Forty eight years has passed since Butts county has had a public execution. In October 1827 two white men named Thomas Leverett and Lud Watts were to be hanged at the same time. Leverett willingly gave up but Watts, who by some means had gotten hold of an old pistol, resisted and the sheriff thinking it was loaded could not take him out. The hour for execution passed and the sheriff, Samuel Clay, at once asked the governor for directions, who replied that Wattts should be forced from the jail and executed at the first opportunity. He was finally overpowered by perishing, and on Monday surrendered and was hanged on that day on the same gallows that Leverett had died. His wife was present at the hanging and took charge of the body and carried it to Monroe county for burial.

Leverett-s body was buried in the rear of Mr. Frank McKibben-s on Third street, where his bones now rests. Leverett was hanged for killing a man named Bryun near the residence of Mr. Joe Carmichael. Watts killed a man on the line of Butts and Monroe named Denton Danil. Both Watts and his victim were Monroe county citizens.

In the Spring of 1848 a Negro named Harrison was hanged for rape. He was executed near the colored Methodist church on First street.

(Middle Ga. Argus - Week of October 20, 1891)

Submitted by Don Bankston