Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-06-09
ROCKINGHAM, June I'd, 1871.

ROCKINGHAM, June I'd, 1871.
DEAR JOURNAL Ned McLendon, COL
ored, convicted of rape at the last term of
our Superior Court, and sentenced to be
hanged, to-day sxpiated his crime upon
the gallows. The public, through your
columns have already been informed of
the circumstances attending the commits
sion of the offence. snd of the commend
able, yet unnatural forbearance manifest
ed towards him by the husband and broth
er of the lady, whose person he had vi Ia
ted. Having arrested him, instead of fol-
lowing the dictates of passion, and inflict-
ing upon him summary punishment. as so
many would have done, they were mindful
of the duties and obligations imposed upon
them as law-abiding citizens, and surrend-
cred him into the hands Of the proper au-
thorities to be dealt with according to law.
He was put on trial at the last term of our
Court, and was ably defended by counsel
assigned him by the Judge. That he had
fair and impartial hearing, is evidenced
by the fact that the jnTy was composed of
eighS persons of his own color, and four
white men, they all being of his own
choice and selection. The Judges charge
was as favorable as the circumstances and
facts developed by the evidence would per-
NIT, and in pronouncing sentence, he told
the prisoner that he entirely concurrred
in the verdict of the Jury. The evidence
was conclusive, and his guilt, 80 far as his
| plea of idiocy was concerned, was fully
established by the testimony Of his own
witness. I considered this brief history
of the case necessary, for reasons which
will readily appear to the minds of the
reader. And now to the execution.
Abont 10t o'clock several persons. among
whom was his spiritual adviser, were al
| kHoa fl,n
| was confined. He conversed freely, Civ
ing complete history of his crime from
the time of its conception to its sad con-
summation. He confessed his guilt and
admitted the business of the punishment,
| but at the same time protested that he
had been solicited and instigated to COM
NIT the offence by a man living in his
neighborhood whose name I will not men
| tiOn. He said he was prepared to die,
and apparently did not seem afraid to
meet his fate. He was cool, calm and COL
ected, and there was nothing in his coun-
tenance which indicated fear or even ex-
citement. Though we did not consider
| him a negro of even ordinary intelligence,
yet he was evidently sufficiently inteli-
gent to discriminate between right and
wrong-though not to appreciate his NOR
al;TespOnslbllIty.
The hour having arrived for the execu-
ton. the prisoner wss conducted to the
scaffold erected for the purpose in the
county Jail. He did notevince the slight
est emotion, not even seeming to realize
his awful situation. After bidding his
spiritual adviser good bye, the cap was
drawn ever his face. the moose adjusted
and at 1914 o'clock the trap fell and
the soul of Ned McLendon left it's frail
tenement of clay. He died without q
struggle, his neck according to the opin-
ions of physicians in attendance having
been dislocated by the fall, which was six
feet. At 124, life having been pronounced
extinct, the body was cut down. and
placed in a Ieat coffin, to be inferred i'll
it's final resting place. Z.