Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-16
THE EXECUTION.
[CoRREsPoSDENcE or THE STAR |


PRINCE WILLIAM Co, VA Feb -, 81.
The execution Of three Of the five murderers
Of Mr. Green, the well known schoolmaster Of
this county, took place in pine grove in the
immediate vicinity Of this village, little be-
fore p In to-day. Up to last night the COZ
dsmned (6ve in ally had been receiving con-
slant attention from cur local clergy, all of
them protesting to be under conviction. Last
night they spent in singing hymns and pray ing
together. They confessed their dreadful crime
some time ago, and since then have professsd
great penitence for it This morning all but
the instigator, Old Nslly, eat n very hearty
breakfast-the old woInan refusing food. At
noon, tho three-Old Nelly, aged from G5 to
30, her daughter Jane, and the eldest boy,
William, (the two younger boys, twins, eyed
fifteen or sixteen, being respited) emerged
from the Jail under the guard Of the High
Sheriff Of the county, his deputies and the
jailOr, and, mounting a twc-horse wagon, were
conveyed to the place Of execution, where a
space Of near an acre ia extent had been
cleared for the erection Ct the galiows, stand
ing room for the spectators, 81. They were
robei in white shrouls, the women wearing
their bonuets and the man being barehoaded.
On the way from the Jail to the gal.oHs they
were singing hymns oil the time
TN arriving at the gal!ows, they mounted
up its steps with apparent aiGcrty, and in
conversation protested their Willingness to ex.
plate ;heir crime, declaring that they placed
their trust in Jesus, and beloved that they
had so repen,ed as to have secured salvation
through him. The man alone said any thirg
on the gallows, and he only sent word by tho
jailor to the two respited boys to be sure to be
ready 10 follow them. That is to be sure that
they make their peace with God In ten OF
fifteen minutes after they mounted the GAL
lows the white caps that had hung upon their
necks at the hack Of their sbrouls were drawn
up over their faces, and the sheriff cutting the
fastening Of the trap, launched them into
eternity. The necks Of the younger woman
and the man are supposed TO have been in.
stautiy broken
The old woman struggled much Tor sonle
minutes Their arlrs, but lot their lags were
pinioned After hanging until life was Clearly
extinct in all Of them, their bottles were taken
down and placed in plain ccfins and inferred
Ill the pines few feet distant from wnere the
galiow5 stood, the graves havirg been pre-
viously prepared. There were perhaps a
thousand persons present, majority of whom
were negroes Such was tue a,rocity of the
circumstances OF their CriElo, and so much was
their victim beloved by al in this section,
that the negroes evinced if anything less
sympathy for them than the whites Half
the crowd accompanied the cortege from the
jail in vehicles, on horseback, and on foot
Hundreds, to get good views, elm b ed the pines,
until they looked as though growing a crop OF
men and boys
1t ia thought here that the respited boys
will not be hung. Their old and of \ grand
mother, it will be remembered, concocged, the
plot aid ins,igatsd the rest to the dreadful
deed-of beating their masters brains out,
and burning his house into which they dragged
l. IAl.-
of justice, however, was swift upon its heel.
This execution, it is thought, will have IL de-
sirable effect on all evil dOers in this quarter.
NIRGINIAN.