The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-03-23
HANGED.
Five Negroes Take Leave Of Life
on the Gallows.
ALL / N N &C E N T.
George Collins and Samuel Chambers
Die at Newcastle, Del.
VICTIMS OF PERJURY.
ALL IN N OCE N T.
VICTIMS OF PERJURY.
Three Brothers in Alabama Mount The Scaf-
fold Protesting Themselves GuiltleSs

NEWCASTLE, Del, March %, 1878
Tho execution OF Two negroes for outrage the New
castle jan today is worthy of more than passing
notice The case was a remarkable one, and has at
tracted CHI attention from the fact that there arc
strong reasons Tor believing that the finding Of the
Court was a mistake and that the men were
innocent OF the crime imputed TO them. The
woman who swore their lives away is coniessedly
Of the worst character. She has admitted that she
perjured herself and has prayed for their repreve.
rue lurymen who convicted accused her testi.
mony nave petitioned Tor their pardon, and prom-
uent lawyers officials and citizens have joined in this
appeal But ali been In vain. The two men were
negroes and Covering Cochran. with whom alone the
hardening power hes. refused to interfere. The nc
cuscd men, with their last breath soemny protesting
their Innocence. were this morning executed by hang
Ing In accordance with the stern law OF ms stale
which makes outrage a capital CRIME. Some OF the
most influential men OF the State have sought
TO save their lives anu TO secure at least commuta-
ton of their sentence, based on the petition OF the
abandoned creature whom the cordemncd were
alleged to have outraged and VINO now coniesses that
she committed perjury in so tesrifying. The most
urenuous and earnest appeals were made to His Ex-
:eency Governor Coch ran, prevent what hundreds
II honest people consider nothing short of double
murder; and as late us yesterday afternoon
large depuiation waited upon him IN behalf Of the
unfortunate men. Eut from the first the Governor
has refused interpose, and this policy he rigidy
adhered to-
The spectacle IN the Newcastle jail this morning
therefore very painful one. Instead OF the usual
Indifference and actual pleasure with which
such affairs are witnessed by this community instead
Of the coarse jibes and chaing OF tue rough crowd
The eager pushing ana unscemly mirth, OF which
he paved Newcastle jan yaru, with It's whip.
ping post and pillory, 100 olten the scene,
a very nereut feeling was manifest. There was an
upwoutcd sympathy Tor the victims oil the hangman,
una the spectators, coarse and uncngheDad ms most
OF them were, did not hesitate TO show H. natural
love play iorced them 10 pity these Two men,
concerned " death. even though they were only
I'll. STORY OF THg ALLEGED CRIME.
On the evening of August 10 o ast ear, during the
peach season, when the Delaware Iruit country was
hied with ''frut plucKs'' and tramps AMI helpers
IN the orchards, white woman OF respectable bear
ins approached Mr. James Gears III the streets OF Md
uieton and desired him 10 put officers ON the
track Of Two negroes, against whom she wished
10 bring charge Attempted outrage declaring that
lney mad ndecentiy assaulted her the night before
Tue woman Was stranger 10 the town she gave her
name AS Ars. Mary caroline Sm'th, ana sara tnat hcr
husband James Smith, who was witness TO the
crime, had recently accompanied her IRON Phiadel-
pha. The woman was taken before magistrate, tho
details OF tie alleged assault upon her chastity
rted the form OF affidavit, and warrant Issued
Tor Two coiorea men named Collins and Chambers,
no ans wered the description gwen by the woman.
TIE town Constable arrested the two negroes without
a.hculy
Mrs. Smith, ana James smith, her husband, who,
with cut scalp IRON which brood ran, escaped
through The corbneId tnear Governor Cochrans resi-
denccl where tue narln beleli them, Identified the
prisoners without hesitation. The SUR III Inc neigh
Dorhoou caused unusual bitterness OF feeling There
were threats OF iyucniLg. Though the negroes had
been known honest toiers at the plougn-honest
tue word goes among the race there, to which
light comes sIowiy-tLe unprepossessiug lace OF
tue older OF the IVAN, Chambers came near
n ns ,ss nan Ss Judges s Houston an
Watten upon the bencn al the trial in Newcastle,
November "a. Mr.. and Mrs. smith swore To the guilt
ui the Two men. he defence could oner nothing
tut ''cnaracter'' evidence. Chief Justice Comeg.s
spoke sierLy III his charge OF the growth oil crime
Iuat must be trooden under win Il heavy heel The
jury's cenberation was instantaneous. The negroes
must hang. "Unless we stretch couple o. nigsers
the three counties would be kept iuil Of them.'
