The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-12

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effect their designs, and Dunstan to-day expiated
his crime on the gallows. The evidence on the
trial was partially circumstantial which led to the
conclusion. but there is not can there be, the
slightest doubt that these villains were the guilty
parties.
is powerful, athletic negro, about five feet ten
inches high, broad sh0uldered, active as cat, and
noted for his skill in all athletic exercises in which
the Southern negro INDUCES, and no people are
more addicte to feats Of strength and agility, such
as wrestling and boxing and knocking" as they
term it. Dunstan is o mulatt0, and has most
sinister and malignant countenance. Crawford
Norwood, his accomplish and companion In crime,
is tall young negro, and Is much more nearly APP
proximated to the genuine negro type He has q
better face than DunsJan, and, no doubt, was in
duced to enter into this diabOhcal enterprise
by the artful suasion OF the latter. Dunstan was
age. They seemed to be at enmity with each other,
and Norwood accuses Dunstan Of 'leadng him into
The thing" whine Dunstan charged Norwood with
lying and stoutly protested his innocence.
THE CRIME.
On the night in April last above mentioned, about
the hour OF nine O'Clock, Mrs. Dunstan and her
small ire in the room. She was on the point Of
retiring for the night, and her daughter was al
ready In bed, when some one Knocked at the door
and demanded admittance. Dreading the worst
from the very nature Of the demand, and almost
instantly cOnjecturing the errand on which the
parties came she lrmy refused to open the door,
and told them that she did not open her door to
any one unless she knew who they were. One
OF the scoundrels replied nom the out
would blow her brains out and with
that they immediately began to break the door
She describes the moments which then ensued as
the most ag0nized and fearful which the mind can
conceive. The door, an ordinary "battenn door
that is, o door made OF upright panks nailed to
cross pieces-wlthstood the attack for some time,
and she in the meantime, together with her little
daughter. screamed with all their might for help.
Her nearest neighbOr was Mr.. Charles Nash, an
ex-ConIederate solder. He heard the screams and
went to the door of his house, but the wind was
blowing strong that it was impossible for him to
tell the direction from which the screams came, and
he returned to bed. He had ample time to reach the
scene before the villains could accomplish their
foul design, and he, in common with the whole
community expresses the most bitter regret that he
guilt when quick retribution would have
cheated the galows. About the time MIR.
Nash heard the screams the door was
Norwood rushed in. Mrs.. Dunstan says that Steve
held stick in his hand and that he struck her on
the head with 1t as soon as he could get to her.
She was stunned by the blow and the next thing
she knew she was out in the yard In the grasp of
stephen Dunstan. Crawford Norwood about this
time had her little daughter some ten or twelve
feet from her. also IN the yard. Crawford now came
to her, and Steve Dunstan released his hold on her
ceeded in outraging her person. Dunstan because
Of the extreme youth OF the little GIRL Jailed 70
complisn his brutal design: They now carried the
made her provide them with meat and bread, and
after making o substantial meal, they took their
departure.
IDENTIFICATION AND ARREST.
The next morning Mrs. Dnnstan made immediate
complaint. She first told her brother, Mr.. q. M.
Hood, q gentleman Of high standing and magis-
trate Tor that district. Steps we're at once taken
to arrest the rufians. The scene Of the crime was
an
OF conscientious men. Where Mrs. Danstan Was
outraged there were all the indications that u
sistance had been overcome only by the almost
superhuman strength OF the brute who held her.
she was badly bruised and her lace was lacerated
by the blows and assaults of these devils in human
form The condition OF the little girl was most de-
plOrable, which excited the sympathy of everybody
in the neghborhood Mrs. Dunstan thought she
recognized both the parties, and was positively
certain as to Norwood being one OF them. Dunstan
lett the stick with winch he struck her in the
house, and this afterwards served as an important
link in the chain OF evidence against him. The
parties were at once arrested, and Crawford
Norwood
CONFESSED HIS COMPLETELY
in the crime and implicated stephen Dunstan also.
Dunstan engaged, IL he was released, to prove by
two reputable witnesses that he was In Hanover,
Banks county, an adjoining one, ut the time the
offence was committed and, with the lax iceas OF
law which country justice has, he was discharged.
1t having, however, been subsequently ascertained
that the witnesses he proposed to produce would
not testify to an untruth IN his behalf ne was re.
adjourned term OF the Superior Court held in Novem
Der last. Norwoods case was continued because
material witness, as ne claimed, was absent.
THE TRIAL.
On the trial stephen Dunstan preserved the most
composed and imperturable demeanor. lie was
represented by able council but the evidence
was overwhelming, and the jury found
him guilty after an absence from the court
OF only few minutes. While Mrs. Dun
stan was giving her evidence the interest was
intense, and men seemed almost frozen into
statues by the horrid recital Through this ordeal
Tho nrla q q q
slightest trace OF discOmpOsure. He was certainly
one OF the most fearless criminals that ever out
ing proOf Tell upon him as lnditfercntly as II the
language of the witnesses were utterances q praise
or condemnation. During the progress Of the trial
Stephen made a
SLY ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE.
In most OF the Southern court rooms, there being
no such compartment as ''the DOCK" the prisoners
usually sit within the bar with their counsel This
was the case with Dunstan. When the jury rose
to retire stephen very quietly mingled In with the
crowd, and, unnoticed, moved to another part Of
the court room. He was missed directly, and SO
crowded was the room that 1T was some
time before he was discovered. When the jury re-
turned with their verdict the first time did the
prisoner exhibit any emotion. His tawny face as
sumed more ashen or CHASTITY hue, and he then
seemed to realize the terrible danger OF his awful
situation. stephen was defended by Witt Hazard
and J. McCalla, and the State was represented by
Solicitor General OF the circuit.
THE SENTENCE.
On the Thursday following stephen Dunstan was
brought out OF the jail into the Court to receive the
sentence OF the law. The language and manner Of
the venerable Judge were extremely impressive.
The Judge, Charles u. Davis, is a Northern man, who
studied law under Chancellor Kent and came to
Georgia in the early part OF this century
with the late William s. seward. He warned the
prisoner, together with Kinney Burns OF the inev-
liable consequences OF their crime, and ADVISED
them to make their peace wish God. Dunstan pre-
sented the same brazen demeanor which he had
shown all through the trial, ard up to the moment
OF his leaving the prison for the scaff0id has
evinced no contritiOn, but still stubbOrnly pro.
tested his innocence. During the later days OF
his confinement by the daring OF fellow prisoner,
stephen had an opportunity TO escape, but made
no use Off
THE EXECUTION.