The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-16
Execution OF e. Murderer I'm Alexan-
dria, Va.
! telegram TO The Dispatch. !

Especial telegram to the DispatchJ
ALEXANDRIA, Va, August 15.-William
Jackson, the negro who in February last
murdered his mistress, Mary Fletcher, with
whom he had been living in the suburbs OF
this city for two years, was hung by the
neck in the presence of about 400 persons,
in the jail-yard, few moments after II
O'Clock to-day. The majority of the attend
ants at the execution were negroes, many
women elbowing their way into the crowd,
which stood undera penetrating rain, tina.
fell in torrents, to see fellow-mortal die BY
the law.
The condemned man was first sentenced
TO be hung on the 2Sth of last March, but
by the interyentions and tactics of his law
vers he gained lease of his life until to-day,
and almost up to the very last moment en-
pectations were INDUCED that the Governor
would commute bis sentence to imprison-
ment for life, earnest application having
been made therefor.
The accused committed the murder by
fracturine the skull of the woman with Il
club, and though he admitted that he had
struck her with stick. persisted in de-
clarinp his innocence of the crime of muir
der, declaring that the fatal wound was
caused by the victim falling out of bed.
There was no scene Of brayado ut any time
since bis arrest, the prisoner seeming to be
composed in his mind almost up to the hour
of execution. Last night he slept well, and
this morning ate hearty breakfast.
In arranging himself for his solemn de-
parture from this world he, with the char
! acteristic fancy of his race, ornamented his
| coat with a blue ribbon from one of the
lapels. and afterwards engaged in religious
exercises until the hour Of noon, when he
was informed by Sheriff O'Neal that all hope
of further interference from the Governor
was at an end, a telegram to that effect hav-
ino been received this morning.
Upon the scatiold he madea dying speech
saving. "You sec where | am going to-day
God and everybody knows that am limo
cent. keep nothing back. If | done it
don't know it; aud il did it, | pray God if
forgive me, and hope you will all forgive
mo too. lam rot wilful murderer. Fathe
in heaven. take charge OF lie now, and ma,
7 feel preparcJ TO die. Let this be Il warn
ipr TO YOU all. Before you give blow il
wrath. take q lick and 90 away, and 81
nothin. about it. Good bye. friends: goo
bye. Good bye. world, am gore. o
Father in heaven. if am not prepared t
die, prepare he. | have little babies in hca
ven which [ hope 10 meet this day. Jesus
if am not prepared to die, in the twink
ling of an eye prepare me-"
After this he cllled for Il glass Of water
and when lie had finished drinking it In
trap was sprung and the body fell seven feet
The neck was not broken, and death cnsuet
from suocatioo. The convul>iye move
ments of the dying man caused con>tcrna
tion among the sight-seers.
On the ground several turned sick anC
pale away from the awful sight, and on;
man tainted and was carried away by hi.
friends. johnson was very black man
and came to this town in 1868 from NORTH
Carolina. He was employed in doing labor.
| ing work in the brlck-yards. 1bIoN.