TIKI PRISONERS
Samuel Chambers, the older OF tue two, was Il large
course, heavily buIlt pegro, with full beard hc
IN rty live years of age, was born slave on tho
farm oil Mr.. Joseph Price IN Cecil county, Nd, but
set Tree curing the war; AT The time vi The out
rage lie ~ The employ OF Robert q. Whitlock.
He mad been married. ana was a widowcr.
The younger prisoner, George Collins, was mere
boy. lie was iul'-boodcd negro but eighteen years
olu aud born aud brought up III the neghocrhood
OF Mladielown Boh men were as ignorant as only
the Delaware negroes are for In tins Stale they re-
csive no helping hand IN the way OF enlightenment
STARTLING CONFESSION
DURING Christmas eek, WINE the doomed men
IN New castle jan awaiting the cxpi,ton OF their
crime, letter was received by man named Thomas
IItus. one OF the PRISONERS IRON james smith, tho
reputed husband OF the woman, and whose evidence,
with hers had convicted the Two negroes 10 this
letter smith accused the woman OF trumping up tue
story, anu stated plainly that 1t was iabrication
that 10 crime had been committed and conscience
would not permit him TO rest after having sworn toa
ae.
After considerable search in Philadelphia. by Mr.
u. ". Morrow, who charnably Interested himself IN
ihe two oudenued men, smith was found at al iD-
Ieigcnce rice No. lilo North Front street. ana taken
10 lhe Ceutrei Police eialon. He confessed there ms
real name James Clegg aud that he came from
Bolton, IN lancashire England, sixteen years ago
"Mrs. Mary Caroline Smtbs' real name was o. Ioolc
they had been tramplng together. She was IA bad wo
and his eviuepcc and hers all lie. Shc
not his wiie. The man had met her, and they
started on tramp together. gong hrst 10 salem, N.
j. then across tue RIVER ~ Dciaware Cly, 10 Round
Top, The Eastern Shore aud aitcrward wandered
back 10 M,ddetown. She was courtcsun Of the most
depraved character ana sIuee her return To Phiia-
dolphin sho had resumed her VICIOUS HE. Such
the declarations OF TINS man, "ho SAID that he could
not bear TO think OF tue negrocs peing hanged
The abandoned woman O'fooc was found
locked up IN the Second district station house The
officers testified TO ncr being hnbbtua druDkard and
that she had been sent 10 the House OF Correction,
where she stayed Tor three months.
The testimony OF ponce Officers Rcdifcr and Grimes,
who knew the woman, To the effect that
she was OF bad character; that they would
been the paramour OF lnc Thief Anderson,
now IN MOyameusng Prison. Ciegg was logged In the
Wilmington lookup and LeIorc squire CoIc made
formal couicssiou OF pcrjur, The squire commitiei
him III 81 900 bal, but the Attorney General very
strangely released him on ms own recognlzance.
EFFORTS FOR RErLiEvE
In view OF the strcngtD OF the after evidence there
bnvc been strong efforts MADE tor respite
WIN this object ~ view a visit was ,do TO Gov
Cochran w Mr. joseph Bringhurst, OF Whining
ton, MI. j. L.. Nallahdtghan, the condo nnod mems
connseI: A. W Morrow OF the Young Mon, Christian
Association 81 Wilmington, the nrst gentleman 10 III
tefest himself Tor Tie unfortunate wrctches,
aud several Others. HIS x,eilency was argued
aud peaded vain TO show h IN the injustice
VI hanging the men, but he gave his pc
i.toners No encouragement, dcclarihg thnt he and
the attorney General Dud investigated the case and
Thought that The bad character oil the woman Was ex
ag.er.tcd. Finally, IA closing ING conference. he
xcmarked:--'sI ~Isn tDat the statutes oi Delaware
were such 10 gave me some choice between par
don and strict execution OF the iull sentence.
This utmost that the Governor woIld sny.
He refused 10 Interfere ana uId tot interfere, and
thus II thai tbs morning, IN the notorious jail
yard at Newcastle. IA front OF the pofy and the
whipping post there died by JUDICIAL hanging Two uD-
fortunate wretcDes o whose guilt, 10 state IL mildly,
there was certainty much room tor doubt
ONLY NEGROES.
IL Is an open secret that had they been white men
Abau. III nl.xu hmm IL