, 1875-01-23

THE FATAL DROP.
EXECUTION OF NEGRO MURDEREn At coRs1cANA
TEX.
/ Special DtsDatch 10 ne Cnicaas Tribune
CoRs1cASA, Navarro Co., Tex, Jan. "a
Riley White, alias; Riley Sharp, Was hanged herr
to-day for having caused the death. On the 1911
of last September, Of another freedman, Thomas
! Thomson. White was employed by Thomson
| and boarded with him. He fell in lore with
Ihomson's wife and resolved to kill her husband
in order to satisfy hts lust. To this end he
posted himself, armed with ahot-gun, at the
corner of street that Thomson must pass on his
return ut dusk from his days work, aeudiug out
as scout little boy to apprise him Of his
victims approach. On Thomsonts appearing,
sitting on his d1ay and nccompied by some Of his
little children, the murderer fired On him, tho
wounds proving fatal For this crime he Was
PLACED ON TRIAL
at the November tenn Of the Circuit Court
before Judge Frank P. Wood and . mixed (nlne
whites and three nefroes) jury; The State was
Attorney. and Mr. ". s. smkius. To the pris-
oner were assigned aa counsel Mess1s. E. q.
Formaa, s. R. Frost, and J. l.. Harley. The
evidence was most direct, and the jury speedily
returned verdict OF guilty. assessing the psn-
ATTY at DEATH The prisoner, whose dsIneauor
throughout had been most unconcerned, heard
the verdict with smile. To the Court he said
that be bad not had fair trial-that some OF
hta witnesses had not appeared, and others had
thrown OIL On him." In passing sentence the
presiding Judge took occasion to allude to the
lamentable increase OF crime among the freed-
men IN this vicinity, al increase he regretted to
say. both rapid aud constant.
-Four thousand people we're present, mostly
white. At o'clock P. m. he Was
CONVEYED FROM HIS CELL
in the County Jail BY Sheriff johnson to the
place Of execution "here = gallows had been
erected. He ascended the gaNows without much
sign OF feeling, assisted by Doputy-SheriH Pat
terson. The Rev, Il. Bishop read hymn aud
prayed Tor tbs prisoner, after which the Rev. L.
Young delivered an impressive lecture. The
Rev. c. Jones, colorod, then sung hymn and
delivered a lecture, in which he gave but
little consolation to the doomed man.
White mas then asked it he had anything further
to say. He simply said, :. advise you al TO do
!he best you can. and not do as hava DONE
Farewell" At thirty minutes after the pris-
oner, assisted by Deputy Patterson,
STEPPED UPON TIE 7BAP-Doos,
the rope being fastened and the black cap ad-
justed+ and at 1892 the trap fell, and White hung
utes after suspension, DR.. ", J. Love,
20 pulse. Al twenty minutes fae |
body was lowered into the coffin and conveyed !
to the public burying-eround by order Of the
Sheriff. There was no excitement and no feel
ing On the part OF the people. White showed no |
courage, and died, as be said, without hope. He |
made ruu confession before execution, but |
,rimiuated no one specially. The co1ored peo-
pie took bnt little interest, but generally ap-
proved OF the execution.
White was ll~blooded negro, with strongly
marked features, and . short, stout muscular
igure. His victim, Thomson, was = maa Of IN
lustry aud economy, who had accumulated soma |
title properly.
This is the first execution that has taken place
n this part Of Texas during the last quarter Of 3
century,