The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-20
THE DEATH PENALTY.
Execution OF William johnson
(Negr0) in West Virginia.
Highway Robbery and Cold FLOODED
MEurder.
Exciting Details Of the Murder, Arrest, Trial
and Conviction.
a Wild Scene in tEGo
south.
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THE EXECUTION PUBLIC.
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Strange Speech OF the Condemned Han
at the Scafold.
a Wild Scene i'm tho
south.
THE EXECUTION PUEBLO.
strange Speech Of the Condemned Han
at the Scafold
ONION COURT HOUSE, Monroe Co., W. Va,

william Johnson, negro, LO-uay eAplaCou upon Inc
scafYold the murder Of George H. Hunter, white,
committed on the 24th OF October 1870 near the Big
Bend Tunnel. on the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail-
road, In this county.
The extension of this great enterprise from its
present terminus at the White sulphur Springs,
bhrOugh the entire State OF West Virginia to the
ONO rlver, has necessarily brought here in the line
Of its works an immense number Of wOrkmen Of
M classes and colOrs, among whom are great
many disreputable and desperate characters.
These unwilling TO toll long IN the great
tunnels and the heavy embellishments, like
their fellow labOrcrs, discharged IN penni-
hess condition, ana then they either turn gamblers,
thieves or highway robbers and often murder
era Sc obtain miserable subsistence so numerous
" tins class that leading contractor. who had
dured all the perils and vlcssirudes Of the building
OF the Northern Pacific Railroad, declared that lie
Ii nOt near safe here as II in the far West.
The country literally infested with gangs OF for
efgn gamblers and thieves OF the lowest order and
NATIVE HIGHWAY ROBBERS
who would murder q man suspected OF being the
possessOr Of as small sum as I'VE dollars Nor are
these criminal pr0cltvlties confined exclusively TO
the white race. Negroes, numbers OF whom gradu-
ated in some State peDltentiary, successfully COM
pete with the white scOun1rels III deeds Of awless-
ness, outrage and desperation, and, n1ced, 80 far,
highway robbers and assasstns. Notorious among
them was the wretch that to-day paid the terrible
penalty Of his crimes with his life, for It Is
taDllHhed that the unfortunate Mr.. Hunter was not
the only victim that came to an unllmely end by his
hand.
GEORGE ii. HUNTER,
the murdered man, came OF a most respectable
family in Albemarle county, Virginia. He was
twenty eight years Of age, and at the time OF the
"A np
Bend tunnel, about forty miles west or the White
Sulphur Springs, on the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail
road. The murderer,
WILLIAM JOHNSON,
was Jet black negro, not over twenty-five years Of
age, five feet eight inches in height OF stout build,
with ather pleasing countenance and native OF
Louisa county, Virginia. whose general character
for the past two years has been exceedingly bad.
lie was recognized by his associates gambler,
swindler ana professional THIEF, too lazy TO work.
and VINO obtained living among ms sable brethren
On the evening OF the oath Of October, 1870 Mr.
Hunter, with u view OF improving his fortunes, had
set,led up with MS employers and had been paid M
I'VE dollars his intention OF leaving the works was
known only to a few persons at ilrst but when
Hunter was paid on 1t soon spread rapidly and Dy
night it common talk among the laborers, white
and black. On this fatal evening Hunter walked
from hts quarters NJ the works to the store at the
Big Bend tunnel, about mile distant. He remained
there but shorstlme necessary 10 make some trivial
SHUTDOWN AND DARK
he again started Oil his return To his quarters AS
be trudged along ieisurely !! grew darker and
only by patches Of white mountain mist. covered
his entire and limited horizon. Though there were
many persons passing and repassing from various
portions OF the works TO the Big Bend STORE IL Ii
arrange that Hunter was seen by one white man
only on his way home that night. ABOUT midway
between the store and Hunters quarters Was
DEEP UNCOVERED CULvERT.
