Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-11-02

| Witness: HKKRY Brooks.
PREPARATIONS Per THE RxRcrrIoN.
Mr.. John L. Turton, the sherif. is busy in
making the preparations for carrying ont the
| sentence, and under has directions the scafold
has been erected, the graves dug. cofiLs made.
sn.omnnaS nMaSSpsnne & avesy Ixrge crowd. he has
| county to guard the gallows and assist him IN
Keeping order. A request has been made thar
tne bar. rooms win be closed to- morrow. and
| 1t Will be generally complied with, o: least
until after the execution. The last exec ution
| IN this village Was thai OF the negro Daniel,
| convicted of fhe m urder Of his employer Mr.
| Miller, near BeltsvilIe.
RESPITE PoR JoNRs.
| A respite has been granted in the case OF
| VIM. Henry Jones, convicted OF rape IL is
| alleged that new evidence has been discovered,
| which, had il been accessible during the trial.
would have cleared him, and on Tueeday a
numeronsly signed, asking the Governor 10
say tne execution until the case can be in
| quired into.
The courier referred to above, arrived from
Annapolis this morning, with a respite for
Jones until Friday, December 18th, (6 weeKs
from Tomorrow Mr.. Brooke, the Clerk OF
the Court, immediately proceeded to the room
seem to understand 1t at first, and Mr. ex-
planned 10 him that he was not TO be hung until
december l4th. Jones responded, remarking
it."
THE CRIMINALS.
The condemned men are confined as they
were during the trial, in an upper room OF the
Court.House, with other prisoners, being
heavily ironed, and have recently spent most
VI jill .os,I ame IN singing and prayer. They
term OF the Court in September, and immedi-
ateiy after Aeir sentence, Rev. Mr.. Kershaw
OF the Episcopal Church, commenced to visit
fha -
struction, but they did not exhibit much con.
triton until after the death warrant was re.
ceived, and was read to them on October 5th
THH DEATH WARRANT READ.
The warrant was read to them at that date
by Sheriff Turton, who was accompanied nv
tne Clsik Mr.. Sasseer. and at first they ap.
peared TO be very Indifferent but shortly after
1r. kershaw found them much cast down.
Flater seems to have much control over The
otners-they having recently acted on his ad-
vice, 10 say notning-and consequently mn 10
this time there has been no confession made
except as 10 the Lyles murder, which wa.
made during the Court. and an intimation
robbery OF the Misses Palmer. iast snrinS M Ine
ne ar Broad Greek.
Platter RETRACTs HIS CONFESSION.
Platter, although he confessed several weeks
ago that he was in Lyles' house and took the
clock. now strenuously denies that he entered
the house, and says that the sentence is uniust,
as ne never saw the deceased, and but two of
the party, Davis Shd Lucket were engaged m
the murder.
.a- PLATTER ATTEMPTS To ESCAPE
Shortly after his conviction the sheriff dis.
covered that he was planning an escape He
mad procured some glass and a piece Of hard
brick, (which were found secreted in his shoes
with which ne purposed 10 cut way the rIyets
OF MS IRONS, and after loosening them TO await
the entrance of the guard at meal time, over
power him, seize the keys, and make Off Since
then be appears TO be quite debilitated: but IN
is believed that he is feigning weakness. He
mas recently stated TO some Of the others that
as soon as he is loosened from the irons he
intends to make desperate attempt TO escape.
preferring 10 be shot rather than 10 be hung
de yesterday afternoon said that he was not as
yet fully reconciled 70 meet his God: but maj
he expects to be by the time he is called on 10
60 TO the scafold. He says that il is very
few months prior to this one on him. and as serts
that this was the first crime in which he ever
was engaged, and that in this be was entrapped
he, however aoouttwo months previous 20 his
arrest, was fired at in Alexandra as he was
attempting TO break into a store and recei ,ed
then ball in his back. Wm. Jones saws thar
he is fully reconcIled, and that he with the
others, being guilty OF the crime, must take the
consequences. Jones, il will be recoliectedr
was formerly Col. Lyles' coachman, and was
under an Indictment for setting fire 70 his mas.
Ter mouse. Davis seems to await the approach
OF the day with but little concern -Luckett Is
the most hopeful one Of the lot, and saws that
sts,ed iH,y tSas PREPARED ns 70 NEE. h: God is
jail ne made q profession OF religion
THE CRIMINALS TAKE LEAVE OF THEIR rAxr-
LIES.
Yesterday, the wife OF Platter, as also the
wife and a friend Of Lucket, visited Them aud
took their final farewell. Platter exhibited Int
tie feeling. but Lucket was very afectionate:
kissing his child again and again.
THE CRIMINALS MEASURED FOR THEIR oor.
-'- 20 FINS.
On Monday last the undertaken took the
measures for their cofnus Platter appeared
somewhat moved, and his eyes moistened for
moment. The others, however showed NO
emotion whatever. The graves of the prison =
ers are being dug In the Jail yard, where the
new jail is being erected. =
THE scAFFoLD
The scaffold is erected on the north side of
the court house, adjoining the building 'front.'
ing the open space between the building and
Gardner's Hotel. The platform of the gal
lows is feet inches from the ground and %
Ieet wide, ana feet deep. The drop is TX
feet wide and feet deep, and is hinged TO the
piatform, being kept in placd by two supports
which are connected by chain on wfich A
lever, worked by rope run inside the court
rooms, acts Directly over the drop is a heavy
beam, IL inches square, at a height of "a 4 feet
from the ground, supported by uprights or the
same size. Through the beam, at equal dis
tances the ropes-half-inch Russia hemp-are
made fast TO cleats on the uprights Tins will
give each fall OF about feet. Both sides of
the platform are closed, and the entrance 10 il
is through one Of the lower windows of the
courtroom, In which are placed seven or eight
steps.
GUARD FOR THE PRISONERS
Last night. as well as for several nights past
there was a large guard on duty at the court
house. During the early part Of the night the
prisoners engaged in singing hymns. but after
~ O'Clock they were all In q deep slumber.
Messrs. Jones ARd CollIns, Of your city, ara
engaged in erecting on this site 81 the old laii,
torn down few months since rs being inse.
cure, a handsome and SUBSTANTIAL new build
ing Tor the purposes OF jail. two stories In
height, and meas uring So feetsquure, entirely
fre.proof the floors being Of brick on iro1i
girders. The building has IRON window framss
across which are heavy iron bars. a 4AOG3
THE EXECUTION.'
fBY PONY EMPRESS TO THE srAPA
''ss" SCENES YEsTKRpAY RvENrSe
Especial correspondence Of the Star.l Z