The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-25
IHS MURDIRERS' FATR.
A ColOred Man PAYS the Penalty Of
Numbering an Old COmrade.
A SAVAGE DEED.
Jealousy About q Mulatto
Girl the Cause.
Jesse Walker Executed for the Murder Of
voltt Simms at Farmcryille. La.
EMIL HOUILLION'S END.
EMIL HOUILLION'S END.
His lates! Statement Of the Tragedy in Which
He Slew Matthias Malsch
[pY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

Henry Roberts, convicted o. tho murder OF Gus
Ware. hanged to-day tho drop falling 4. ST.
Tho neck not broken, tho TAIL being only three
feet. The body loft banging thirty minutes before
being cut down. and there very ttlc stru ;gling
The pulse ceased beating at twenty after tho
drop fell crowd OF 1000 people witness, the
cution, which took place in public. The galiows was
erected in tho Jail yard, fronting the prisoners coll
window.
TIE PRISONER DENIES his GUILT
Your correspondent interviewed Roberts this morn.
ing, finding him composed and fair spirits Upon be-
Ing asked to confess his crime, no replied :"Bcn Bates
swore falsely against me. am Innocent OF the blood
Of any man, and though am TO be banged for
another mans crimo, feel resigned TO my tate
and am willing TO submit to the will OF God, meek a
lamb and gentle a dovc' Five colorod pr oachcrs
prayed and sang with him In the Jail before leaving
for the gallows Roberts joining In tho singing. On
the galows he spoke eclngy Tor ten minutes reitcr
ating hts former statements OF innocence. Ho snd:-
~ foraive all my enemies; God viii deal justly with
them. Jesus Will gather mo in his arms; Heaven
Will be my home" Weeping, he shook hands with
the Sheriff and tho jaior. thanking them for their
kind treatment and saying, "The white PEOPLE have
been kinder 10 me than the coiored." His last words
were, ~ bid you all iarewell.n
SIGHT.
This Is the first execution that has taken place In
Cleveland county SO that considerable interest
manifested In inc hanging, tho people hooking
from distance OF twenty miles 10 witness II, bus
were orderly and we'll behaved tin star
placed on the coffin Roberts request no believing
u would be an emblem Of the starry crown which he
would wear in Heaven. Roberts was also anxious to
have mis- last words reported correctly.
Early In the morning OF the 18th OF February last
O negro living some naif-mile below Kings ountain
North Carolina IL proximity TO the railroad. discov.
cred tho inutated body OF negro the Unck.
He started into tho town and gave the alarm. Upon
repairing 10 tho spot the city constable recognized
Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line Railroad At
first " thought that the deceased met his
cation and was run over by the night passenger train.
but whisper soon began circulating that there had
been foul play, Tor the dead man when last the
night bcorc was alone with Henry Roberts Eco orcdL
deadly enemy OF Warea An examination OF the
boiy was i'm meda,ely instituted and the head which
hao not touched by tho engine wheels was found
10 be beaten into jelly, dozen ugly
COMMISSIONS. any ono OF them sufficient TO
cause death. being discovered. Roberts was
I'm m ediatey arrested suspt SION, but loudly
DECLARED himscH Innocent. saying TINT himself and
Ware rad Tor some time boon at enmisy with each
Como spree together after leaving dance which
thew both attended, finally going TO his (RobcrtsD
on tho floor drunk and went 70 sleep. He ss,d de-
ceased had no doubt been murdered by a strange
negro whom he had hired TO work next day, that
night sleeping In his house, tor the sake OF robbery
rnE TRIAL.
On the preliminary trial Of Roberts, the testimony
sustained Roberts statement as TO the movements OF
the parties the previous night bot no one knew what
beieh the murdered man alter entering Roborts
house. telling point against Roberts, however, was
the finding OF hickory club, all smearcd with blood
lying In gulley near where The body was found,
which was identified by several negroes as one
Roberts had with MIN at the dance Tho prs
oncr's defence continued plausible. however. no
swearing the budgeon had been from hts house
by tho strange negro who was now nowhere TO DO
found. Roberts was, however, committed to jail TO
trial at the next term OF Court at shelby, ". c.
and might nnally have been cleared but Tor the dis
covery OF the strange negro Bon Batter, about twenty
i've miles distant in the country, VINO, upon beng
brought TO Kings Mountain, deposed that
Waro accompanied Roberts HIS Roberts
house about two hours after the daace, waxing
MIN ~ by the noise they made IN entering; both
shortly aflerward going oil together. when he again
fell asleep. lilo had not slept long before Roberts
turned, and arousng MN, babe him help TO carry the
dead body or Ware to tho railroad track stating thai
he and Ware had got into a quarrel, ending ny his
killing Ware. "He' Roberts) continued the Witness
'nlso threatened mo with death II | remained
in the noghborhood; so 1 Ief early In
tho morning before daylight" He also tes-
tilted that Roberts had the stick alterward
found In tho gulcy his hand when he left the
with Ware. This evidence, coupled with tho fnct
tina. there was old loud between the two me u.
that Roberts had repeatedly threatened Wares life,
was sufficient to convict and Roberts was ndJudgcd
guilty and sentenced 10 be hanged. rho cause the
cnmiy between Warc and Roberts wag JeaIousy about
N mul,to girl whom they had both known In At
lanta, Ga