The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-02

ers, who interviewed him somewhat as fol-
lows: 3,Fy
HILLARY, do you feel any better prepared
to die than you did yesterday"
Yes, sir. I feelheap better"
edo you acknowledge yourself guilty OF
everything that has been charged against
.you?"
-! Yes, sir, all but one thing, and that is
young Mr.. Rufin's house. i didn't burn
that. 1t caught fire by itself. didn't burn
that"
"Hillary, why did you say that Colonel
Ruffin and his son came to you and desired
you to make statements duplicating other
parties?"
''All that was false. just said so because
I thought it would do me good. I was put
up to it. It's natural that T should try to
save my life."
At this point the Revs. Messrs.. Binga and
Brown arrived, and the reporters left the
cell for the scaffold.
THE sCAFFoLD.
About q half mile from the courthouse in
a northwesterly direction was erected what
was called scaffold, but we cannot accord
it such name. Its side-pole stood about
twelve feet in the air, and it was built in the
most primitive manner. The platform was
three feetten inches above the ground, and
was supported by post with a hinge in the
middle. 1t was by a general verdict ac-
corded to be rs mean a scaffold as was ever
erected for the execution Of q human
being. It measured ten feet by
four. The sheriff OF the county was
even more nervous than the condemned,
and Of course he cannot be blamed. The
old man, who built the scatfold OUT OF the
native timber Of Chesterfield, said that he
had hung good many men, and he thought
that this man had fall enough.
After the scatIod had been examined and
pronounced safe, the procession started
from the Jail and set out for the place OF
execution.
MR.. BINGA SAYS THE LAST WORDS FOR THE
,lr CONDEMNED.
Upon getting upon the scafold Hillary
was asked by the sheriff il lie had anything
to say. He replied quietly, " have, but
would rather have Mr. Binga say it for me-"
dressed the crowd as follows:
'I wish to say to the friends OF the poor
condemned man that he is free to acknow-
ledge that he is guilty Of all Of the crimes OF
which he has been found guilty, and for
which he is to suffer death. He has de-
clared himself prepared to die, and /
am glad to hear him sayso. l did not know
until q short time ago that he wanted me to
preach his funeral, or else would have
prepared myself. I cannot under such
painful circumstances say all would wish
| to say 1 say to you who meet here to wit
ness the execution OF our unfortunate bro
| ther, that as he has committed one of the
highest crimes under cur State laws so he
will have to meet the law. He feels that ne
has violated the divine as well as the civil
law; but he feels also that he finds more for
giveness in Christ than in the civil law. He
also feels that he finds favor in the sight OF
God. He is able to say to you, rs he has
said to me, that he is ready to die. He said
before he left his cell that he would rather
die than live, because he had such an all
abiding faith in the blood OF Jesus Christ.
Take warning, young men. Though you
may mean well remember that the way Of the
transgressor is hard. What better proof do
YOU want of this than is contained in the
scene before YOU to-day? But l feel con-
soled, because he told me to-day that he
felt that he was saved by the
blood OF Jesus, We behold him
here to-day as man ready to leave this
world, and who feels that he has the assur-
ance that he will join that immortal band
that will praise the Lord eternally in
Heaven"
4 PRAYER was next offered up by the Rev,
J. e. Brown, after which Mr.. Binga an
nounced the 935th hymn, "Death cannot
make our souls afraid il God be with lis
there"
THE DEATH.
Nothing could be more revolving than the
death OF Hillary Page. He was allowed
fall OF only about eighteen inches, and whcr
he was let to drop he seemed to have beer
killed instantly. Before this, however, be
underwent nice little episode for mar
who was about to be ushered into eternity
One man went up and said: 1" Ho"
much fall shall we give him." An
other one remarked: "Be sure that
you kill him right away" and still
another suggested, "Measure the length O
the rope, and put the knot right under hi
neck" All OF these friendly suggestions
Hillary stood with stole philosophy. I'll
stepped upon the scatfold with great fortl'
tude, and while the Rev. Mr.. Browne wa;
offering up his prayer he stood with his heat
uncovered and joined with him.
When the trap was sprung he fell, ant
for few moments remained dangling III tiie
air without motion. Soon, however, ht
|
manner, and at one time it looked as though
his feet would lodge upon the platform
The trap was sprung at LII, and at 1:43 ht
was declared by DR.. T. j. Cheatham to bt
dead. He was cut down as though he hao
been q beef, and his head struck heavily
against the trap-door of the scaffold. Poor
fellow, as he proved to be :! this made nc
difference to him. His senselcss body was
buried in a grave already prepared about
twenty yards from the scafold.
POLICE COURT, YEsrERDAY.-Justice j.
j. CrutchfeM presiding.-The following
cases were disposed of:
Ned Ford (colore6 was fined 81 and costs
for assault and battery.
J.F. Terry and w. e. Adams We're fined
S5 each for fighting in the First Market.
Joseph Burton, Sidney Barlow. Henry
Johnson, Sol. Robinson, Edward johnson,
George Lowrie, Junirls Jones, Levey Jenk-
ems, Fleming Scott, Thomas Anderson, WI
liam Bowles, Wallet Wormley, James John-
son (all colored boys), were fined 81 each for
creating disturbance on the street.
Georgiana Johnson (colored), cursing and
abusing r. G. Lowry. Lowry, it seems, was
in negro bar-room at Cash-corner Thurs
day night, and Georgiana, being drunk,
took exception to something said by Lowry,
and began cursing him; for which she was
fined 81.
The case OF Georgianna Green, charged
with feloniously entering in the nighttime
the house OF. Mrs. Lena Reinhart and steal
ing one lot of wearing apparel, was con-
tinued until to-day.
| PRESENTED TO THE STATE LIBRARY.-Mr.
Joseph Johnston, of Richmond, has pre-
sented the State Library files Of ola neWspa-