The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-01-09

4 Execusfcn of q Negro AnR4s 4ssar als Pffe
i syEvnniai COuniy-H ist0ry or fla<
Crime-Tte Accused Raptased-Hl,
Funeral Sermon Ereakhed Before
Death, De- af. 5&s. t5;s &
Especial telegram TO tl,e Dispotch.1 81
PiTrsYLvANIA CouBrHoUsx, january 81
Lewis Adams the Enurdererof Rice Wilson
was hung near here to-day. !; He was. lbap
tized yesterday By Rev. g. ~. Nelson, rec
tor Of the Episcopsl church this place. A
large crowd Of negroes-men and women
attended the execution, with a considerable
number of white men and few white wo
Imen Of the lower class. s. Il; III -.
The circumstances Of the murder NAV. be
+ briefly stated. On Saturday night, 27th of
last June, Lewis Adams, Rice Wilson,
Fletcher Woodey. Calvin Roberts, Laws
Hopkins, and William Roberts (all negroes}.
were at the house Of Wash: Wilson, near
Cascade, small village in the county oil Pitt
Isylvania, Va, and during, the night were
| playing cards. The p1rty had ia The room
/ with them q threesgallon funIet, which, at
the commencement Of the orgie, was filed
with whiskey. About day break the game
had narrowed down to Rice Wilson and
Lewis Adams, the rest of the party having
lost all Of their money, and were sitting by
looking on. Wilson aud Adams were playing
for two-dolar bill, which was on the table.
I when lillian Roberts went to- the runlet,
saying be would take drink. Adams rose
from the table: saying he shouldn't have II,
and friendly scuffas ensued between Ad-
ANS and Roberts, &C the conclusion OF which
the two dollar bill which had been lying on
the table was missing. Adams Immediately
accused Rice. Wilson Of having stolen it, who
bitterly denied the charge, and q violent al
tercaton ensued. Some one of the party
proposed search Of all the persons present,
to which all agreed except Rice Wilson,
who, asserting That he aas innocent, did
not intend TO submit to the indignity
OF search. Adams became still more
violent in bis deuunciation Of Wilson,
when Calvin Roberts took Wilson by the
arm and led him out some distance from the
house to preyentfurther difficulty. Roberts
states that while out there with Wilson,
Adams passed them, saying to Wilson, You
hold on here till get back, and I'll e. you."
ln about thirty minutes he returned armed
with an old army, ,musket, and, approaching
the group, raised the musket and aimed it at
Wilson, when several of the party rushed
, between them, begging Adams to desis., but
seeing the determination to fire plainly ex.
pressed 10 bis c1nntenance, 60. out Of the
way to avoid injury to themselves, when
Adams Immediately fred on Wilson
the whole load, consisting of sho.
and a number of leaden slugs, entering
bis right Msast, piercing the lung
Wilson rushed up to him aud caught blm
in his arms, but Immediately released his
, hold, and would have fal ca but for the as
sistauce of the bystanders, some of whom
caught him up and carried him into tho
house. He was laid upon bed and died r
about an hour after receiving the wound.
Adams attempted 10 escape, but was ap
pretended by some Of the parties and helC
in confinement until the arrival of Deputy
Sheriff T.. NJ. Williams, who took him il
charge, aud notified Coroner j. 7. MiIlner
. who summoned q jury Of inquest, which
returned verdict that "Rice Wilson cam,
to bis death from guushot wound inflicted
by Lewis Adsms.H Adams was then com
mitted TO Jail, and at the October term Of
Pittsylyania Circuit Court, Judge William
N. Tredway presiding, he was tried ant
convicted of murder in the first degree-tht
trial OF the case, hearing Of evidence and ar
gumenf, occupying not more than an hour
The Commonwealth, was represented by
Major George T. R'son, Commonw wealth'.
Ia:torney, aud the prisoner by Robert Fl
Tredway, Esq. ''f't -
| Upon therenditiop of the verdict, "guilty
of murder in the first degree,D the accused
being asked if be had anything to say why
sentence Of death should not be passed upon
him, he spoke for an hour, pleading earnestly
for mercy, and giving detailed statementol
the case, asserting that Wilson threw astone
at him, and he shot him in seIfdefence. No
such fact transpired in the evidence, how.
ever. @
The Court listened patiently to his speech
and at its conclusion, in few short but eIo.
quent and impress remarks, sentenced
khim to death, fixing the date of his execution
on the 9Th day OF January, 1875.
| Adams was confined in Pittsylyaniu
county Jail, and is said to have been appa,
rently entirely Indifferent to his fate. He
spent mcst OF his time asleep, and fatteEed
considerably during bis incarceration.
| The counsel for the accused appealed for a
new trial. but 1t Was refused. No effort tU
secure Executive clemency was made.
The prisoner was taken from the Jail at
11:3o o'clock this morning, arriving at the
gallows at 19 NJ. His funeral sermon was
then preached by Rev. Mr.. Nelson in an
eloquent and impressive manner; after which
| Adams delivered an incoherent haraugue,
asserting that he had been uDjustIy con.
demned. but that he had foun1 hope in
Christ, and wished to meet all present in
heaven. He was rather bitter towards the
witnesses who had testified in his case, and
displayed anything but the forgiyng spirit
\ bis situation should have inspired.
/ At the conclusion Of his remarks the moose
was adjusted by Sheriff Collie, assisted by
| Deputy.sherif everby, and at one minute
past O'Clock the drop was sprung and the
Esprit of the murderer Was:sent 10 the .iudg.
ment OF its Maker. BE struggled consider.
ably. but it lasted onls.a few minutes. After
banging about twenty minutes the body was
examined by DR.. B. W Martin, who pro.
nounced life extinct, when it was removed
and buried near. the foot of tie galloWs.
/ Florida Legislature. /.
1 TAILAHAssEE, JaBu,ry 1e.-This morning
i Republican delegation waited upon Acting
/ n Cforns opd rponosfad him tn fake