The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-02-06
Execntisn Of Jas. stephens for the Murder
Of his Wife.

/
Of his Wife.
James Stephens, having been tried for the
| murder Of his wife, Sophia, ted and SEN
fenced to death, on Friday paid the forfeit VI
his life on the gallows, in the city prison oi
| New York.
| II the history of this crime 10 unusually re-
| voting, the crcnms tances under which 1t was
discovered aud brought home to the criminal
| are most remarkable; for the murdered wife
| had slept in her grave year before Inc au-
! thoriiies suspected the existence OF crime IN
| the case: and then the analysis OF the olsin-
| TERED remains furnished evidence that poison
| had been used, while circumstances pointed TO
| the husband As the one who had administered
| it.
| Since the discovery of Stephens conspiracy
| to Kill his keepers, he has manifested lmpa-
tienee to have his sentence speedily executed.
| He req quested sheriff Kelly to hang him at
o'clock in the morning. The sheriff replied,
that while he was willing and anxious TO grant
| every request within his power, the law s'e-
| Gifted the time rs between the hours of nine
| and twelve, and he should be compelled 10 car
| ry out its provisions. He would, however,
execute the sentence very soon after o o'clock
| About O'Clock, sheriff Kelly, with a num-
Der OF deputies and others, proceeded to the
! prisoners cell. and informed him that the hour
| had arrived He expressed his readiness, and
the procession formed. The prisoners hands
| were pinioned behind him in the usual man
| ner. The procession passed through the yard
| to the galows. and the prisoner, with the rope
| about his neck, was placed in the fatal posi-
| ton.
| Stephens was told he could soak, and re-
piled that his spiritual advisers would inform
| those Who should call upon them of all he h ad
| to say. He added that he had an abiding trust
| III his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that he
should be redeemed in his blood.
Rev. Mr.. Knapp said, for Gods sake. Ste
| phens, speak the truth ow, and tell ali yon
| know.
Stephens rep)ied-I am innocent.
| The black cap was now drawn over tfiepris-
| oner's face, and the rope finally adjust ted for
his execution. This caused moments delay.
! whereupon Stephens said "Quick, quick,
QUICK The executioner, at 2ai,a minutes past
| . O'Clock, performed his Office and the body OF
| Stephens was sus appended in the air
There was scarcely struggle; only gurg-
| ling sound, slight contortion of the muscles,
and nothing more. Life was extinct in less
than ten minutes. After hanging forty mi
| antes, the body was examined, and upon being
| pronounced dead, was taken down, placed in
4 canvass, and carried into 4 small room on
the south of the gallows 1t was after wards
buried in Greenwood, in the grave OF his wife
Dnring the night previous to his execution
| he received spiritual consolation, but still de-
MED committing the murder.
| When Stephens was hung. there was very
general sympathy among the crowd. The
buugling manner in which the executione'
| performed his duties, was the subject OF uni
versal remark, and many declared their detes
| tation of capital punishment in no measured
terms. Not 4 few OF the spectators were in
tears, and Mr.. Knapp, the minister, was al
as his firm conviction, that Stephens died In
nocent of his wife's N urder, and in his opinion
all the reverend gentlemen concurIed.
Another account says:
The sheriff asked him, AS he stood directl,
under tie rope if he had anything to say, t,
| which Stephens replied: Il have told my
| spiritual adviser all that l have to say.
stand here great sinner, though innocent o
the crime with which l am charged. l hop'
| for forgiveness of my sins through the mere,
| of fhp I.nr WI IN ip6 N
| sinners. have nothing more to say" Then
addressing Mr.. Kelly, he said, "Bs quick! b
, quickr Mr.. Kelly then with the assistance
| of Mr. Isaacs, placed the rope about the necl
of the condemned man, took Off his cloak, ant
| pulled the cap over his eyes. During thes
? preliminary operations, stephens stood will
his arms tied behind him, muttering All al
most inaudi ,le prayer for mercy.
