The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-06-18
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They are Awaiting the Return Of Kellogs
to DETERMINE their Fate.
There are now confined in the con-
demned coils at the Parish Prison six
murderers waiting the time when they
shall atone for their crimes by hanging.
Two Of the death warrants have already
received the Governors signature, and
the four others will likely receive his
attention next week. The condemned
men are: Edward Coleman, George
Morris, D. r. Henderson, Bill Williams.
alias Whisky Bill, Adrien Eveque, and
the Chinaman, Joaquin Florenza.
These criminals seem to have relin-
and are calmly awaiting their doom.
Our reporter visited the prisoners in
their cells on Thursday and found them
prepared to meet their fate The first
cell that he entered was the one Occu-
pied by the murderer Coleman. This
man, it will be remembered, shot and
killed Chas. Behrens on the 18th of
April, 1874, and even after shooting
down his victim walked around the pros
trated body and riddled it with bullets.
| The facts connected with the case, as
obtained from the evidence, show that
Coleman and Behrens had in the morn
ing been playing ut game known as
pigeon hole, when a dispute arose be-
tween them and Coleman withdrew.
Nothing more was thought about the
matter until Coleman appeared upon
| the scene q few hours afterwards. armed
| with a Colts revolver, advanced upon
Behrens and shot him without word
Of warning. This wretched creature
| w.,I ~ In,
gered behind the prison bars for nearly
two years waiting for final decision as
to his fate.
Upon entering his cell the VISITORS
attention is attracted to tho wall, where
Coleman has painted and penhed some
OF his thoughts. The first that meets
the eye is the inscription, Have One
Kind Thought for Me-" Mother, I've
Come Home to Die, HaveI Come to
This at Last 7" 4
The prisoner, now that the warrant
for his death has been signed, has but
little to say or his fate, but thinks 1t
hard that he should pay the extreme
penalty for his crime, when Alexander
Newton, who committed as diabolical q
deed, has had his sentence committed
to the penitentiary for life He is
visited almost daily by his aged mother
who, since his sentence, has used her
utmost endeavors to have it committed.
He states that he has explicit faith in
his Maker, and is not afraid to die, for
he has prayed fervently to have the
dark crime blotted from his soul; and
he believes that when the fatal hour
Henderson, Whisky Bill, Evique and
George Morris, all colered, and the Chi
naman FlorenZa are locked up in the
same cell.
Henderson is good looking, tidy
griff, about twenty-five years old, and
we'll known among the white people.
On the 10Th OF April he murdered, in
cold blood, mulattress named Alice
Johnson. The tragedy occurred in
ball room at the corner OF Bienville and
IRENE streets. Henderson shot her
through the heart for words alone. He
was drunk at the time.
He was tried by jury composed
mostly Of cOlored men and found guilty.
An appeal was taken to the Supreme
Court, which resulted in his being
granted a new trial, and on the second
trial he was found guilty Of murder and
sentenced to death. He still thinks that
he will not be hung; that the Governor
will eventually commute his sentence
and thus treats his fate with utter con-
tempt, saying that as long as the city
tobacco as he can smoke they can hang |
him whenever they feel inclined.
Bill Williams, alias Whisky Bill the |
slayer of Alexander White, on the 10th |
day ofApril, 1875, on the leyee, was tried |
for his life and convicted, but was
granted new trial by the Supreme
Court on the ground that Judge Braughn |
was not competent at the time to sit in
judgment on his case. 1t was on this
same plea that Henderson received a
new trial. The new trial for Whisky
Bill resulted as disastrously to him as
the first, because he was found guilty
and the sentence demanded his life for
the crime
The criminal, being Intercepted by
our reporter, said that he had nothing
to say, but he wanted to get out of pri-
son, whether it was to go out into the
world, or be launched into eternity; he
cared not which.
The most dastardly and fiendish of all
these criminals is George Morris, who
butchered the mulattress, Sarah Jones,
in front of her domicile, No.253 st. Louis
II reet, at O'Clock on the morning Of
November 80, 1875.
The facts connected with this murder
ire still fresh in the minds OF the com
nunity. Morris, laboring under fit of
jealousy, called at the house Of Sarah
Jones, and, getting his victim into the
street, rushed upon her with a carving
knife, cut her throat, and then
stabbed her in numerous places
about the body; then, fearing that
his work was not ACCOMPLISHED,
his knife on the curbstone
ind started at his victim again, but was
ragged away from her mutilated body
~ the police and taken in charge.
When brought to trial he pleaded
guilty. The plea would not be enter
aimed by the court, and plea or not
guilty was thereafter entered. ,
Morris, after fair and impartial
rial, was found fit subject for the gal
ows. He then wanted to die-to 90 7,
and meet the idol of his heart in
he bright realms above" Now
hat this mans death warrant is
iGned, and he knows that all
ropes are lost, he begins to regret I
life, and finds more charms in it than ,
yer before He saws that he is tired of |