fifteen feet wide and ten feel deep, paved with
laid narrow plank, which served as footpafh for
peaesirans Steadily pursuing his way n Ine DARK
son, some distance from the culvert They passed
each other. ana III an instant johnson conceived,
with devllish ingenuity, the idea'of
MURDER AND ROBBERY,
he knew that Hunter had been pald OF, had a
and was about 10 leave the works. Losing no time
he at once proceeded to put his plan INTO exc
reaced his steps ana a sral pursued i MS
pecting victim tic soon gained upon him, and
then crepr npiselcssly up behind him. and when suf
nciently near Tor his .murderous purpose he gave
Hunter
ONE TERRIFIC BLOW
on the right side or the head from behind which
Instantly felied him TO the ground, as Tree would
fall by the woodman's axe. Not satisfied thot death
wouid result from that blow, the assassin then took
q sull more enective instrumental hatchet-and
struck his victim with It's blunt edge on the left
temple mhicting most fearful gash. which lett him
10 an appearances lfeless corpse. As quickly AS
possible the murdered man was Then
and robbed OF all the money and valuables he pos.
sessed, amounting to eightY-iive dollars, a gold
ring. silver watch and other articles OF more or less
Intrinsic worth. Then with tnaI devilish GINNING
peculiar to nearly every murderer, to insure safety.
and which lllls them into temporary security from
Ietec tlon, the murderer Johnson and accomplces.
II he had any, then carried the body OF Hunter
nearly to the edge OF the cnfvert and there left It,
This was done to produce The impression that Hun
ter had falsn into the culvert had seriously hurt or
killed himself and crawled 10 where he was then
Ter discovered at this spot bY small negro boy,
who at once ran back In terror and reported II TO
the managers OF the works. Without loss Of time
they repaired TO the scene OF the tragedy where
MOST FEARFUL AND CHASTITY
spectacle met their gaze. Covered and bedanbed
over with the red sush and mud through which II
had been dragged the night previous, lay the body
Of Georye II. Hunter, stretched upon the graded
railroad track, It's back, cold and nearly STAFF and
stark scarcely perceptiple movement OF the
chest Indicated that the murdered man was still
oreath,ng, but he was beyond all power Of human nun
skull crushed ia behind at the night side, the
lett temple was indcnted with cash OF some sharp
displayed itself In places through the red muG by
winch It was almost eHcctuay covered. In less
ebuod away aud tue soul OF George H. Hunter. with
out the slightest premont!on, had been ushered into
eternity. IL was cold FLOODED and terrible crime,
ana the excitement created among the workmen
upon Its discovery became intense. Threats of
tne murderer could be discovered, as Hunter had
been universally respected among them. Amid ali
JOHNSON DIsAprRARRp
but as he was migratory character, having no
regular employment. this slight circumstance passed
unobservcd. lie walked the entire day aud reached
Lewisburp, In this county, distance OF thirty
miles, near midnight, where, seeing clerk go into
store. nc hailed him and said nc wished to buy some
Ihtngs Tne clerk expressed his willingness 10 sell
aud boJn went into the store, where he disposed OF
articles amounting In valnc to ~ 10 TO Johnson In
payment Johnson rendered two
REMARKABLY TORN FIvB DOLLAR BILLS,
and the cash having been taken from the I'll by Mr..
Sims, The proprietor Of the store the clerk, sims
brother. gave johnson fifty cents out OF his own
pocket In change. The two nvc dollar bills ne tlen
placed In the TILL Johnson left the Store aud the
clerk retired. on the following morning Mr.. Sims.
she proprietor discovering two I'VE dollar Diils IN
ehc drawer winch were not there late the night pre-
vI0ue asked mis- brother where they came from.
The latter Informed him In detail OF the circum.
stances attending the sales be made The previous
night To The negro. Mr. SIMS listened attcntBvcly
and then remarked "lt would be well TO take care
OF this money. ~ have Just heard
- or A MURDER
that occurred night before last on the line OF
thc railrOad.' Acting on this simple suggestion the
Two live dollar bills were labelled ami placed care.
lulY AWAY for fuurA refarancA. Naantir1a tina nnMa