The New York herald., 1871-02-25
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Execution of John Jackson, Kit
Hubbard's Accomplice in the
Spring Garden, Va, Murder.
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Details of the Atrocious and
Barbarous Crime.
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1 Man Of Sixty Murdered for Fifty Dollars
by Tive Negroes.
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A Horrible Scene at the
GallOWs.
The Condemned Man Falls Only Two Feet and
Struggles for Eight Minutes.
PITTsYLvANIA COURT HOUSE, |
VIA DANVILLE, Va, Feb. "a, 1871. 1


launched into eternity OF the perpetrators OF
one OF the most daoolca murders on record. John
Jackson was Hubbards accomplce, but had not
been tried when he was executed. To-day Jackson
met his terrible fate. There was signal, followed
by the dismal shrek OF the trapdoor, the body OF
the murderer swung in md-air, aud his soul had
winged its night TO the regions OF immortality. He
wholly or
THE DETAILS OF THE HORRIBLE TRAGEDY
for the participation In which JACKSON has expiated
with his life follows:-During the latter part
OF June last Jackson and Kit Hubbard were seen in
the vicinity OF Spring Garden taking notes or the
position OF Mr. Joseph Z. Anderson's house care.
ruily ascertaining the geography OF the plot, the
mode of life and general habits, besides the means
OF the latter gentleman. AT midnight on the 4th or
July last they were again seen near Mr.. Andersons
house, and as soon they saw the lights disappear
In the rooms. and judging that all the inmates were
asleep, they approached the door OF the house
through the porch and Knocked gently so as to
arouse the old man only In few moments Ander.
son came TO the door and asked who was without
when he received reply that they were customers
who wished to buy some cakes tAnderson kept
general storel and the old man came out
and leaned over the railing in front Of the house.
He had no sooner presented himself to them than
they set upon him. dealing him a murderous blow
with roughly hewn billet Of wood battering in his
SKULL Anderson fell senseless, and the murderers
entered the house. rined the drawers, carrying
on about hlty dollars in money ana also several
documents which referred TO some other property.
On coming out OF the house they found the poor old
man on his feet, standing in the porch ana fearing
lest be should recognize them Jackson picked up q
huge stone, weighing twelve pounds, and smashed
his head Till he scattered the brains the railing
and the doorpost. They next dragged the body INTO
tne naiwaS, smut the door and decamped to Lynch
Durg In tnelr haste they had left an old pistol
lOuse
no,ap weapon was subsequently recognized as
pelonglng 10 AIT Hupbard, ana this, combined with
the TACT OF his being seen In the neigh0orhood on
the night IN question: led TO his and finally 10
his being executed In his last confession to re.
preventative OF the HERALD he Implicated Jackson
es pelng the man whe actually gave the blow that
tails OF the murder or winch the foregoing is a
synopsis.
John Jackson was arrested shortly after the trial
and sentence OF Kit Hubbard and was confined in
= cell on the hoor beneath that where his con-
the daS Of unaTas G @ ON
mad Dre1 interview, during which Hubbard made
the Impressive expression above mentioned. jack
son was tried at the fa term OF tue Circuit Court
al the court house here and after short time the
The first degree. The Judge then pronounced the
terrible nat Of the law which was CARED into effect
HuBBARD's CONFESSION
When Kit Hubbard was on the Scanod he made
cute ~ lengthy confession as 70 the murder. IN
or three times, when Mr. Anderson answered, lit a
, candle ana Then came TO the door, He asked Jack
hin II he had any cakes. Mr. Anderson said he was
OUT o. cakes aud asked If he wanted anything else.
Jackson then stepped into the door and pretended
70 be looking around as II TO see waat there. AS
MT Anderson turned MS back Jackson struck him
several blows with walking stick which he had in
ms nand, Knocking HIM down, and as Mr. Anderson
attempted 70 halloo jackson seized him and choked
hm and beat nlm on the heard with rock which
handed HIM. mad been standing on the road in
front OF tine store watching and when Jackson called
70 me 10 bring him the rock did
KITS CONFESSION CONFLICTS
materially with that made by hs accomplice, who
1 I'm AAl1S
Alter stating tnat the nducement OF obtaining
$500 by the murder and robbery was held out by
rangements ana went to Spring Garden, where Mr..
Anderson kept his store, arriving little AFTER
Knocked at the door Mr.. Anderson SAID,
WHO is THATr
tnnK TOLD him, 1T Is somebody who wants to deal
some de opened the door, and was In his night
clothes, with lighted candle In his hand Kit was
told me 10 blow the candle out, and did SO. AS
bowed the ngnt out Xii stepped in the door, and,
son down. i don't remember whether it was
dark much that night or not. am certain
with the rocK in his hand. Kit then went and un-
licked the IRON safe; the key was IN the lock- lie
Confederate money when examined the next morn
ing; don't know whether he took out anything else
and told me TO look in there for money and what
could hnd. l looked in there, and what money
on the desk, which l did, and found some small
pieces s o. money coppers and nckeis which put
Jackson then goes on to detail the manner OF their
escape TO Lynchburg, and then says:-"I think the
house was when Mr.. Anderson asked u.s. US,
after ne had crawled into the porch, VINO
noor when / struck him WITH the stick. /
don't know how much money got out OF the cash
remember two five dollar blls, several one dollar
bills, and smaller notes. Kit ana divided 1t, he
one Gor @ and one gp "a w we got divided
ms morse thieves; never was IN Plttsyvania before
that trip; never was in difficulty before my llle
except one In LyDchburg after the surrender,
WHEN STRUCK YANKEE SOLDIER
with bottle for abusing my mother | was carried
before the Yankee officers out they did nothing with
me Tor IL. have heard Kit frequently mention the
names oi good many men who ne said had money,
but never went INTO any arrangement TO rob sr xiii
any one OF them. ] have no doubt Kit was a
Tlngeader IN the horse tnefts which have occurred
In this section since the war He was perfectly
familiar with the whole country and knew every
body. think KIT was associated with Frank Gass
and Abram Logan, two negroes who infested the
country around Lynchburg some months age steal
ing horses. ! nave not seen or neard from them
since air. Moorman, OF Campbell, lost his horses
about eight months ago. Kit was bad man, and 1t
was through him tnat am IN this terrible fix. 1t
almost breaks my heart to think that suffered my
self TO be led OF, and OF the
TERRIBLE CRIME
helped him TO commit make this confession as
honestly and as trutnfuly as II were now standing
On the scalold with the rope round my and my
SKETCH OF THE MURDERER.
Jackson was born Iree at Charlotte Court House,
In tnis State. when boy he went TO Pamplin's
depot on the Southside Railroad where lie re-
malned until The breaking out sf the war. He then
went 10 The army q servant with cavalry COM
pany bavlng, like many other negroes. at the time
the most orthodox southern principles. He
nlained with this company until Just before the
render when he visited his mother at Lynchburg
and was engaged by Major Paxton as wagner in
the quartermaster's department OF the Confederate
army. He continued in this position until the sur
render, since which time he became demoralzed
and eked out subsistence In q most questionable
manner. HIS mother, wife AID three children now
reside In Lynchburg. Jackson about twenty
seven years Of age.
The condemned man was one OF the most perfect
specimens OF negro physical deveiepment ever SEEN
lie SIX feet In stature, squarey and power
fully built with the limbs and muscles OF HER
cules, ano weighing abont 200 pounds. HIS complex