The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-10-23
LOCAL MATTERS.

| morning, between the hours OF nine and ten
O'Clock, for the purpose of seeing the con-
demned criminal and negro, John Williams,
sentenced to be hung for aiding and abetting in
the murder of the Winston family, taken from
the Jail TO the place of execution.
AT abont9 o'clock, Williams's letters were
knocked off, and soon after, Rev. Mr.. Jeter, Of
the Baptist Church, prayed and conversed
with him a short time in his cell. At about 10
o'clock, Williams was brought out ofthe cell,
and the halter fastened around his neck. He
was dressed in the same clothes which he
wore during his trial, and had no shroud over
them.
The change in his appearance, since his con-
inement, was absolutely astonishing. When
first committed, his complexion was of dark
dingy brown; when placed in the hangmans
cart, yesterday morning, his face was nearly of
the light color of mulatto, or quadroon. Fear,
doubtless, caused the change; as he exhibited
marked trepidation, and trembled, at times, vio-
lentlv. No m mister accompanied Williams to
the gallows.
Immediately after the wagon had pas sed un-
der the gallows, at the place of execution,
Rev. MIR. Jeter got into it, and offered up the
following fervent prayer: First sentence lost
by our Reporter.J We do rejoice, blessed God,
that Thou hast had mercy on Thy fallen crea-
lures, and that Thou hast provided for them
great sacrifce-a sacrifice commensura tie with
the demands of the law, and with the guilt
and wretchedness of man and we do rel dice,
that Thou permittest us, in our extremity and
guilt, to approach Thy throne. o God, we
would approach Thee with broken hearts and
con.rite spirits; we would renounce our own
Thy precious promises and in the mercy and
| benevolence of Thy exalted Son.
We beseech Thee to bless this man, who,
this morning, under the law of this land, is to
be executed. Great God, his sins are known
| to Thee. Thou art the searcher of hearts, and
| only Thou capst search the hearts of the chill
dren of men. We pray that he may heartily
repent of al past sns-that he may be hum
| bled in the d ust before high and holy God.
| And permit him to trust in that mercy which
has saved so many of our degenerate race, and
| upon which all our own hopes are based. We
entreat Thee to give him grace according to
his need. Oh, that he may have that conf
| dence in God-that resignation to His will
that hope in His promise-that will prove his
solace in his passage into eternity.
Webeseech Thee, o God, to bless this vast
throng, and that we may all remember that we
are travelling to the tomb, and that whether
brought to the grave by execution or the or
ham Df Iaa
May every heart be solemn. May we renem
Der that we are Fastening to the bar of just
God, and may we be prepared, by Thy abound
ing grace, for place in Thy Kingdom. We
ask all for, and in The name of Christ, to whom
be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Mr.. Ferguson, Sergeant of the City, then
told Williams, who was anxious to speak to
the crowd, that he could make the simple
statement as to whether he was guilty or limo
cent of the crime for which he was to be exc
cuted-that he would not be allowed to hu-
rangue the assembly at length. William then
stood up facing the hill, and said in calm,
clear voice,
"Gentlemen-I desire to inform you that
the charge alleged against me | am innocent
OF. le6l MY sell lEHOCtnt Cl the CTiilie
This statement being all of materially, Will
iams was stopped at its conclusion, and told
that he had said enough-it being evidently
his expectation and desire to 6 i've long ex-
hortation in exculpation OF himself. He had
nothing further to add to what he had already
stated in court, and there would have been
manifest improperly in allowing him to adj
dress the crowd Of negroes around him, to the
peryersion Of their minds under the circum.
stances.
At about half past 10 o'clock the black cap
was drawn over the face of Williams, and with
trembling limbs he stepped upon chair after
the rope was adjusted over the gallows. The
word was then given, the wagon drove off, and
Williams was launched into eternity. He strug-
gled very hard for two or three minutes. Alter
hanging for about forty minutes, DR.. Hancock
examined his body, and pronounced that life
had departed, and the corpse was inferred in q
grave adjacent to the scaffold. The assembly
upon the ground was small in comparison to
those that attended the executions of the pi
| rates and Jane Williams, scarcely exceeding
two thousand persons, of all colors, sexes and
ages. There was deep and marked solemn
ty of feeling throughout the crowd, and we
| were gratfed 10 observe the absence entirely
of the indecorous language and action that
marked the closing scene of Jane Williams
untimely career.
There will be published this morning at i
o'clock, pamphlet containing full reports of
the trials of John and Jane Williams for the
murder of the Winston family; also, Rev.
Mr.. Moore's and Rev. MIR. Ryland's Sermons
on the subject Of the d" Awful Murder" in full;
also particul of the executions of John and
Jane Williams, their dying declarations, and
the closing prayer of the Rev. DIR. Jeter, copies
e, ~ hich he nhtnined at the Iii tch Qfiica