Terrell, Tex., March 9 – A gallows is being erected on the poorfarm grounds at Kaufman on which to hang King Martin next Friday for criminal assault. An eighteen foot wall be built around the structure so as to have the hanging private. Sheriff Jim Kellar received a rope for the purpose today from Sheriff Cabell of Dallas.
Terrell, Tex., March 13. – On account of the sickness of Sheriff Jim Kellar of this county, it has been arranged that Deputy Sheriff R. O. Anthony will have charge of the hanging of King Martin next Friday.
Kaufman, Tex., March 16 – King Martin, a negro, was hanged here today at 1:10 o'clock. There was a large crowd in town to witness the hanging, but they were disappointed. The officers had caused to be built on a field at the poor farm an inclosure 20 x 20 feet in size and nearly that high. Less than sixty-five people, who were admitted by ticket, saw the hanging, though, about two thousand were around the inclosure in which the execution took place. Martin was placed in a wagon at the jail and driven out to the place of execution. He was accompanied by two negro preachers who conducted religious services upon the scaffold, after a few songs and a prayer he addressed the people within the inclosure. His talk was rather rambling and disconnected, though he showed no signs of weakness. He referred but briefly to his crime. After his talk he asked that he be allowed to pray, when that was finished he said that he wanted to sing his favorite song, "Amazing Grace." After the song he bade all of those on the scaffold with him "goodby" and thanked the officers for their kindness to him. At 1:05 the black cap was drawn over his face by Sheriff Stewart of Johnson county and the trap was sprung five minutes later by Deputy Sheriff R. O. Anthony of this county. Just eleven minutes after the drop he was pronounced dead. His body will be buried on the county farm.
The crime for which King Martin was hanged was a criminal assault on a 15-year-old girl living near Kaufman. The assault was committed on the 5th of last July. Martin had been working for the parents of the girl. The girl did not tell her parents until the next afternoon. The negro on that afternoon left with his wife for Terrell. The officers were notified and pursuit was at once begun. A large crowd soon followed Martin to Terrell where he was staying at the house of another negro.
Deputy Sheriff Henderson soon located him and by deceiving the crowd as to the direction he was going, got him to Forney where he took a freight train for Dallas. Martin was kept in the Dallas jail sixty-one days, then brought to Kaufman, indicted, tried, convicted and give the death penalty. This decision was affirmed and on the 10th of February he was sentenced to be hanged.
In November of last year he tried to break jail. In this attempt he was shot and seriously wounded by Sheriff Keller. From this wound he seemed to have fully recovered. Since sentence was passed on him Martin has been a very orderly prisoner. He spent his last few days praying and said he was ready to die.