The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-23
HANGED FOR THEIR CRIME.
PROTEST. TTONs or INNOCENCE IN THE
VERY FICE or DEiIH
Two Men who Were Not Murderer. Led to
the scnroid In Deinw nrS circumstances
that Lead TO Grave Itrub,s ,r their S.uilt.

NEWCASTLE, DOL, March 22-1hc two ne
Hrocs Samuel Chambers and George Collins.
were hanged in the Jail yard in this city. this
morning. The men slrlt better last nj light than
they had dono for weeks. and said they fct we'll
this morning. They wcrc visited by the Rev.
Mcssrs. Isaac Young and Thomas W. Herbert
colorcd. and religious services wero held In
their cell. Chambers prayed long. loud and fer
vcnily. ending with God bless the Governor OF
tho State Make him n wise rulcr-an Tsrnclitc.
indeed. in whom there II no guile. Bless our
enemies. and may We all meet where parting is
no more"
After half an hour OF praying they sang the
hymn. " Wash all my sins AWAY" Chambers
joining loudly. None of the prisoners relatives
visited them AT 1910 the Rev. B. McMakin Of
this city entered the cell. and soon aftcrward
Messrs. Vallandighnm and Turner the prison
ers' counsel. and II. W. Morrow Morrow asked
Chambers. " sam. you've got only few minutes
to live; for Gods sake tell mo tho truth now
are you innocent or guilty." Chambers an
swered. Before God. am innocent"
Warden Hcrdman pin.oncd the arms and
hands of the prisoners. aud they were led out
and upon the scalrold. the same ono on which
Rhodes was hanged last September. Collins
stood upon the LEFT Of Chambers. almost inn
movable. looking upward. Chambers twitchcd
ncrvously. and seemed agitatcd. lIc looked
round good deal. when they had been placed
on the drop the Rev. Mr. McNlakn made n fer
vent prayer. the prisoners several times saying
amen. The Rev. Isaac Young then gave out the
hymn. How happy they whose joys abound"
The prisoners sang faltcringly Asked whether
they had anything to say. Chambers answered:
thank thee. . Lord. that | havc lived to see
this day. and my prospects are bright for the
kingdom" H. felt that he had been sinner
hut that n kind Providence had saved him, and
he WIS going to rcap the reward of his lnbors
For the last thirty years he had been try ng to gt
ready for this hour. lie prayed thnt bus death
mlrht b. u warning TO the people Of the whole
.rnor.. kecp him under Thy kind protection.
Make him a useful rul ; md. fo,r what wrong
the sheriff. thc Warden. and friends who had
worked for him. and all present. ie sad:
My beloved friends both white and colorrd.
am innocent | am going 10 tell you the honest
truth; You are going to punish IN innocent
man to-day. lftn.r, over ,was an innocent man
here stands on" He added that IN" public
had heard on- side only of the story. and hoped
that no one here would ever SEQ an Innocent
my life. because, you hav, the power Hud amt
prevent IT, God forbid that the Stat. ~ Della
ware should ever elect another GoScinor like
TINS. lh'n pan- NJ "A moment hr continued
my lite work is done"
Collins merely said: want you all to pray
for me, and hope 90 meet you nll m heaven"
All then went from the s'affuld except the
Sh"Till. warden. aud the Rev. lSaa' Young.
sheriff Grub fixed the nou-. ON Chambers.
aud Warden Hcrdman uu Collins. H.rimnn
adjusted the hnrk caps aud stepped back. and
Shrr " Gruhh cut the rope W ia Two blows of the
hat t.h"t. not hitting 4 far N" flrsf ne" The
bodies shot straight down with simultaneous
mud Collins made one conNusiv. movement.
aud then hung perfectly still. dying easily.
Chambers drew himself upward several times.
and ,witchcd som. for two or three minutes
stoned by breathing. which continu.i about
nve minutes. IN" moose having S.ippei around
and lrt the windpipe OPEN He died hard.
The men whose lives have thus paid the for
felt domanded hy Delaware aw werf both me-
ero"-. Samuel Chumh RS. thr eller. VS. rather
ahov" ia" medium si1e. sfoutiy nit. with
conr-r hut not specially r"puiHNo features. lI-
WIS - yrs Old. AMI WAS born slave, in C''il
which time hc had resided in Kent county. tuls
The other. George Collins WAS tallanl slimly
huit qu hoylsh IN app"aranr'', % sAu'. Ll:ht-
,r in color than Chambers with suynlh. "x-
old. He was born ana brought mp in TIC neigh
borhood OF Middlriown in TINS >int".
