Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-09-26


II shall die 10 few hours an innocent man. 1
am Glad thew are not to hang Silas with me.
One innocent mans blood is enough to be on
S.m HALLS shoulders" aud as he was shaking
hands he said With some emphasis: II am not
afraid to meet ny God on account OF the death
Of Lawson, for am as innocent as you are,
Silas Morris, who; was 10 an adjoining cell. is
in much better spirits since be has received his
resn;te, and is finn in the belief that before
Oetobar o5:h there will be sufficient evidence
produced to completely exoDerate him. MS
wife is 10 the cell with him. and 10 reply 10 tne
question if he knew who did kill Lawson, be
answered. ne, | DO not; | know am lDno'
cent" His vile stepped behind him, apd'
| throwing her arms around his neck, between
sobs, said Yes, God knows and | know my
dear husband is innocent of the terrible crime.
| Mrs, Morris is very handsome woman, ana
more than ordinarily intelligent: That she
| firmly believes 10 her husbands Innocence DO
one can doubt. Her womanly character has
| been mt to severe test, and the devotion she
| has exhibited for her unfortunate husband has
won for her mauy friends in this place. Her
trim to Richmond last week to obtain respite
was an undertaking that a woman With less
heroism and love would have avoided. Her
expenses were paid by the ladies OF HARRISON
burg.
The uprignts of the gallows were eleven feet,
the platform eight feet long and three teet ten
inches wide; the fall was four feet. The rope
used was three. Fights of az inch cotton. There
were six steps leading from the front to the
platform. The gal!oWs was constructed Tor Two
nersons. /. was made of pine and oak, and
erected al the southern end Of the Jail yard.
The drop was held BY rope quarter Of an
inch thick. The coffin, substantial one, PLAIN
aud painted dark brown, was placed alongside
of the gsows. At o'clock the Harrlsonburg
Guards, fifty muskets. commanded by Capt.
0. B. Roller, were drawn up 10 lI1e 10 front
Of the Jail. After reporting to the Sheriff tor
duty they we're detailed to the several street
corners near the Jail to prevent any disturbance
which might have been created. Dr. RlVes
| Tatum, surgeon of the Guards, was the only
officer 10 the Jail yard. Dr. VIM. U. Hill,
physician to the Jail, was also present. The
! iail yard is forty feet long aud twenty feet
| wide
During the preparations for the execution the
cell window OF Morris bad been darkened. IL
was not within range Of the gallows. The cell
Immediately opposite the galloWs vas peopted
| by several negro criminals, who were seated on
their beds, playing cards, perfectly Indifferent
to the work going on 10 the Jail yard, or the re.
lgious services in progress in the cell ct Shit
felt, adjoining Mrs. LAWSON, at her request,
had been removed from her cell, which over
looked the yard, 10 one in another part OF the
Jail. She appeared perfectly calm during the
preparations for ,Shif1ett's execution, yet lis
tened most atteniyely to the religious services,
which could be distinctly heard from Shift EFT 5
cell.
The crime for which this man paid the ex
treme penalty of the law yesterday was com
mitted Marchel5!b, 1875, in the Blue Ridge
Mountains, about eighteen miles east OF Har.
risonburg. The different trials developed the
following facts 1t appears that the murdered
man, David G. Lawson, farmer 10 comfort
able circumstances, had not been living very
happily with bis wife, the cause OF the trouble
being an intimacy that existed between him
aud woman named Rebecca Hall. The wo'
man Hall gave birth to child, after which
Lawson moved her into house owned by him
aud situated within few feet OF bis residence.
The intimacy between them continued. Lawson
even desired to introduce her into the family
circle, but Mrs. Lawson prevented this meas.
ure He, however, compelled his youngest
legitimate child to act as nurse to The woman g
baby. Mrs. Lawson and Sam Hall, brother OF
Rabecca Hall, then founded a co partnership
90 the free love principle. Her husband sus.
pected her of n6dety, but che denied the
accusation. Sam Hall says the reason he consent
ed to an Intimacy with Lawson's wife was to be
revenged on LAWSON for the prostitution OF his
sister Things moved along this way for several
months, when plan was formed to kill Law.
son between Mrs Lawson and her brother,
Sas Morris. She was to give Sllas Morris q
house and several acres OF ground if he would
kill her husband or have him killed. Norris
attempted upon one occasion 10 shoot Lawson,
but his heart failed him. At another time he
attempted to kill Lawson by rolling log upon
him, but Lawson again escaped
! Then the idea Of securing the services Ct an
old fortune teller to put charm upon him" was
adopted. This witch lived about thirty FIVE
miles from the Lawson place. Silss Norris, in
company with Anderson Shifflett, visited ter.
She declared that abe could put Lawson out Of
the way if he would pay. her twenty dollars and
give hsr six months time, stating that God
Could control the devil for only six months at q
time" Sias Morris returned homo to
confer with his sister; che thought the time too
long 10 wait. Morris told Shiflstt what the
fortune teller told him; shifdett offered to do
the job for twanty dolar and in less time than
six months. The otfe- was accepted. Shifaett
took into his confidence one Burniss Williams.
Upon an occasion after this contract ShifRett
snapped cap at Lawson, the gua FILLING to dis.
Charge On the 18th Of March Sh. fl cit and
| Morris secreted Themselves IN a clump OF pines,
miles from Lswson's house, that Lawson was
compelled to travel that evening On his return
| Lawson has passed them) Shiflett fred the fatal
shot Tho weapon WAS sptin nga nd.1 musket
ward chme out of the right breast, lodging be-.
tween thu vest and coat. Two mon. who were
| in the woods near thescene Of the murder, heard
the report of the gun and also the word 'whoal"
They went in the direction of the noise, and
when they got there found Lswson lying dea d
between his saddle and of.wheel horse, his head
beneath the wagon. One of them remained
with the body while the other went to inform
Mrs. Lawson and the neighbors. In . short
time about twenty persons had assembled among
the number Mrs. Lawson. She was perfectly
Indifferent merely asking they were esss.n IN
the fact, she turned and remarked. "Well. I am
going home, there if no use stay ing here; when
the coroner comes I expect you will bring the
body to the house" The composure of the new.
~ made widow excited the attention of those
present, and the officers of the law watched her
movements closely. At the funeral on the next
| dsv sha acted in the same manner.