Innocent Man Hanged in Mountains
(Complete Story) Wednesday, July 1, 1998
This page hosted by 
Get your own Free Home Page
The trapdoor of the scaffold wasn't working properly and Sheriff Wilburn Killen of Wise County, Virginia, hammered on it for nearly fifteen minutes as Eave Hopson waited in the gallows to be hanged. It was May 15, 1903.
Hopson seemed undaunted by the happenings as he chatted with a friend, J. F. Fleming, about his impending burial.
"Take me to Preacher John Mullins' home at Skeetrock," Hopson told him. "Our family graveyard is there and I want to be buried close to my Dad." Skeetrock is in Dickenson County, Virginia.
The events leading to the hanging began when Hopson, Bob Mullins and Enoch Wright were on an all-night drinking spree. When they became hungry they decided to steal a chicken and roast it over a fire.
John Salyers, who recently moved to Wise County from Tennessee, ran outside when he heard the frenzied clucking of his chickens. Shooting crupted and Salyers was mortally wounded.
William Dotson, Commonwealth's Attorney, talked with the wounded man later that day before he died and described Hopson as one of the culprits.
During court proceedings Hopson admitted he stole the chicken but told them that Mullins and Wright had the gun and had done the shooting. Mullins and Wright accused Hopson.
"It is hard for an innocent man to go through this," Hopson said later from the scaffold prior to his hanging. "It doesn't seem real. In a few minutes I will be in paradise but I am not uneasy. I will meet my God in peace and then there will be no more trials or trouble."
"I warn all people, young and old, men and women, to shun bad company," Hopson continued. "A man doesn't know what is in the heart of another person. You can't look in a man's face and tell what is in his heart. I fell into the hands of bad company."
C. H. Patterson and J. A. Hughes, Hopson's attorneys, remained at his side while Sheriff Killen worked on the death gallows.
Ironically the sheriff had known Hopson since he was a baby and had tended him at times. Hopson asked that Deputy Sheriff Renfro perform Killen's duties to relieve his longtime acquaintance but the deputy refused.
When the repairs were completed Hopson stepped onto the trapdoor without apparent fear or weakness. He proceeded to shake hands with everyone standing on the scaffold including the brother of the murdered man. Hopson was heard to say he was sorry that it had happened.
Sheriff Killen adjusted the noose and asked Eave Hopson about the murder and if he had any final words.
"I've done things in my life that I'm not proud of," the haggard-looking Hopson replied. "When Salyers was shot and killed I had been drinking a lot but God knows I am innocent. I did not shoot the man. God is with me. I hope to meet all my loved ones again in Heaven. Good-bye."
"Eave, may God have mercy on your soul," Sheriff Killen said as the hood was placed over the prisoner's face.
Hopson's body plunged downward, suddenly jerking to a stop.
His neck wasn't broken from the snap of the rope and the hood fell aside. An agonized look on Hopson's face pleaded for relief.
The sheriff asked Dr. Miles to replace the hood. It soon fell again from the struggling man. Finally Dr. Miles pinned the hood in place.
After hanging for 36 minutes Hopson was pronounced dead. During that time Dr. Miles and two associates checked him periodically for signs of life.
The body was turned over to J. F Fleming of Clintwood who took the corpse by wagon from Wise to Dickenson County. Periodically they stopped along the road when residents asked to view the body. Rope burns were clearly visible on Hopson's throat.
The other men involved in the crime received prison sentences. Enoch Wright was in prison until 1910 when he was pardoned. Later he was convicted on a charge of second degree murder in another case and had to serve the remaining 17 years plus an additional 12 years.
Bob Mullins was the only one of the three to plead guilty and was imprisoned six years and nine months before being pardoned. He had no further criminal record during the remainder of his life.
But it was told and retold throughout the mountains that before he died, Bob Mullins confessed to firing the shot that killed John Salyers and that sent Eave Hopson to the gallows.
*Jadon Gibson is a freelance writer from Harrogate, Tennessee. His writings are nostalgic and historical in nature.
Editor's Note
Seventy-Seven Years POWELL VALLEY NEWS (USPS 4408-8000) Published each Wednesday by POWELL VALLEY PRINTING COMPANY 125 East Morgan Avenue Pennington Gap, VA 24271 Phone 540-546-1210 FAX 540-546-5468
Rick Watson, Publisher Patricia Ewing, Office Manager
Periodicals Postage Paid at Pennington Can, VA 24277
POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to: Powell Valley News P. O. Box 459 Pennington Can, VA 24277
Subscription Rates: In Lee, Scott, Wise Counties one year-$25.00; two years-$49.00 Payable in Advance Outside Lee County one year-$30.00; two years-$59.00 Payable in Advance
Obituaries are $10.00 Payable in Advance
Card of Thanks are $3.00 Payable in Advance
IN MEMORIAMS Ten cents per word Payable in Advance
Classified Advertising Payable in
Advance
