Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-06-07
(From the Providence Journal.
EX ECU ITO

| AMAsA r.. WALMsLEY was publicly ex-
ecuted on Friday pursuant to the sentence
of the Supreme Judicial Court. In the
life of Walmsley there is nothing Of in
struction, and in his death nothing wor-
thy Of notice but its ienominy. He was
native of the town Of Smithfcld, in this
state; from twenty to thirty years Of
age, and from the Indian descent.
At the March term Of the Supreme Ju-
die ial Court, he was indicted for the mur-
der Of John Burke, also for the murder Of
Hannah Frank; on the first of which in
dictments he was tried and convicted
The testimony against him was Of posi-
tive nature, and SO clear as to leave no
doubt in the mind Of the court and Jury
Of his guilt.
Fidelia Smith sworc, that on the night
Of the 18th of last September, she saw
the prisoner and his brother whip john
Burke and Hannah Frank. Burke and
Hannah had been at the house Of prison.
er's brother, and in about ten minutes af-
ter they had left the house, prisoner and
his brother went in pursuit of them, for
the purpose of whipping them. Witness
went with them, and when they overlook
Burke and Hannah, the prisoner being
two or three rods ahead, threw them both
down, and commenced beating them with
a pine stick, which he had picked up in
the road; the stick was about three feet
long, and rs large round as the leg Of
chair. With that stick the prisoner
struck them across their arms and head.
After witness got up to them, she did not
hear Burke speak, Hannah tried to make
Il noise, and the prisoner choked her;
prisoner struck Burke about dozen
times; Hannah begged him not to kill her,
to which he made no reply: Prisoners
brother told him if he was going to kill
them, he would not stand by and see him
do it. When witness went away, Burke
and Hannah were laying still. Prisoner
had drank something in the course Of the
evening.
Eleazer Baker, sworc that he saw
Hannah Frank on the evening ofthe 10Th
September; she was sitting down appl
leaning against pine tree near the place
described by FideIia Smith, and about
eight rods from the place where her body
was found. Witness and another person
found her body the following Monday,
and shortly afterwards found the body OF
Burke. Their bodies were thirty or for
ty rods apart. Here witness described
particularly the situation in which Burke's
body was when found The head was
severed from the body, but lay SO close
to it, that the fact was not discovered un-
til the body was moved. Several other
witnesses testified to the finding and the
situation of the body of Burke: He was
found near cart path in Burrillville.
Asel Alger sworc that he saw the pris-
oner on the Goth September, and that his
shirt sleeve was bloody. Prisoner told
him that he had fought with Willis Stcerc,
and that he knocked him down seven
times, and that at the last time the blood
flew on him. Afterwards prisoner told
him that he did not mean he had been
fighting, but that he had dreamed it, and
that the blood on his shirt was pigeons
blood.
The circumstances relating to the shirt
were corroborated by other Witnesses,
one of whom sworc that prisoner said tho
blood on the shirt came from his nose.
Daniel Mann swore that since the pris-
oncr's confinement in Jail, he went to see
him and conversed with him relative To
the offence with which he was charged.
Prisoner said he was intoxic atcd at tho
time he beat Burke. Witness asked him
what weapon he used, and he said a club,
with which he knocked him down. Az
ter the first beating they returned TO his
brothers house, and afterwards went
.