The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-07
A MISCREANT'S END.

EXECUTION OF WILLIAM JEFFERSON, FAR-
MEI's SLAVE, IN NORTH cARoLINA-A LIFE
OF BRUTAL cR1NEs-rHE cuLrR1T's coNrI-
DENcE IN THE BELIEF OF FUTURE Bliss
FROM THE GALLONS TO GLORY.
[By TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
wARRENToN, N. c., Dec 6, 1878.
William jefferson. yellow negro, aged thirtyone
years. formerly slave in Virginia, paid to-day the
galows IN this town the penalty of death for the
crime Of indecent assault upon Mrs. Amanda My
rick, coosed woman, under circumstances of pecu
liar atrocity in May last. Since his conviction and
sentence for the offence. in September, Jefferson
has been attended by colored clergyman. Rov.
Mr.. OTIS under whose ministrations no has
professed change Of heart and full assur-
ance Of Divine pardon for all his sins
and vivid anticipation of rapid transit from the
scafold to the realms Of heavenly bliss. Under tho
culprit's dictaton the minister. few weeks ago.
his confession not alone Of the endish act for
which he to-day suffered, but also of repeated bur-
garics. thefs. arson assaults upon women. and
OF murder. II is the blackcst record OF criminal
life known in North Carolina, yet the brutal
offender, before unburdenng his conscience of
tho damning history. announced his belief that his
sins were pardoned and that my bright jewelled
| crown is waitin' for me In glory"
INTERVIEW WITH CONDEMNED.
The HEnALD representative visited Jefferson in his
cell several times during the last few weeks and heard
him. after speaking of his former Life and his long
catalogue of heartless crimes in tone indicative of
pride in his record, break ont in paroxysms Of
jocines and shoutings over his hope, rather his
certainty of future bliss Said he on one OCCASION
"Myself brought me here and put these irons my
ankles but next Friday Jesus Christ with the white
gowns Of Heaven will in, take off the irons
and carry to the land where will walk streets
of pure gold. and then he would sing curious
little song, which, perhaps, was original with him,
somewhat as folows-
Dem golden streets I'm gwine to walk,
Dem golden streets I'm gwine to walk,
Dem goldep streets I'm er gwine to walk,
For my home lis ODER Jording. &C., &C.
THOUSANDS or WITNESSES.
North Carolina law requires hangings to be pri-
vate but the populace OF this region do willingly
miss such show. A high. close board fence sur
rounds the Jail yard in which the gallows placed
but views Of the sport coudb had from the roofs Of
adjacent buildings and from tops and all such
places were filed with eager spectators. while thou
sands Of Others mainly Of the coiored race thronged
thing to crafty morbid curiosity.
SCENES
Jefferson slept none last night, and ate breakfast
till about eleven A. NJ, when he asked for fried
chicken, which, being furnished him, he ate with
relish He was very nervous all day. laboring under
great mental excitement and shivering all tho time
When questioned by the HERALD correspondent he
said that all tho charges against him were true; that
believing that his sins We're all pardoned and
that the robe Of righteousness awaited him;
that he had i'll will against one
but loved everybody; that the Sheriff, jailer
and minister had been good to him, and he
thanked them all and hoped to meet them in heaven
He brought out OF the jail and assembled the scat
fold at half-past two p. NJ, accompanied by the
Sheriff Deputy Sheriff, his counsel and minister
The cuprt seemed very weak and excited and had to
be supported as he walked up the steps OF the seat
fold. He spoke for three minutes only in a rehearsal
OF his religious experience and said he was going to
heaven and hoped to meet all there.
JEFFERsoNs confession.
Rev. Mr.. Crosby then read from the scafold paper
called the Record OF the Life and Confession of
william jefferson" which had been prepared at the
cuprits dication. The following is synopsis of the
paper read:-In 1865 Jefferson outraged young
coiored girl. for which he fed; soon thereafter he
attempted to outrage colored woman, but was
frightened of. Next year he committed assault
upon another woman in Mocklenburg. Va, for which
he sent to the Pententiary for five years. Being
put to work in the granite quarres Richmond he
escaped. broke open several houses and committed
many highway robberies, after which he recap
tred and served out his term with extra year
penalty for escaping. After he released he worked
on a farm near Richmond. There he stole horse
and fed. On the road he broke open country store
ried and after q short while abandoned his wife for
lewd woman, then abandoned her and went to vir-
ginia. where he put in Jail for stealing. He broke
old paramount with another man; waylaid aud
dered that man. threw his body into the Roanoke
Liver and fled to Virginia Last spring he went to
Northampton county, n G., where be outraged Mrs.
Crowder, q white woman. Then he fed to this
county and committed the deed for which he was to-
day hanged. This record enumcrates long list of
burglaries house and barn burningS. larcenies and
other criminal offences.
Before the reading began Jefferson asked the Sheriff
to support hilno his legs weak and he was
about to fall During the reading the cuprit stood
in q trembling and almost fainting condition. He
was humming and grooming in the manner peculiar
to his when under religious excitement. After
reading the record the minister vt the request Of
Jefferson. read chapter Of Scripture. Jefsrsons
legs then pnioned, the moose and black
cap adjusted ut seventeen minutes past three Tho
minister offered fervent prayer for the rest
OF the condemned mans soul. The sheriff and others
left the scaold and the fatal drop fell at twenty min
utes past three. His neck not broken. Ho ex-
hibited i've violent commissions and his laborious
respiration distinctly heard At considerable dis
lance For five minutes after the drop fell his suffer-
ings were apparently intense. Death occurred from
stranguiatiop III fourteen minutes after tho drop.
The immense crowd which filed tho streets in tho
neghborhood was mostly composed of negroes. but
there no excitement nor violent demonstrations.
His body cut down at ten minutes past four and
buried IN tho Potcrs Field at the county expense his
friends. not claiming 1t.