Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-11-25
LOCAL NEWS.

Execution OF Charles Williams, cOlored
soldier. at the Old Capitol, for the muir .
der OF colored woman at Camp Casey.
This morning, Charles Williams, colored
soldier belonging to the 31st U. S. Colored
Troops, suffered the extreme penalty of the
law by being hung for the crime of murder
committed by him on the 18th Of September
last ny killing an unknown colored woman at
Camp Casey. Williams was to have been ex-
, ecuted on Friday last, but was respited by the
President until to-day to give him an opportu-
nifty to prepare to meet his fate, he having only
been informed of the sentence the previous day.
Willirms was tried in this city in he early
part OF September by q court-martial of which
Lient. Colonel Cartwright is president, and
sentenced 70 be hung by the neck until dead on
the 18th of November, which sentence was duly
approved by the proper authorities.
Williams Is about IS years old, and was born
and raised in New York city, where he attend
ed one Of the colored schools and learned to
read with tolerable proficiency. About the
18th OF June last he enlisted in that city a
recruit for the 31st Coiored regiment with the
understanding. as he says, OF being transferred
to The navy. From New York he was sent to
rendezvous for colored troops at Galp's Island
Boston harbor, from whence he was sent in
July last, with about 60 other recruits, to Camp
Casey, over the river, where the unfortunate
affair for the part in which he took he suffered
the penalty to-day, occurred on the 18th Of
September.
He is fine looking man of about 10 or $50
pounds, and has for q number OF years past
been seaman, running mostly on West India
vessels from New York, where his parents re-
sided, but at the present time he does not know
their whereabouts, the last time he was there
he being unable to find them
+ fter his arrest, which happened lmmedi-
at y after he committed the deed, he was sent
to lie city and confined in the Central Guard
house, here he remained until Thursday, 18th
instant, when he was transferred to the Old
Capitol and assigned to a cell on the second
flo in Carroll prison. While he was in the
Ce ual q warehouse, about three weeks after
the deed was committed, he was tried, but he
was not informed of the sentence until the day
bet re he was to have been executed, FRIDAY
LAST when Mr.. Wood, the superintendent of
the prison, informed him Of it. This announce
meHt was quite unlocked for on his part, and
he was for time wholly unnerved. AS soon
as lie recovered, realizing as he did his posi-
tor. he asked that a minister be sent for, and
socn Rev H. Highland Garnet, of the 18th
ST.. ct Presby terrain (colored) Church, was with
him. Mr.. Wood and the minister Immediately
waited on the President, and asked for a re-
spire in view Of the short notice he had. and
they succeeded IN procuring for him respite
williams had ne yer paid much attention to
religious matters, but as soon the announce
mt MT " as made to him that he would be exc
cuted he took measures to prepare himself, and
has since almost constantly been engaged ia
reading his bi BILE, except when engaged IN de-
votlonal exercises with Mr.. Garnett and other
colored ministers who have visited him He
expresses himself as having found peace with
God, and says his whole trust is in Christ, and
that he is willing and prepared to leave this
world, begging forgiveness Of all he has Of
Tended, and forgiving all He says that at the
time he committed the deed he was so drunk
that he was not conscious of anything, and
knew nothing Of the affair until he recovered,
several hours after, from his stupor, when he
was informed Of the occurrence.
The gallows upon which he was executed
has heretofore been brought into play, several
persons having been executed on it, viz Wood
ward, for the murder of his wife, hung in the
Jail yard; Sames Powers, hung In the same
place, for the murder of young Lutz, of Balti-
Y vols, hung in the Old Capitol yard. Dec. 5,
1861 for the murder OF Lieut.. +. LinZy, OF the
same company, at the 6tn street wharf; Angus
tus Ford, col'd, hung on the Sd OF Marcn, 800,
in the Jail yard, for the murder OF GeoISe
Adams, cord; Cornelius, Tuell, ung In tne
Jail yard, on July Sth last, for the murder OF
hts wife Charles Fenton Beavers, Oh Mosoys
gang, hung in the Old Capitol yaru on august
he had twice taken He was arrested as q spy
but was not con victed on this charge On sew.
eral oth.r occasions this galloWs which has
played SO important part OF late years has
was mn in the jail yard for the purpose of the
execution Of jeremiah Hendricks, for the m ur.
der of Dennis Shanahan IN Swampoodle and
Emanuel Pollard, for the murder Of Geo. But
Ter. who Just before the hour for the execution
errived, had their sentence commuted by the
President to Imprisonment in the Penitentiary
for life. Peter Gooden, colored, was to ha We
been hung with Tuell. in July last, for murder
OF George Banks, colored, but had his sentence
commuted 10 imprisonment for life just before
the hour arrived. Thus this galiows has been
the instrumen, under the law for causing the
death OF six persons and has been put In readi-
mes for service on numerous other COCA
siods.
p The eallows is made Of very heavy timber,
now somewhat weather worn, The extreme