The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-02
A LIFE FOR A LIFE.
MANGMAN's DAYIN ST. LOUIs-ExECU-
TION OF WILLIAM WIENERs
For the Murder of A. v. Lawrence--The
story of the Crime.

murder of Americus Vespueius Lawrence. at
the Theatre Comiaue. year ago last Monday
night. Wieners spent the greater part Of last
night in playing cards and talking about old
times with his two guards. both OF whom had
known him from childhood During the night
he smoked eight or nine cigars and took several
drains Of whisky. Hs slept about an hour dur
ing the latter part Of tho night. and was then
given over to his spiritual advisers. who re-
mained with him until his execution.
Wieners kept up his nerve throughout the Or
DEAL and died game. Before the death sentence
was read by Marshal Mason he made short
speech in which he admitted the killing OF
Lawrence but denied that 1t was done In
cold blood, and he warned all present against
the use of Intoxicating liquors The trap door
was sprung Mt s:2l. and seven minutes after
wards his pulse ceased to beat. his neck having
been broken by the fall. The execution was
witnessed by nearly two hundred people, and
among them was the father OF the murdered
Lawrence.
History Of the Crime.
Tho crime which William Wieners expiated
on the scaffold here to-day was committed on
the night Of January 40. 1877. or rather on the
morning of the twenty ninth, for the shooting
took place shortly after midnight. Wieners
was private watchman at the Theatre CO.
miaue. varieties theatre On Pine street. be-
tween Third and Fourth streets-formerly De
Bars Opera House. Lawrence was barkeep-
or in the saloon attached to the theatre. They
we're both young men. between twenty one and
twenty y-three years OF age. and both formerly
resided In Kansas City. Lawrence was a small
man. weighing only 125 or 1870 pounds. end
Weiners was very large man. nearly 200
pounds in weight Lawrence was q stylish
young fellow. and very popular among the
people with whom he associated. Wfeners was
q man OF dissolute habits. and uuarrelsome
when under the influence Of liquor. He was
married maD, but lived with another woman
more than he did with his wife. In fact, he was
not living with her at all at the time Of the
shooting having separated from her some six
or eight weeks before.
Mrs. Wieners was about as worthless char
acter as Wieners himself. She was prostitute
before her marriage to Wieuers. and after the
separation she returned to her former life of
shame. About six weeks before the murder OF
Lawrence, Wieners had a quarrel with his wife
and hackman named Mike Murphy. in n So
loon on Seventh street and Chrsty Avenue.
Wieners drew u revolver and fired at Murphy,
but missed him and shot his wife in the hand
instead. A few minutes afterwards he pulled
his revolver on u policeman, but the weapon
refused to go off. and Wieners was collared and
taken off to the police station. He was indie ed
for assault to kill. but the murder of Lawrence
happening few weeks afterwards, the case
wns never tried. .~
Wieners and his wife seldom met after their
separation but each continued to watch the
oNs wh as e o~ ses s
ited the Theatre, comique for the purpose Of
seeing her but TIE Letter always
claimed that his wife was trying to get him dis
charged, end trying also to get money out OF
rs s Wens the esd a Sa esre a d
after they had ook. d for Nieners f.,r some time
Mitchell the manager ofthe theatre. She found
between them has never been given to the public.
wife had been admitted by Lawrence. he went
to him and began to abuse him for It, Law,
rem rence denled tnat @ ne ne admitted the WOMAN and
Wieners did get excited lie drew a revolver on
Lawrence. but the other barkeepers interfered.
went Off filed himself up with. whisky and re,
turned between 12 and O'CLOCK The quarrel
was renewed and tas time Weners drew ,W2
his right arm. he made use of his left and shot
Lawrence ia the neck. the ball entering the
LAWRENCE droppedl to It the floor; gasping his
the door and was gone before the others pres.
an hour afterwards Sergeant BOand and Police
3cers aeny ha kng and kasSing "a found
No. 11o North Eighth street. He was aroused
and taken into custody.
No resistance was offered, and when uues,
said that 1t was done In self-defense. He did not
shoot, he said. until Lawrence had drawn 4. =
him. and had no idea that he had even hit him
An inquest was held the next day on the body
Of Lawrence. and the verdict of the jury found
...,tH Hl, f~,.t thn, sH Innth
In due time Wieners was indie ed. and after
the usual number Of continuaaces In the Grim
inal court, he was tried last fall. But three or
and but one for the defense james 9. Hughes,
head barkeeper of The Comique on the night
% he eas ssd Ra ba Weneas Of sloos q
wards. Hughes saw no soda bottle IA Ia, Law
any nemes, Jacob Liisch. one OF the door
keepers at the theaTe testified that Lawrence W
excited and drew his revolver before q half |
dozen words had been spoken by either party:
Larry D hack he only hs W
Wieners had taken several drinks together that
evening, and that he had returned a pistol to |
WieneTrs, which he had borrowed m some time be- |
the pistol, he said.
The defense made by Wieners' lawyers. two
young men named Boyle and Delahenty, was q
very weak one. and no one was surprised at The |
little, sympathy manifested toward the defend
ant during the trial. at the verdict OF she jury
at the close of it.
Wieners was found guilty of murder in the
first degree, and about month from that time |
sentence of death was pas ed upon him. An
attempt was. Of course, made by his attorneys |
to get him new trial. but it failed. The Court
of Appea g, and then the Supreme Court, over
ruled he motion. and the most that Wieners'
postponed a couple Of months. ,
Wieners' parents are very nice people. His
father is shoemaker and has his shop or ut. |
Charles street. One of Wieners' sisters Is a |
teacher in the public schools here. Lawrence's
parents are also living In st. Louis. They re-
side at No. lila North Ninth street. H.
visit of Legislative Committees to the
State Institutions.
Especial to the Democrat
BATON RouGE. Feb. 1.-The Senate and House |
Committees on Penitentiary and Charitable In |
tions arrived here this morning. The Senate