard, about fifty or seventy-five yards distant. “I had not thought of any difficulty with Mr. Cherry, as I was on my way to work the road that morning. I had no desire to do him any harm, and even after we had gotten into the difficulty, I had no other desire than to save my own life. The entire difficulty was a momentary transaction. “As we left the yard, we met Mr. Rabun and I told him what had occurred, and told him I wanted to go to town to have a trial. I also told him I wanted to go to Cherry’s yard to see how badly he was hurt. “Mr. Rabun advised me not to go back into the yard and I did not go. Mr. Byram went into the yard and saw Cherry. On coming out I asked him how badly Cherry was hurt. he said he was going after a doctor. I told him to go and to go quick. I then turned and went home and dressed my wounds. “Knowing as I did that no disinterested person saw the difficulty; and believing as I did that evidence would be manufactured against me; knowing that my means were limited, I thought it best to leave and did so. I went to Texas, expecting to return and stand my trial.” The men led a quiet life in jail and accepted the death sentence with resignation. Last Sunday a touching farewell scene was enacted in the prison at Farmerville. Perry Melton’s wife came over from Spearsville to visit the condemned men. She brought her little ones with her. It was with broken heart that she parted from her husband and bid her step-son good bye. It was the last meeting on earth. The little ones instinctively felt that the occasion was a sad one, and their faces showed their sorrow. Then other and her nearly orphaned children left the prison weeping, and left the gloom of their despair behind them. ############################################################# File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/union/newspapers/articles/1885melton-execution2.txt