Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-07-11

WhisEey Did N-Scenes and Incidents.
correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette,
WARRENToN, FAUoUIER Co., July IL
From the time when Cain immersed his
hands 10 bis brothers blood, and there we're no
human statutes 70 pug The general veal, cur
derers have had their place on earth, and have
disturbed the social Intercourse Of men by
deeds Of piteous massacre
Indeed the art, by incessant practice, has
arrived at such perfection uow that murders
and attempted murders have b:ceme common-
place. The public has been 81 repeatedly aud
constantly shocked by the Increasing uumber
and atrocity of murders committed within the
last decade, that It's susceplibillties Ia this re
gard are quite worn out, and it no lorges thrills
at the recital Of tales OF brutality and horror.
It ra.ber looks upon such things as matters OF
course.
While the narration of some fresh attempt
to asssssnate the Gar has become almost a
weekly telegram from Europe, add every for
eiyn post bings the record OF some isarul
crime; so common have sucl things become
here 10 our Own land Of the brave and hom'
of the Tree" that feeling akin 10 disaopulu'
ment is experienced If the daily papers tai! to
coutain the revoltiog details OF some awful
| tragedy.
1t would appear that such caows scsnes as
those Attending the execution of Huuter, at
Camden, or Nunt z, at Denver, would suffice TO
deter the most vicious and deprsved criminals
from the psrpetratioo OF murder. Blu this sup
position is antithotical TO truth. The more
haugings there are the mere murders there
seem 10 be. Only q short time egj. 10 New
York, where rctributlv, Justice is usually sure
and swift, aud where executioos are frtquent
Mrs. Dr. Hull, 40 aged and venerable lady,
surrounded by all the safeguards OF q metropull
tao poc., was touliy murdered while asleep IN
her house in the heart OF the city. And it is q
| fact that the horrible Hahn % utder YVES perpe
trated iu Washington, few years ago, by e
man who had witnessed the execution OF Charles
Marley. in your city, The very day preceding
the plight on which his crime Wss mmltted.
There is something wrong. The people arc
becoming too fsmiiar with crime and the legal
penalties prescribed upon cur salute books
agsi ist its commission are DOT ehf0rced 10 ali
cases with Sufficient certainty and iuexorable
rigor. Human life caonot be suy safer than /:
is at present, uuti! it c0mos less safe 10 take
it. The protection Of society absolutely requires
tho ipAcion of the death peoal'y. Capt. al
punishment will alone stay the red right
hand" of the murderer. So long as the ave-
uucs Of escape are so many. and punishment
light aud uncertain; so long as il is DOT 50 much
the murder itself III; the social position Of the
victim, or the s!zs of the reward that Secures
the detection Of the criminal; so long as psf
gLr7 and tavGfltlSm disgrace the -Di,nasa' stand
aod the proverblal 'obstlnat- Juror is allowed
to defeat the ends OF justice in the Jury box; so
long as the played out plan OF insanity is adj
mitted, aud Eickly, sentimental dspoSlor to
temper justice with mercy Is INDUCED ia by the
courr; 80 long as influential Dames are easily
procurable to lengthy petitions invoking txccu
tive clemet CO to shield the criminal from The
legal c3rs :quences Ut his msdeeds and so loBg as
the zsaloI ountnu Is to work ~ our conVIcts with
prayer and song into such condition OF mental
frenzy that they lock at death upor the Gaows
as sure transport to all the Rl0lles OF Heaven,
and under the oop,sgeoGs lDhaeuce OF this ex
element the very classes to whom the manner
of their taking is intended TO be solemn warn
log, celebrate the occasion With all the wild
reveries of gsllows baIl-iust 80 long will
crime 20 unchecked aud wall eyed wrath pre-
seat her bloody ShameS to the tears OF soft re-
morse.
For malice, aforethought aud unmiligated
atrocity, the crimes for which Johu Williams
aud Wioter Payne to day suffered the extreme
penalty of the law, at W.rreoton, will chai"
epge G, mparisoo with any cases to be found 10
the criminal annuls OF this ooun,ry; there was
no redeemipg feature 10 the crime OF either
mau. 10 both cass1 the co0summ allon OF 10
corripibIe wickeduess stood boldly out a single
mitigating circumstance to relieve It,
Fur the prompt manner OF arrest OF these
two criminals, and for their expeditions, but
fair AID impartial trial aud quiet execu 100, de.
void as far as it could bs from the dis rider,
sensation aod brutality which usually cbsrac
terizes such proceedings, those to whom the
vindiostioD Of outraged law 10 Fsuquier county
is entrusted, deserve congratulations.
While these men were treated With all the
humanity they deserved, yet, unllke Cnastioe
Cox. tho self confessed murderer Of Mrs. Hull.
10 New York, who is tho recipient every mora
Jog of fresh tube rose to wear ID the lapel OF
his ccat, they we're not honored With aoy dis
tinguished attentions.
Tbs last execution that occurred 10 Farqlier
county was that OF an old negro woman, who
was hanged for murdelioe the infant obild OF
Mrs. Wilson, sometime about the year 1910.
Like other mistortunes, murders and execu'
lions never coue single handed, but trooping,
and as Favqlier has been exempt Fl r so long
time, she may sXpeot to do lively business
from The beginning she has just made 10 this
line Of crimiosl procedure
Ia an interview with Representative Of the
G z,tte f:w days ago, b,th of these criminals
attributed their mistor!u0es to the use Ut it
t. xiea!ipg LIQUORS. q cause to which, was Iraca-
able 10 the opinion IF Lord Hale, the gr:at
Er gsh jurist, 10 his day, seven tepths OF The
ielouiss that were comni ted 10 Great Britain.
The same may be said Of that country. aDd
this, 10 day.
The language Of Williams: II was drutk
and the devil was in me" is the same old
story told by mur lerers 10 evacuation Of
their crimes from the 6rst and SO. perhaps, it
will conlicus It'll the end # Iiue."
As is usual with persons uuder seuterce OF
death. strange as it appears to Others. these
men expressed few days before their execu.
ton an expectation of divine life in the other
world.
JOHN WILLIAMS
was born 10 Portsmouth, Va, aud was in bis
29.h year at the time of bis execution. He