The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-11-05

E,LXiGu, y. c., Nov, 4.--William Stin-
-ea. a negro. to-day paid the extreme pen
ATS Of he law Cor the crime of rape, COM
.u..,ri III the month of June last, on the
rcr>on Of n white widow lady siXty-five
years Of age.
THE OUTRAGE.
At the dead hour Of midnight, in the
county Of Wake. in June. William Stinson,
q negro. forced himself into the dwelling Of
81 respectable widow lady and demanded
her pockct-book. 4 negro boy about four
teen Years old and her daughter were in
the house when he entered. Her daughter,
discovering his hellish design, made her
Escape through the window, and he drove
the boy out. Upon his seizing the old
lady, the boy. hearing her cries, ran back
into the house, which Stinson discovering,
drove him off with q threat, which alarmed
tie hoy. and he ran off to his mothers.
Ne then dragged the old lady near the road
aud cruelty raped her, and after accom-
p!>hing his purpose struck her twice on
lh" head With the breech Of his gun.
ANOTHER CRIME.
A. soon rs she recovered from the stun
ming blows. he told her she had more mo-
nyv than he found in the pocket-hook, and
lc must have it.. He made her 60 back into
the house and tell him where her money
WAS kept. She opened IA desk and told him
where il was usually kept. and while he was
searching she escaped and hid herself. He
then made his escape before the %neighb0rs
to whom the daughter had given the alarm
arrived. The old lady, discovering Il light
in the house. yenturcd near enough to see
That her neighhors had arrived. came for
ward. and told them her sad story.
ARREST OF THE CRIMINAL.
The next day the negro was arrested in
this city and committed to jail. after exami-
nation, to await his trial. The old lady had
one or more sons and daughters. The in
Gignation Of her children and %neighbors
WAS intense. yet their reverence for the law
teal them 10 suppress their feelings and
await the action Of the court.
THE TRIAL.
un Friday. the It'll of October last, he
was ty.cd in this city before his Honor
fudge Watts. the Superior Court being in
session. Being unable to employ counsel,
the Judge appointed two able lawyers to
defend him. The facts in detail, more fully
than We have given them. were proven by
the testimony of the lady herself, corrobo-
rated 10y the negro hoy and daughter, rs
Tar A. they knew them. and StinSon was
fully Identified by The parties. Stinson
could furnish no rcbuttlng evidence. The
case was 30 clear the counsel Oh both
sides agreed TO submit it without argument.
THE JURY.
\ singular feature Of the case is the fact
that the jury by which Stinson was tried
was composed altogether of blacks (men OF
his own race and color).a strict jury Of his
peers. who listened ~attcntiyely to the evil
dcucc and weighed every circumstance
carefully before returning their verdict.
The evidence was carefully recapitulated
hy the Judge, and he gave them 4 fair and
impartial charge. The jury retired, and
after twenty minutes consultation re-
turned with q unanimous verdict Of guilty.
TUE SENTENCE.
The Judge delivered a very feeling SEN
tencc. and fixed Friday. the 4th o. NOycm-
Der next. az the day OF his execution. The
Judge in his remarks very properly
alluded to this case as q marked evidence Of
the law-abiding character Of our people,
and expressed his qualification at the evi.
dences of the triumph Of law and order in
the State over mobocracy.
THE EXECUTIONS.
4 gorgeous sunrise ushtrcd in the day,
and radiant skies arched the heavens as the
prisoner was led from his cell into the yard,
where the instrument was erected on which
he was to pay the penalty of his double
crime.
Since his incarceration he has been very
nnrulv and defiant. and once made the at
tempt TO escape, but was captured by one
OF the deputy siieriits after being severely
wounded with a pistol-sliot. Fol some
DAYS, however, there has been q marked
change in bis demeanor, and be has ex-
pressed the deepest contrition for his
crimes.
CONDITION OF TIE PRISONERS MIND.
Rev. Father Macnamara, of the Catholic
Church., has been ministering to the prl-
soner spiritually, and yesterday II To-Day
his frame of mind has been peculiarly
happy. His ideas Of the plan Of salvation
since receiving the instruction OF Father
Mcnamara have been remarkably clear.
He also exhibited in both his demeanor ana
language a firm belief in the efficacy OF The
utoncment in his case, and has expressed
himself as resigned entirely to his fate.
Jane, a colored girl, between whom ana
the prisoner q kind of marital relation
existed similar that usual between slaves
formerly. has visited him repeatedly IN MS
cell, aud deep mutual affection seemed 10
exist between them. On her last VlsiI, now
ever, he was very much troubled at the
unnecessary feelings which seemed 10
prompt her to inquire after certain deDas
due him here, the power to collect them,
DC. He impatiently asked her to desiss,
that he wished to think OF nothing earthly.
PREPARATIONS FOR Death.
just before being conducted to the seal
fold he bundled up his clothes, and asked
the sheriff TO hand them to this woman.
Their final parting took place yesterday,
since which time, ut his request, no visitors
have been admitted except his confessor.
On the first visit Of the priest he declared
that he had been praying all night for a
minister, and that his prayer had been an
swered. =
This being the first execution in this
county not open to the public, u very large
crowd gathered around the Jail, and though
noisy, were disposed to be orderly, and