MARTHA J. CLARY

(JOSHUA3, UPTON2, HENRY1) was born 1864 in Appling Co, Georgia, and died Aft. 1948. She married J. N. BLITCH November 25, 1886 in Wayne Co, Georgia. He was born 1859 in Georgia, and died May 04, 1893 in Wayne Co, Georgia.

Notes for J. N. BLITCH:
Obituaries & Death Notices, Coffee County, GA: 1898

HOLMES HANGED — The First Legal Execution in Coffee County. Zach Holmes Dies on the Gallows. He Expires in Ten Minutes. 2000 People See The Sight.

Zach Holmes, the murderer of Mr. J. N. Blitch, was hanged here yesterday (Friday) afternoon.
Zach Holmes was brought up from Waycross Thursday by the Sheriff and five deputies and remained under guard until he expired on the gallows, when his remains were turned over to his colored friends for interment.
The gallows and enclosure was built in the eastern part of town, in a deep ravine or hollow near Girtman & Gaskins saw mill. From the hills around the enclosure the execution was partly visible. Zack could plainly be seen by the crowd until the rope was cut and his body shot downward to his doom. It is estimated that 2000 people — men, women and children, black and white — witnessed the execution. No one was permitted to see the entire execution except the Sheriff and his deputies and guards, the physicians, and the representatives of the press.
The black cap was placed over his face at 3:22 o’clock, Sheriff Tanner shook Zack’s hand and stepping one step backward he picked up a large hatchet, whirled and cut the rope in the twinkling of an eye. The doctors pronounced him dead in just ten minutes, and his body was cut down and placed in the coffin in seventeen minutes.
The execution was to have occurred at 2 o’clock, but the combination to Zack’s cell was out of order when the Sheriff went to take him out, and the Sheriff had to cut the cell door down, which caused a delay of over an hour.
A trio of preachers conducted a short religious ceremony before the execution.
Zack died game. He refused to talk except to answer questions. He met his fate without a shudder or a word of complaint.
This is the first legal execution that ever occurred in Coffee county since its organization in 1854.

History of Holme’s Crime
Zack Holmes shot and killed Mr. J. N. Blitch at Carter & Blitch’s turpentine still in lower Coffee on May 3rd, 1893.
The row was caused by Zack demanding a settlement before payday and Mr. Blitch refusing to settle.
The testimony of eye witnesses showed that Mr. Blitch tried to reason with Zack, but Zack was no doubt but for a rucus and would not listen to Mr. Blitch’s reasoning.
Zack was drunk and says he does not know if he killed Mr. Blitch. He did not deny the killing in his statement to the jury.
He escaped and remained a fugitive until last December when he was captured at Live Oak, Florida.
Zack is a lineal descendant of the famous North Carolina outlaw, Henry B. Lowry. He stood up and received the death sentence with the stoicism characteristic of the Lowrys.

Buried at Old Bethel.

Children of MARTHA CLARY and J. BLITCH are:

i. LEONARD BLITCH.

ii. OWEN M. BLITCH.

iii. CLARA BLITCH.