The Sheriff gave the signal, the rope wa
loosened, and as it frightened about his neck
| The prayerfu! expression 81 Lord Jesus - wa
heard to issue from Stephens lips, and thel
| n just 2l minutes before lt O'Clock the bod
| slowly rose several feet in the air. For abou
| three minutes the struggles of the dy ing ma
4 | were great. His tightly clenched hand
h strained every cord of the arm and his har
, | breathing was frightfui to listen to. Afte
hanging three minutes these struggles ceaset
and were followed by few convuisiv
: twitchings, which occurred at intervals fo
S five minutes longer, when all motion ceased
# | and Stephens was dead.
At the end of fifteen minutes the body VIZ
| partially lowered when two physcians fe
= | OF the pulse in the wrist but no throb coul
be discovered. The clothes covering the brea
4 | of the dead were then opened, and the doctC
placed his hand above the heart, out no sigr
. of life remained. The body was left suspende
till the expiration Of forty minutes, when
= was lowered, and taken into an adjoinir
= room. The cap being removed from the fac
it was seen that but little discoloralion OF te;
tures had occurred, except about the nee
:, where the rope had drawn.
y Afiar the h,lHv had h,.pu officially viewed I
y the Sheriff and the attending physicians,
:. was formally delivered to four gent WI
's had been deputed by the friends of '!eceas,
- | to receive it. The Sheriff and his deputi
Z then returned to an office in the Tombs, ar
~ the crowd left the prison and gradually di
% persed.
The arrangements for the execution had bet
:, most carefully made. and all the details a
=, tended to by the Sheriff. person. The sele
- ton of the man whose duty it was to cut I!
=, rope and TINS suddenly loose the weigh
which should have raised the body of the col
" demned man with a sudden Jerk, was unfo
,e tunate. Instead of cutting the rope, as
- had been instructed TO do, and for which pu
~ ~ pose he had been provided with a hatchet,
:, the signal from the Sheriff, he loosed d
1a rope from its fastenings, and let it r,
&C r gradually through the pnlleys. This tighte
~ =. ed the rope as gradually about the neck
AZ ~ Stephens his body slowly, and his deaf
~ struggles were undoubtedly prolonged mo
e. than they would have been had the rope be
hs properly1managed.
~ SHOOTING IN COLUMBUS, GA.--A man nam
~ Hampton Dossett Was fatally shot in u hou
80 Of i'll fame at Columbus, last Thursday mig
H. | week. The shooting occurred during a bra,
y ! and from the attendant circ iances, il
. | supposed he was shot through mistake.
~ ~ the same city, one Davis has been arrest
u,' charged with putting pistol into the han
~, | of a boy by the name of Ingram, to sht
" another named Brock which he did, the b
-, taking effect in the breast and infiicting
~ ~ wound which il was thought would pre-
N | fatal.
l" INGENIOUS TKLEGRAPHiC INvENTIoN.-T
bo telegraph companies have an apparatus VIII
=; | is most probably new to most OF our reAde
.rs 1t consists of a complete telegraph Office, i
~ small oval box OF about four inches in leu,
10 aud two inches in diameter. Within this Ii
in | tied space is contained telegraph key and
" Law magnet, which are used for testing
;lo lines, and when the latter are broken, the Q
.a ratOr on reaching the point where the br'
Ia Ia, occurred can with his poeke. telegraph C.
q verse with any station on the circuit, or ira
init dispatches with us much accuracy AS "
.ad a larger apparatus.
"u FUGIrIvE SLAVE LAW IN NEW JERsE,
1t is a curious fact, not generally known, I
New Jersey has fugitive slave law Of
| own enacted in 1888, and re-enact ted, "
vi vi notifications, in 1886 and 1876. The sla
"a "a holder or his agent can apply to Cs
s,n ,n mon Pleas Judge, and the arrest will be m
w. w. by the Sheriff, and the question OF prope
50 decided by three Judges. New Jersey has I
law authorizing a STAKEHOLDER TO take
slaves through the State, aud to make . Il
30. | porary residence with them.
lus FIRE AT CONCoRD.-The store house Of
49,, Edward Hughes, Mt Concord Depot was
-, | covered to be on fire yesterday morning, at