Ou the evening Of Aug. 10 last Samuel Cham
roAd nenr Midirtpwn. overlook n man and "a
woinnn ,irudsihs ai'ng On i''t { .aiuh"f-
II WrlVinE am affirmative" answer. he told them
II they wouli wait until he hHi nat his team
away and eaten his supper h" would ipkr them
both. They vat down uul"r trro amt waited
until shortly ,ait,r dark. Then Chanib r. re-
The man aud woman represented themselves
to hc man nni wife. and Eaye tho nnuo- of
James und knt' Smith. Tho negroes
led tho way a'ross siuhle heid and
about l5u yards iIio an aiJuin NJ cOrnnrd
when thhmi"rs siopr"d nni told Smith he
would have 10 20 hn and l"nVe tn woman
with them. THIS Smith declined To do. upln
which Chnmhor- struck HIM heavy blow ON
the head with the Tut of his oN-wiip. kuuth lng
him sci-nlcs4. The two negroes then snly.d
tn. woman ana dragged her through the corn
n'ld to "A pasture field beyond. anil n-saultnd
lisI ~ T. fll.st anal
directed her now to reach Midiiotown. She re-
paired ,hithrr and told her story. search
WIS arrested. Collins WIS a 50 nrr,Si, T. hut not
hcing id' n,ii"d. WAS rr."nsnl. hut r"arr,strd
on th' saturday ,nlsht following. lie made u
confession. whi,h WAS not submitted to the
Iurv. nnd which has NOT been made public.
Those WHO have srcn this confession cay that Il
contains no hdmlrsIun oi the Outrage itself.
hut SIMPLY says that the tW0 u'grurs wrrt, with
the woman that night. By agreement of roun-
sci. this mu h WAS admitted tn the lurv. hnd 10
woman. wls unable 10 identify hnn further than
'".ry IAnt looks lil,g the man r
could oflcr noAhlng. No evidence WAS pro-
du'"d 60 imp'a' the reputation of the plain
lng a capital oi'ncs in this State. they wore
cund'n.n,i to a.c.
Sixwerhs ago ti,e Young Mems CHRISTIAN As
soraii'n hunted up Smith and his r,puind
wiie II rhlnirirhia, Aiiu- upon iniorn'aiion
sainod through u liter t. one OF tie oln,r
PRISONERS IN New .U,tl- Jall thry caused TIM arr
r"-t Of Smith for perjury. and srrur,.la con
fossion from him that he nhd sworn fnSelv I'M
regard To tile woman known as Mrs k.tr Sn,iti
beng his vile. an IN some other MINOR pnfli,,-
ulHts. In MS ctnlteh un ho Hg a tuat hlS real
mune y james tlrIg,und the ,iumuh's name
Kat eOTOule. and that ho hal pi .hrd hrr up.n
Wash inli0n squure. Ph Tad iphii, ON th. pro
vlous Fuurth Of JHly. II iurthrr suil Thai lie
negroes used 10 iotce. but that the woman went
with them NuunihrIv. Tine woman Kate
smith. aims q Iunl". " : huni'. NJ. she was
liNinE WAN hnuihrr parau.uur ~ a Paiitiripnin
hrO'hc,. Nhr hud long been knuWn to several
members of Tho Pilia lfiphM ppIIr,. Snr WAS
rrndlly N IN rd 10 WRIT a better tO Coy. Cnrh-
ran, IN which. whuc not d'nyins tint the cut
rage had been committed against Irr will she
mplOrrd that their liSra might BE- shared, say
ng: ! nave 10 meet nay God Sone time. and
do not want them hung"
On Tu'edny the Governors ultlmntum WIS
given 10 the public, through lsniiius &. Grubb
ESQ, Secretary of StAt'. In It he sand that he
NrstigHtiun ~ all Ia" fats AMI the evidence
result has been such IA Ia clearly und CON
h,yOnd the 81, ,ght"st doul ~ hls mint
Tu"ralorc he i''"ls tuui hlS duty 10 tir public Ht
lurgn dDmnnds tnut b. s.all not interfere with
III" sentence oi the rourt.'
Tuh Reporter vino W nj 10 thr lRil Chnmhrrs
~ Nird tn iolluwluE MNl'h rs ENoh IA hls
lDNNuhri1'sl own .Hu- uI-e;
COY 'ncurAN l,,n-id't thlt Nuu arc duir- am uuIl.
a. tIHi Ntu are % NiiI o. fNlIf'f IItu
h.il, to fur Ai dal'i t.l d.r Au vlIlN nHfl.nt
% l. N Do