The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-29
Execution of the Friend MUIR
derers in Virginia.
-~~~ooo~->~~~~~o~~oOOo~~~
Brutal Assassination Of an Old Citizen
by Two Negroes.
Arrest and Trial of the
Assassins.
Both Men Protest Their Innocence
to the Last.
Grave Doubts Of the Guilt of the
Accused.

PRINCE GEORGE COURT HOUSE, w.. July 2S, 1871
The two Friend murderer who SO escaped
death four ago by respite Of the Governor to-day
expiated their crime the scaold in the Of
large crowd. The history of this
ArRocIoUs CRIME
has been twice published the HERALD but
at give brief review of the murder, and
trial Of the murderers:-Just darkness had cast It's
shadows the earth the evening of the Gath OF March
last Mr. Charles Friend OF the Oldest most esteemed
citizens Of Prince George county, aid and brutay
murdered the City Point Railroad midway
his residence the city of Petersburg distant three
miles The old gentleman had wal ked to Petersburg,
hs CUSTOM attend Lenten service the Grace street
Episcopal church. after which he left for his home declining
number OF invitations remain the night,
quite dark On his way he stopped at tailors
suburbs of the city, took small basket containing
pair of his sons panaloons and spool cotton which
had purchased that evening He had also umbrella his
hand and with these articles he emerged from the city
the lights Gitterng every direction Little did
he then that he logged cowardy
assassins; but when half way his caught the
sound of following footsteps and looking around he OBJ
served two dmy defined figures, which he took to be
negroes rapidly approaching. In few after
wards and before Mr. Friend had proceeded may PAGES
further, of the assassins-the talles of
steathily up behind him and dealt him
TERRrFFIo BLOW ON THE HEAD.
which feled him Instantly ground rendered him
nsensbe This the track of the City Point Railroad,
and here the murderers with endish ingenuity allowed the
body to remainior Just then the shrll whistle and roaring
OF sso e s0d Se e I Of
bloody Deed They had hoped the train would finish their
IN this they We're defeated As the laundering noise of the
.1enh he
the track and barely escaped erole death as the
Soon after this the assassns whom Mr. Frend then dis
@
Hppc%s.o. Rye, IBIS pom. my nearly
served two men assisting third, whom they an
umbrella leaving the bridge the murderer their vic
Mr. and hs who oU Was
few memsns afterwards when almost within ha,ng dis
n9n views Mr. w ne h r..
force and several blows with club upon tbs head
nuusns the a.. SorSe manner A'D When Han this
What have i done9 What do you murder me iOrP Hep
who had CROSSED the bridge and she
sssassns reHacea their steps homsward A5oui half an
hour afterwards the murdered sufficiently
6e s the
procuring help carried to bis house.
he ss d aSsS, but not Oe
% s ay V with q d. but Tss
evidence snaing I, impca,e any party ELECTED The
neg OF out ey
fesruy excited and threats freely uttered Of aisPo
or more witnesses seeing two on the railroad
sRs y % ns sSa He sea
ana foe een to
Johnson the two negroes sentenced TO be this
ARRESTED ON THURSDAY
cumstsnsia showed posiiivev both these men were
N the ana no facts have anspred since
ing description following Mr. Friend when
Of
with the the, shoes or boots It's worn nor By the Mr. Friend
vented from robbing the deceased by the
left the railroad going six hundred yards
Mr. Friend then BY another who
the res,c Of the bridge path or
Which Mr. Friend had on b wa e al
lowed time to me robbery His hat the basket and
the evidence the trial established across field and
joined party making the large tracks few hundred
yards away. The two then separated by dit
cry Point Railroad Shortly after the who rode
Green was seen by an oce Of police coming hurrecy into
from The direction Of the City Pom, road and
saien They went to negro brohe, johnson remaining
clothes stating the female inmates that he had dsh
wsn s as of Pnf e s
evening Of the mgds denying that they were out of their
hed to seeing them out at much later Efforts
then made by the defence to
which entirely unsuccessful The belief general In
in its nature ha they are the gay parties since their re-
slsten. N their protesa,ions Of innocence but
pected they would make confession the scaold to-day
CONDEMNED
They have always borne bad characters In appearance
hey about far sample OF the Ordinary Richard
Green tall black and muscular and answers well the
description given by Mr.. Friend OF his murderer before
died. johnson small IN stature about Eve feet six
height, OF greater intelligence than Green and whose
Penentiary They have had cergymcn constantly attend
them, and even while protesting their innocence
declare themselves ready to die and to
Maker.
pIsPELLED.
Up to last night the prisoners led TO indulge the
strongest hopes of further IL
phaf
lively at work in Petersburg procuring adavis designed
damage the testimony by which thew convicted.
STATEMENT or THE CONDEMNED
On Wednesday evening Green the following let
which published IN the 50 journal, Richmond
- RICBNOND CITY JAIL, July %, 1871.
Will please, publish this for me-
last statement IN this word2 acknowledge before
tried that passed Onccr Virgins three times that night but
johnson was not with me. The man that was with was
Fred Graves This what Mr. Virgins said In Court. He
noticed me an my gray jacket when passed him.
QUEsTIoN-DId he have the gray jacket at the
time? ANswER-I don't know.