The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-03
the first degree. " =" "i N9i ~

yths frst dsay m VeIuicJ OF guilty Of murder I'm
-.vIIoN FOR ARREST OF JUDGMENT.
On the Dist of March, before full bench of the
Court of Oyer ana Termlner, Judges Allison,
Ludlow, Pierce, and Brewster, a motion In ar
liams counsel. The motion was brought up
for argumentin the same Court upon the 23d Of
March,
on the 9Oth Of March the Court; through
Judge Ludlow, reported adversely, in clear
After few very impressive remarks to the
prisoner upon the Nervousness of the crime OF
which he was convicted, and the awfui fate in
store for him, Judge Ludlow pronounced SEN
tence upon him in the following Words
THAT Gottleib Williams, the prisoner at the
bar, be taken from hence To the Jail OF the county
of Philadelphia, from whence he came and
from thence TO the place of execution, and that
he be there hanged by the neck until he is dead,
and may God OF His Infinite goodness have
mercy on his soul"
READING THE H.wARRANr
On the I'd of May, 1867, the warrant for the
execution of Gottieib Williams, u,on the
coming 4th of June, was signed by Governor
Geary, and on the 4th of MeV Sheriff II
@. Howell, accompanied by Several gen tlemen
prisoner. During the reading of the warrant
the prisoner stood leaning against the wall at
face with his hand but exhibiting the most
astonishing coolness and self-suficiency
the Sheriff again addressed the prisoner,
assuring him that his doom was now fixed, and
as there was no possibility OF either. He there
lore eXhorted him to think only of the future,
answer ans SG 10 tbis Williams responded that he was
ready to die to-day, having repented of all that
he had ever done. But he was not guilty of this
thing (TeferIing to the murder OF Mrs. Miler),
and the time would come when his innocence
would be proved
Williams referred at that visit TO the uul5nd-
ness of one of his brothers, who would have
nothing to do with him, and would not assist
him at The trial throughout the Interview the
ariu mi 81 utmost freedom
giving every evidence Of a sound and intelli-
tellect is evidently unimpaired.
THE PRISONERS RECENT DEPoRTMENT.
During a visit which was paid to him in his
cell last week, Williams was very cordial and
entered with entire freedom upon the discus
sion of the subject of the murder, and also gave
his free consent to have the conversation made
public. At the outset of the conversation he
protested earnestly against paragraph repre-
senting him as indifferent to his fate, and more
intent upon securing full supply of tobacco, to
the use OF which he is greatly addicted, than to
religious instruction. He complained with
and unfounded assertions. He also professed
TO be profoundly impressed by the teachings OF
the Rev. Thomas 9. Allen, his religious adviser,
and he declared his desire to devote the remain
der of his days to preparations for eternity.
He still continued to protest his innocence of
the murder of Mrs. Miller, and said that on the
day 1t was committed, he was not in the court
where she lived. He said, further, that 1t was
the crime committed by HIM when he was q
boy that caused his conviction upon the charge
of numbering Mrs Miller. He was innocent of
this latter ofense; but he knew that he must
die for 1t, and he was prepared to meet his fate.
In respect to his condition on the day of the
murder, he said he had drank nothing that
morning; that he was sober, and as sane as he
ever was.
He also said that when sentence of death had
been pronounced upon him, he had resolved to
commit suicide. HIS proposed method of doing
SO was to strangle himself by means of n cord
he had concealed under the floor of his cell
Before he had opportunity to use this string
| he was removed to another cell, and lost It, He
then got possession of shoe string to effect the
same object, but was induced, by the influence
| OF the teachings of his spiritual adviser, Mr..
| Allen, to give up the idea. He said further, in
reference to his conversion: II have now be-
come convinced that have a soul TO be saved
tion. will go TO the sca1lold and die, and it
VIII be for q crime never committed" The
| prisoner has slept well, and has good appetite
| He processes himself as being easy in mind,
| having made his peace with God repented of
all the sins he has ever committed, and being
| now ready to die on the scaftold for crime
of which he is innocent.
His constant companion, now that his end is
| drawing nigh, is the Bible. It's many leaves
| turned down indicate where passages have
| been searched out for repeated perusal. He
hesi;ates not to pray aloud with mis- religious
| advisers, and when visited by bis friends often
| entreats them to unite with him in supplica-
! tions to the Throne OF Grace. His manner OF
| department gives evidence of deep contrition
| for his past sinful career, and he seems to have
an abiding faith in the mercy and goodness of
| God He often speaks of his execution, and has
| made every preparation for his burial.
THE LESSON OF AN EVIL LIFE.
AS a matter of course, in such cases there are
| q great many pessons who still believe in Will
| liams' innocence of the murder of Mrs. Miller.
| They allege that he was utterly unable to
| master such a strong woman as Mrs. Miller,
| even if willing. But that he possessed consider
| able physical power was made fully manifest
by the testimony of competent witnesses He
| was ably defended and every point that could
| be made was made in his defense. Step by step
| the evidence closed in against him, while moi
| a reasonable doubt was in the minds of the
jury in regard TO his guilt His career Is q
frightful instance of the tendencies of reck-
| less disregard of the laws OF society.
From his earliest youth he was wholly un-
| con ntTolled by his arents, or by outside in
| f1uences that would tend to keep him in the
path of rectiude. Giving his passions full
| sway, he rushed into all kinds of excesses and
in mere boyhood committed the fearful crime
| of murder. Undeterred by the memory of that
| fearful deed, he pursued a life of vagabondage
that only tended to foster the tigerish instincts
! OF his nature, and fit him for the last fearful
drama in which he played such a bloody part,
[We shall print in THE EVENING TELEGRAPH
tomorrow, the speech of Mr.. District Attorney
| William b. Mann in the prosecution of Gottleih
williams for the murder of Mrs. Miller. This
speech is one of the most searching, acute, and
able addresses that Mr. Mann has ever de-
| livered and Will be read with especial interest