Miami Union

ROBERSON, MONROE - Greenville's Hanging - Execution of Monroe Roberson at Ten Minutes Past 12 O'clock Yesterday - A Reckless Man Who Dies Game! - Cursing His Enemies Almost With his Last Breath - At ten minutes past twelve o'clock yesterday Monroe Roberson suffered on the gallows, at Greenville, the severest penalty that man can inflict, for the wantom murder of his brother-in-law, Willey Coulter. Roberson was 47 years old, and had led from boyhood that reckless life which tends towards the gallows. For several years he has resided in Franklin Township, Darke County,--the township which borders on the western border of Union Township, this Co.--where he was known as "Yankee" Roberson. He was a terror to the neighborhood. The cold-blooded murder for which he was hung yesterday was committed on the 23rd of last October, when he deliberately shot to death his brother-in-law Wiley Coulter. He was arrested and tried for the crime, found guilty and sentenced to the gallows. Through the efforts of his counsel the execution was postponed from the time at first fixed until yesterday. The scaffold was erected in the Jail yard. Greenville was crowded with people and a company of Militia was ordered out to preserve order. A few minutes past twelve the Sheriff of Darke County, conducted Roberson from the Jail to the scaffold. He walked with a steady step and preserved that bravado-air which has characterized his whole life. He never flinched but faced the little knot of people who had come to witness a terrible thing more like a lecturer on a platform than a man about to suffer death by hanging. Upon the platform with the Sheriff were Sheriff D. C. Miller, of Miami County, and Marshal Frantz, of Piqua. Roberson remarked "this looks something like a bushwhackers meeting". He stopped a few moments, and then said: "Gentlemen you have all come here to-day to see a white man hung. A man that has a heart, a soul and a principle, a man who went through the war and fought for his country and his flag. I am not here to be hung by the law but by prejudice and hope to meet all my friends in heaven but I don't want to meet the mossbacks from Franklin Township." The Sheriff then pinioned his hands behind his back and otherwise tied him, and adjusted the noose. Some acquaintances spoke and bade him good-bye, and he answered in a firm voice. The black cap was then drawn over his face and the drop was sprung at exactly ten minutes after twelve. His body dropped about 4 1/2 feet, the neck was broken, and not a quiver was noticeable. In twenty-two minutes the pulse ceased to beat and the physicians pronounced him dead. The body was taken down and put in the coffin, and the crowd collected in the streets, were permitted to pass through and view the corpse. The scaffold used was the one upon which Murphy and Adams were hung at Dayton. About 200 persons witnessed the execution, among whom were Sheriff Miller, Turu-key Morris Miller, S. H. Worrell, R. H. Southerland, Jas. B. Ziegenfelder, R. H. Vandeveer and Geo. Conrey, of Troy.