Middletown transcript., 1878-03-23

Sheriff, Warden Herdman and the
doomed men ascended the steps, fol-
lowed by the Rev B. McMaeken, and
three colored ministers. Mr. Nc
Macken offered prayer, during which
Chambers stopped forward and scratch
ed bis nose against the rope that held
the trap. One of the colored ministers
then repeated hymn which Cham
bers sang in a low voice. During this
time Collins stood with head erect,
looking neither to the right nor the
left, nor taking any part in the reli-
gious exercises. After the hymn,
Chambers, still standing, offered a
prayer in a clear, distinct voice. He
said
Il feel to God that | have sinned
against thee all my life, and | feel
thankful that God has blessed me, and
/ shall now soon have to quit labor and
be laid IN death. | have been thirty
years trying to meet this, and now am
about to take my departure, and 60 to
nv home. Let this be a warning to
the whole United States Thank God
that ] have a soul to save. God bless
The Governor; God bless the Sheriff; /;
and may this be the last man he will
have to hang. Bless the people, white
and colored, and now | say to them
farewell, and in the end save my soul,
for Christ's sake, Amen"
After this prayer Chambers spoke .
few moments, as follows:
"Now, | desire to say to my beloved
friends, white and colored, you are 60
ing to punish an innocent man, and one
stands before you. : |
am an honest man and an innocent
man going to the grave. /
was cheated by the man who brought
me here, and by the Squire. This is
nothing but murder and you are going
TO take my life because you have the
power. Ged forbid that Delaware
State should ever hang another limo
cent man. 7 T Let me 60, gentle
men, / have no more to say-tarewell! Y
Then, at fourteen minutes to eleven
o'clock the ropes were adjusted and the
black caps drawn over the criminal :
heads, and just at this moment the
younger negro, who had all along been
Silent, said; "All pray for me, expect
to meet you all in Heaven.
At fifteen minutes past eleven, the
hatchet, in the hand Of the Sheriff, fell
with dull thud, the rope parted, the
trap fell, and Samuel Chambers and
George Collins we hanging by their
necks. The body Of the younger ne
gro hardly moved after the fall, and
he must have died comparatively easy,
while the body Of Chambers swayed
backward and forward and the limbs
worked eonvulsively for several min
utes. After hanging % minutes, the
ropes were loosened and the bsdies
lowered and placed in the cofins.
We understand that none Of their
relatives were present and no one made
any request in regard to the disposi-
ton Of the bodies. They will probably
be buried at the Almshouse burying
ground.
Sheriff Grubb, ex-Sherif' Herbert
and the Wardens were particularly
kind and courteous to the reporters,
and we're always ready to give infor-
nation and extend to them more than
ordinary favors. The execution was
witnessed by about 200 people.
EXECUTIONS IN NEW CASTLE COUNTY
SINCE 1889.
Sheriff Elihu Jefferson, hung Thos.
Morgan, (col.) for the murder Of his
brother-in-iaw; execution public.
1919, Sheriff Isaac Grnbb, ST., hung
Perry Baily, (col.) for committing a
rape upon a white woman.
1850, Samuel Chandler hung Emp
son Bayard and James Anderson, (col
for the murder of Joseph Williams for
a small sum Of money. He also hung
in 1852, Samuel Ward, (col. for kill
ing constable Davidson who had him
in custody and was taking him to jail.
1860, Sheriff Cannon hung John J.
Brown, (white) for killing 4 man at
Delaware City.
1866, Sheriff Hagany hung VIM. A.
Manluff, (coI. for burglary and at
tempted rape in the city Of Whining
ton.
1867, William Herbert hung Andrew
p. Armstrong, (white) for the murder
Of his wife.
1870, Sheriff Richardson hung Joshua
Jones and Lewis Carpenter, (col. for
committing an outrage upon a white
woman in New Castle Hid.
1872, Sheriff james Armstrong hung
Andrew G. Clark, (col.) for commit
ting an outrage upon colored wo-
man.
1873, Sheriff r L. Armstrong hung
William Dennis, (col. } for rape upon
a white woman.
1877, Sheriff Grubb hung Jehu
Rhodes, (col.) for numbering James
Temple, colored.
MARRIED.
M-VANDEGRIFT-O the 2lst.
IL. ,e4I 49, ~