The New York herald., 1878-08-24
Four Murderers Pay the Penalty
of Their Grimes.
ROBERT MITCHELL, POISONER
lie Protests His Innocence and Invites Hii
Friends to Meet Him in Heaven.
THREE CAROLINA ASSASSINS
rw TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. 1


UNION SPRINGS, Ala, August "a, 1873
Robert Mitchell, ooiored, to-day publicly eye.
cuted here for the murder of Mrs. Hooks, his grand
mother by poisoning. This being the ars, execution
occurring IN this county II expected that q
large crowd would be in attendance Coussouentiy
the Sheriff had located the galows In q ravtno on
three sides Of which gently sloping hiils Afforded
ample room for all to havo easy view Of the
tragedy. During all the previous night . crowd
bad been collecting SO that as early sunrise the
streets were considerably thronged mostly with
negroes from this adjacent countiea As the day
wore on the crowd increased TIL IL numbered fully
1000 persons by the hour fixed Tor tho execution
The doomed has seemed wholly indifferent to his
fate until yesterday, when his stocism failed him
He, however, rested well last night When asked
what bs would ike for breakfast he replied. "sar.
but grace"
ON THE scAyroLn
Al a quarter after eleven A. ~ Deputy Sheriff
Home took him from his cell. handcufed, to wagon
standing In the Jail yard. whencc seated on his
iocK Guaras. Mitchell mounted the soafold with
firm step, where he made short speech, asserting
Ss y ns s M
he called out OF the audience to pray Tor him he
@ smss ,eaSy Tine onss cap was az
trap fell, carrying Robert Mitchell into eternity.
The rope stretching his feet touched the ground,
when tho Deputy sheriff caught MIN by the legs ana
held them clear. Although the fall failed to break
neck, be dcd IN thirty minutes with little Indication
OF suffering.
THE CRIME
Robert Mitchell boy i his teens, living with
his grandfather ana grandmother q small farm
which tney owned Robert their sole heir and Q
wild lad. IN the family was hired girl, Dssy, wns
hated old Mr.. Hooks ln April, 1877, she proposed "a
Robert to n.sten hts enjoyment toe inheritance oi
the old maus estate by putting him ous OF the way.
THIS advice Mitchell at oncc adopted, and the
Two proceeded to put 1t into execution. By
the girls instructions young Mitchell proonred
ut neighboring village = quantity Of
arsenic. which be pretended he wished Tor some
about the farm This Dilsey dropped into cup Of
conee which she was hanaipg 70 tho old man It h,s
breakfast. On tasting II be pcrceived something
wrong, and found fault with IL This annoyed hts
wife, who, protesting that she had made It herself
aud that II all right took the poisoned cup, N
the presence of she numerous conspirators, and
drank the poison to the bottom. She soon sckensd,
and, before relief could be mad, ded from tts
effect Her husband. VINO had swallowed smaller
quantity, became paraytc and idiotc, IN which CON-
dition ne still lives Circumstances pointing 70
Aitcncls guilt became public soon after the death
OF his grandmother and tho trial very clear case
was proved against him. Alter hts conviction ne
repeated and full lessons o his share IN tho
10 The Tragedy Dilscy, hts acoomphce, is awaiting
trial the noxt term OF court and WILL without
doubt also be convicted Of murder