The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-28
lsaA' ecnsion OF North Caf61iua Mur-
ersf--H History or the Crime, dc.

Especial telegram 70 the Dispatch.l
NohfoLk. August 27.-Cornelius WIZ
Hams, the negro who was convicted nv /, IL
County Court Of Northampton county. N.
q, OF numbering the old man william
Presson, the Weldon bridge-keeper, several
months sso, was hung at Jackson, the county.
seat, to-day exactly at twenty.eight minutes
past II, and died in six minutes. He made
an open confession, acknowledging his guilt.
and duplicating three other Northampton ne
groes-Allred Walker. Randall Whitaker,
aud Ora Alston-in the narder and robbery.
Seven hundred people were on the ground,
and Williams spoke fully q balf.hour to The
crowd. He acknowledged the verdict just,
and concluded with the hope that be would
meet all his friends in heaven.
The history of the crime may be briefly
told as follows Arthur PressODr Keeper of
the railroad bridge across the Roanoke river
at Weldon, n. c., was murdered on the night
of June II, 1874, at 10 O'Clock. He; ibis wife,
and two daughters, aged fifteen and ten years
respectively, lived in q small house on the
Northampton county side of the Roanoke,
Immediately beside the railroad, in a very
deep raviDe. They had just retired for the
night, when voice was beard calling frem the
top of the high Hill. Presson got up,.put
on bis shoes, land went out in his pight.clolh
II few moments the family heard noise
like horse kicking violently against the door
Of the stable on the hilltop. Ten minutes
thereafter some person came to the door Of
the dwelling and said Presson had sent for
his pocket-book. Whilst search was making
for the pocket book, the pretended messen.
ger jumped suddenly from the doorway ::
and Immediately Presson entered and ex-
claimed, 81 am dead man! strike q
light! Old Cornelius, old Cornelius, old
Cornelius, mas shot me!" The lamp
blood. Mrs. Presson asked INN if the
horse had kicked him. He replied,
"No! Old Cornelius has killed me-" He
was heard, rs his voice failed, TO wills.
per the name OF "Austin Hill" Mrs. Pres
son and the two daughters then ran to the
top of the hill and made cutlery for the
uelghb ors. Three coored men answered the |
summons, and went with the women to the |
PressDn residence. The dying man again
family called the name Of Austin Hill; and
being asked if he said Austin Hill, he bowed
bis head, and said, Yes, Austin Hill!
The three negroes then crossed the bridge to
Weldon for doctor, and when they re-
turned, in half an hour, Presson was dead.
At the postmortem examination next day
before the coroner and jury it was found
that PreSson was shot in the neck, from
which fifteen or twenty squirrel shot were
extracted.
Austin Hill (colored), who lived six miles
away, wa5 arrested at his home Oh the day
following the murder. He attempted to
escape, but was shot down and recaptured.
Cornelius Williams (coIored) resided about
a mile from Presson's house.
Alfred Walker (colored) had been seen,
soon after sunset on the night Of the muir
der in conversation with Cornelius Will
liams. williams and Walker were both
taken into custody. The three prisoners
few days subsequent to the homicide, and
imprisoned in the county Jail at jackson to
await the November term Of the Superior
Court. They were arraigned for trial No.
yember 18th before Judge j. l.. Henry.
The case was given to the jury at midnight
of November 21St, who returned verdict,
after two hours consultation. of not guilty
as 20 Alfred Walker, aud guilty as TO Cor.
nelius Williams and Austin Hill.
An appeal 10 the Supreme Court was
prayed and granted, resulting in the affirm
ing Of the action of the court below.
Cornelius Williams subsequently made
confession, eyculpating his felow.convict
Hill, and accusing one of the most reputable
aud Influential citizens of Northampton as
an accessory before the fact. In order to
proper Judicial investigation Of this charge,
til" Governor, with the advice OF the Su-
preme Court, granted a respite to Williams
and Hill. The former to August 9th. and
the latter to September 18th. The aceusa-
ton against the gentleman referred to was
inquired into by 4 magistrates court and
found to be utterly groundless.
Cornelius Williams, who was executed to-
day, is black, and about twenty-seven years
old. Austin Hill, his accompllce, is copper.
colored, and aged about fifty years. Both
are rather above the average grade of intel
ligence of their race.