The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-24
THE DEATH PENALTY.
Execution Of Peter Riddick, Negro, 70
Murder and Highway Robbery.
Brutal ard AtrOcioJls Nature
of the Crime.
Gangs of NEGRO Bandttti In ith!
Vicinity of Norfolk. o q
scu1rus ar rzr scArsrl.oxD.

.... PORTSMOUTH, Va, July o. 1869.
s'That you be hanged by the neck until dead.
dead. dead. and may the Lord have mercy on YOUR
soul" was the sentence to-day carried into exctu-
ton In the case OF Peter Riddick negro murderer
and highwayman.
REIGN OF TEFhoR. 6
About the latter part Of January lust and indeed,
Tor considerable period both preceding and subse.
quent to that time, IL becamea matter Of imminent
rfsk ana danger the truck farmers and hucksrers
residing along the line of Seaboard and Koanoke
Railroad to carry their produce 10 market singly
alone, because Of the numerous and horrible out
RACES that were almost daily perpetrated by gangs OF
negro highwayinen and murderers. day scarcely
passed that some hardworking honest farmer was
not waylaid and brnraly beaten as he returned
to his home from the city, for the miserable amount
OF money ne may have realized In the sale Of tho
products Of his little farm; and In order 70 guard
against these murierous attacks, 1t had become the
practice among the farmers and nucksters to 90 and
return In parties large enough for mutual delente
Along the edges OF the Dismal Swamp In It's
almost 1npenetrabe recesses there had c0ngregafed
large numbers OF negro outlaws, escaped ana par.
d0ned CcnvIcts and thieves. who had not yet been
within the clutches OF the law, oil OF whom formed
gahgs-their avocalions being murder, rapine and
pIunder. They erected shanties within the swamp,
which served both for habtatIons and stores
FOR their plumber, and which were inaccessL
BILE TO any human being hut themselves.
Prom these they made their forays, ana, like
regularly organized banditt they levied upon both
life and property and xopt the peaceable and indus
trious citizens OF the surrounding country in con-
slant terror. To one Of these gangs ana the negro
Peter Rdtlick who pays the penalty Of his crimes
to-day belong. s
THE MURDER.
Riadick, Calvin Sawyer and Gill Harris formed q
trio Of desperadoes and were noted among their
associates as terrible, british ana savage leaders
chiefs OF this negro organization Of outlaws Their
operations were principally confined to Getty's
let's Inhablred by track farmers ana hucksters. On
Thursday, the 21st OF January last, Mr.. Cornelius
Hayes, young white farmer, residing near Shout
der's. Hill, IN norfolk county, having dis
posed Of . meagre supply OF produce
ses his renrn hos one he
travelled along IN his little twO-wheeed cart, think
ting, perhaps OF his wife and children for whom he
had made some trining purchases end nothing
dreaming that nj was to ociail him on that calm ana
placid, but cold night. Crouched, however, by the
TINS city, were Rddick Sawyer ana Harris, waiting
for their accustomed prey.-a usual victim As Mr..
sns @ ane sne eo wn s
game" with nendish glee The unsuspectng man
came abreast Of toeir hiding place. when they all
INN through the head and then struck him with
q club, with which he was armed. Both the
CITY hardly 70 be equaed by Indian savage they
clupbed The dying man until MS head was shape
menced the work Of deportation He took posses
sion OF all che articles found IN the cart and then
rtned the pockets Of the victim. ana upon 1ndm ng
G With as. ae n sssa booty ss
ana highwaymen then decsmped TO their businesses
n aHf 4
DISCOVERY OF TIE CRIME
About an hour after the foul deed mad been oom;
Mr. Hayes cart stall standing where the MUIR
derers mad lett 1t. At irst they thought ne
stopped; but upon examination they became
horrorstruck at Tue sight wnsch presented itself
somsthins Of the Tragedy had nssnsd at Ss srv sp
proach, and az exclamation afier exclamation es.
capped the Mortified farmers .hs dumb animal kept
that plainly Indicated he nstinchvely fels that some
thing awful had occurred. Life was discovered to
moved 10 ms home, where, without Witnessing the
Sgonzing griei. " dcsolate wife and children, ne
expired shortly afterwards.
ARREST OF The MUKDERNRS.
For o considerable time after the preparation OF
the crime active measures Tor the arrest Of
Of t sn law were we're secretly engaged fsrrsGn a
about a. ~ the middle q Ap!I reward q s.ss
for the arrest Of the criminals was offefc
es an Incentive to bring them to JUSTICE and N q
Few days afterwards 10 had the desired effect ON
tive force, who had long been worSinE up'' the CASE
succeeded In capturing RiddCk, Sawyer and Harris
as wen as !. ESTABLISHING me evidence Of their
animation before justice, who at once sent ali OF
them on for Indictment on the cnatue OF murder and
highway robbery. The grand jury OF Norfolk county
met on the 9TH Of May, and true bills were found
aganst Petsr Riddiek and CALVIN Sawyer for high
way robbery and murder IN nth! tho frst degree e.
was most exemplary one II took place on the 9th
of May. The prisoners were brought into court and
Jury empaneiled. after which the trial proceeded.
and evidence substantially as above was ELECTED.
Rlddick's guilt as principal was established,
uS sawr in was sse JSusn o. the co%Is
deeply criminal al Rlddicx But few moments'
and highway robbery" against Riddck, and "Gdilty
OF completely In murder and highway robbery''
against Sayyer. The Judge then sentcnced the
prisonc,s ana at the announcement OF the extreme
penalty Of the law against Rddick the condemned
never exnieissd the slightest emotion HIS feamres
what defiant scowl In return one would imagine he
had not heard bhe terrible nat OF the law. In one
day the trial was over Among the spectators was
the vile OF the murdered man. Mrs. Hayes, who
seemed intent on seeiuJ that vengeance was meted
out to the wrctcnes who had taken me hio OF her
husband. Sire never for n moment left tue court;
each word that was uttered seemed TO be drank In
with aviditr, and wncn the verdict OF guilty was
shot from b err eyes: but not until the prisoner was
removed to The jail did she leave the court room.
SAWYER was sentenced to eighteen years iinprison'
ment IN the penitentery. f.r.l
HOrTs OF PARDON
'While there Is lie there is hope"i IN old adnge
but Rildick had lost all hope OF executive clemency
sinct the eectl0n. Up TO that time be was conf
dent that the scaffoid would never receive him a
victim, and frequently asserted thai Governor Wells
would pardon him. Since Wells committed the sea.
tence OF negro in September last who was. to be
hanged, IN company with white man, FOR the aain<
crime, ana allowed the white man TO hang. the ne
procs here have been under the impression that nc
power cond bring one Of them to sucn n terrible
tvvy,ft .voJlo WAS ri
OF the sentence Of two negro murderers recently IL
warwick, a neipnborng county, further confirmed
this opinion. When, however, Riddick heard o
and quietly and resignedy gave himself up TO TN
contemplation OF hts coming fate, though that dlt
did not seem to disturb him great deal Whel
asked day or two since whether he would make
A CoNFEsSf0n.
He answered In the negative, shaking his head
fmprcssively, as II TO convey the idea that he was
innocent, bit in full possession OF startling reveal
tons as TO the murder lie almost gave you to un