Last Hanging in Wilkes Around the first of August in 1886, James Byers, borrowed a horse of Henry Edwards, who lived near the Virginia-Carolina line beyond Sparta. Mr. and Mrs. Byers were to visit relatives, southeast of Wilkesboro. Something happened, and the horse was not returned as promised. Mr. Edwards started to find the trouble. Apparently armed with a rifle and a high-strung temper he came into Wilkesboro searching for a " d horse thief." At least he asked the people whom he chanced to meet, if they had seen this particular type person. About fifteen miles from Wilkesboro, out Sparta way, Mr. Edwards met the Byerses. Mrs. Byers was mounted on the horse. Several words were passed. The argument grew worse. Threats were made. It is gussed that Mr. Edwards tried to aim or was in the act of aiming the rifle. Byers drew a pistol and fired,probably twice, as there seemed to be a bullet imprint on the stock of the rifle. Edwards was mortally wounded. The Byerses passed on homeward bound. In November, 1886 Mitch Woodie, a deputy sheriff, arrested Byers in Virginia, and brought him to Wilkes County for trial as the murderer of Henry Edwards. ( An innocent man, one James Stone who had come upon the scene of the shooting was mistakenly accused and convicted of a second degree verdict and sentenced to twenty years in the state prison befour gossip and rumor convinced lawmakers that Byers and not Stone had killed Edwards.) Byers came willingly without extradition proceedings. When the hearing came up in the March, 1888 term of court, a young lawyer named Greene was assigned to defend Byers. Court convened at 9:00 A.M.; Hearing soon started. Byers pleaded self-defense, but befour adjournment that afternoon, he had been convicted, and sentenced to be hanged on Friday, July 13, 1888. Newspaper Article