The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-11-26
THE GALLows.,a
Execution OF Kit Hubbard for the
Murdero OF Joseph e. Anderson.

DANFILLE, A., november 20, lSIV.--k1C
Hubbard was executed at Pittsylvania C.
Il. to-day. The circumstances of the
murder for which Hubbard was executed
are fresh In the memory Of the public. The
dead body Of Joseph Il. Anderson, one of
the oldest and most respectable citizens Of
Pittsvlvania county, was found mangled
and weltering in his blood on the morning
of 9th of July last, within his store-house,
at Spring Garden, the cash drawer of his
store was robbed of its contents, and al
though foot prints stained with blood were
tracked over the room, nothing save about
$50 in money and few private papers, was
carried off by the murderers. Without the
store-room, in corner Of the porch at
tached to the house; was found heavy
billet Of tough wood, measuring about
three inches in diameter and four feet in
length, with blood-stains upon 1t, and in
the centre of the main road, in front of the
porch, was found large rough stone,
weighing about twelve pounds, stained
with blood, and few:hairs sticking to it.
complished the fearful deed. A singular
looking double-barrelled pistol was found
on the blood-stained porch floor, one
barrel of which was missing and the
other heavily charged. Evidently this
weapon was not called into use, but
was accidentally dropped and left un-
Intentionally by the parties in their eX-
element and haste. This pistol. with the
corroboratlng circumstances, told the tale
which led to the discovery of the guilty
parties, who, after perpetrating the crime,
unmolested made good their escape to the
city Of Lynchburg. The pistol was identi-
fed beyond q doubt as the property of Kit
Hubbard. When this fact was established,
,tnfst
prove that a few days previous to the muir
der Kit Hubbard and another negro were
seen going in the direction of Spring Garden
from Danville, making inquiries about Mr..
Anderson, his habits, his money, &C., and
further evidence proved that at about 8
O'Clock P. NJ. on the day preceding the night
Of the murder, Kit and the same negro were
seen within four miles of Spring Garden,
going in that direction. These, and other
strong corroboraIing circumstances were
well established at the trial. Kit relied
mainly for the defence on proving an ahbi,
but failed entirely to sustain it. A singular
and strong circumstance which contributed
to establish his guilt, was the fact that the
party charged with being his accomplish,
and who was proved to have been In COM
pany with him at the times beforementlon-
ed, and to have accompanied him to Lynch.
burg, succeeded In making his escape from
the officers when Kit was arrested, and was
not captured until few weeks ago. This
man, John jackson, Is now confined in the
Jail of Pittsylvania county, charged with
the same horrible crime. Hubbard's trial oc-
cupied several days; notices. than forty wit
nesses were examined +; the case was argued
at great length, but the jury arrived at their
verdict in few minutes after their retire.
ment. Kit asserted his innocence until 9
sn,o nj
been pronounced upon him, when he pre-
tended to make q confession, by which he
attempted to implicste two white citizens
of this county Of high responsibility, aleg-
ing that he and Jackson were employed by
these men to watch while they accomplished
the murder of Mr.. Anderson. This con-
fesSion was wholly at variance with the
testimony, with common sense, and with
reason, and was regarded by all who heard it
as made-up tale, conceived in the hope OF
saving himself by duplicating others. But
in a few days afterwards. finding that this
effort, and that all efforts, to secure o re-
lease from the death sentence were hope
less, he voluntarily called in bis counsel,
the Commonwealth attorney, ana announcer
gentleman, and made, as he stated, in view
OF the solemn ordeal through which he was
soon to pass, full and truthful confession
of his guilt, acknowledging that the evil
dence given against him on the trial was,
in the main, correct; that no other persons
than himself and John Jackson were
guilty of the murder; that their OBJ
iect was money that they succeeded
in inducing Mr.. Anderson to open his
door on the pretence that they wanted to
purchase cakes that when the door was
opened the old man was stricken down by
the heavy billet of wood before described,
and, considering him dead, the work of
robbing the money drawer was commenced;
that while getting the money Mr.. Anderson
crawled out into the porch, and, leaning
upon the railing, asked, s'Who is that
who is that ?" to which jackson, in mocke-
~, replied, "Who are your" and with the
billet of wood and heavy stone he was
mangled to death, his body removed into
the store-room, and the door pulled to
after which, by forced march, Kit and
jackson made their way to Lynchburg,
arriving in that city late in the evening Of
July 9th.