The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-05-12
LAUNCHED TO LETHE.
WILLIAM PORTER BROWN SUFFERS
THE EXTREME PENALTY OF THE
LAW FOR THE MURDER OF II. w.
EVANS.
The First Execution in sabine Parish-A
large Crowd Present and n Happy
send-OH-The Doomed Man Makes n
Full Confession Of His Guilt.
Especial to the Democrat.I

Especial to the Democratl
NAToHrroCHEs, La, May 1.-THE day for
the execution of William Porter Brown, con-
victed of the murder of DIR. Ii. w. Evans,
opened In all the beauties of a May day in
the balmy South. Nature, it seemed, put on
her holiday garb to witness
THE vINDICATIoN OF THE LAWS MAJESTY
on the person of Brown. for as foul and cold
blooded crime as ever shocked an honorable
people. On Friday morning the scaffold was
already erected and in readiness while vast
crowds of men, women and children from
every direction, white and colored, were as
sembled as early as . a. m. to witness the
awful sight. This being the first execution
ever occurring in the parish Of Sabine, large
numbers were attracted from remote dis
tances. They came In wagons on horseback
and hundreds trudged miles on foot to graft
fy a morbid curiosity shall we not say to
satisfy the cravings Of the baseness of hui
man characterize see fellow human life
taken for the
SHEDDING OF HUMAN BLOOD.
Sheriff Lout, cool, efficient and intelligent
officer, had taken every precaution to pre-
serve order, having summoned and or
ganized q guard as cool and collected
as himself. The sheriff went about his bust
ness with a steady nerve and exhibited In
his manner and bearing the officer who feels
he has disagreeable duty to perform, but
will do 1t because it is his duty From a. M
to the hour OF his execution, Brown was at
tended by the Rev. Father Aubrie, of the
Catholic Church, who administered religious
consolation and prepared the soul of
THE DOOMED MAN
to meet Its God Browns little brother.
eleven years old. was also present in jail
with him during these long and awful hours,
and the little fellow appeared greatly affect
ed. At an early hour Sheriff Lout asked the
prisoner at what time he wished for the exc
cution, as, by law, he was forced to perform
this disagreeable duty between 10 a. m. and
p. m, to which Brown replied: Bring it on
as soon as you can; let it be over with"
few minutes before IL o'clock m Sheriff
Lout led forth to the scaffold the laws victim
surrounded by strong guard, who kept back
the surging crowd.
BROWN WALKED WITH FIRM STEP
and betrayed no emotion. Father Aubrie sup
ported him on one side while the sheriff with
his chief deputy. Baily Lout, moved to the
scene OF execution upon the other. Mounting
the scaffold with an undaunted air. the pris-
Oner gazed down upon the vast sea of faces
upon the green trees and verdure-clothed
Fields, up at the blue vault of Heaven, all
bathed in the bright sun of southern noon.
1t seemed his gaze was riveted on these
scenes lingeringly, for he at last
REALIZED THAT HOPE WAS DEAD,
and that he must now meet that maker whose
laws he had violently outraged. At this i'm
pressive moment Father Aubrie uttered a
feeling prayer, after which Sheriff Lout read
the death warrant, and asked the prisoner if |
he had anything to say, to say, it then. Brown
raised his head. stepped to the front of the |
scaffold, and said: Gentlemen,
HAVE BEEN FAIRLY TRIED AND CONDEMNED. |
hope you will forgive a dying man. put
my soul in the trust of my God
Brown then knelt and prayed. He was
dressed neatly, in white pants and vest and
black coat He was calm at this moment.
but very pale. The moose was then adjusted
and those in attendance shook hands with the
prisoner, he bidding them farewell in a firm
voice The cap was drawn over his face, and
at II m, precisely Lout cut the rope, the drop
WITH DULL THUD BROWN SWUNG INTO
ETERNITY.
The fall was six feet, and death was almost
instantaneous. After hanging few moments
DTS. Curtis and Cade pronounced him dead
at 2I5 p. IN.
neat black coffin and conveyed to the Catholic
Cemetery, followed by large crowd, where
it received interment
During the period of the execution and the
burial the crowd behaved with the utmost de-
oorum and order. Not word was uttered
an awful silence seemed to have overcome all
animate life, and the vast multitude was fear
fully impressed with the horrible sight.
William Porter Brown thus suffered the
laws severest sentence for the murder in cold
blood of DR.. III. W. Evans on the fourteenth of
March, 1877. The day before his execution he
made
THE FOLLOWING VOLUNTARY STATEMENT:
81 was born on the eighth of August 1855,
In East Feliciana parish Louisiana. on the
Clinton and Port Hudson Railroad Ben I
Goodloe came to my fathers house in COM {
pany with Mr.. Beavers, and persuaded me to I
20 with him to Mr.. Adrian Roberts. Goodloe
thought Dr. Evans was there, but on arrival t