The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-22
Hanging Of the Violator OF
Little Frances Otte.
HORRIBLE SCENE AT THE GALLONS.
Resume of the Crime and the
Chase for the Criminal.
10y TELEGRAPH TO THE HEnALD.l

before noon to-day. He spent last night
IN sleep and manifested nervousness what
ever this morning. He confessed nothing.
speaking pleasantly to all who addressed him. His
last request that physicians who had promised
their restoring life after hanging be given his
body The Catholic priests present used their nhu-
ence the last to prevent this and it generally
supposed they had gained their point. Washington.
however, preferred the BELIEF his ignorance
gave him that the physicians would re-
store his life to tho certainty of being
blessed with religion. At quarter to eleven A. Nj.
Sheriff Hamilton asked if all ready and signalled
to the deputy in the box, when the rope cut
which held the drop and Washington shot
downward for four feet, and, with vicious
snap. the slender cord broke and the culprit
lay upon his back in the mud beneath the
scaffod. An exclamation of horror broke from
those the scaffold and the great crowd yelled
Quickly possible he brought up again in the
of the Sherfs assistants and laid the plat
form, the Fathers rapidly repeating prayers as the
physicians felt his pulse to know If he were yet dead
The neck was broken and only slight pulsation was
found.
THE SECOND ATTEMPT.
Great difficulty experienced in removing the
moose and during the attempt to do brute in the
crowd yelled "Cut his throatl" Finally the rope
vas removed. the drop readjusted. new three
quarter inch rope put in place. and held up by the
officers the already half dead man was again put
upon the drop, the moose readjusted and at
quarter to twelve A. NJ. the drop fell a second
time and George Washington swung between heaven
earth paying the penalty of his great crime. At
the expiration OF the first minute his pulse SIX
and soon ceased. At five minutes past twelve P. NJ
he dead. but owing to the failure of the under
taker to appear the body was allowed to remain
hanging about twenty minutes, being cut down
about twenty-five minutes past twelve. The
crowd yelled and shrieked as he was
dropped the second time, and clamored loudly
Sr OF the rofe whe mo G0m a k a4
forth from the pressure If about to fall each mo-
ment. Turnkey Graf says that Washington told him
few days since that he had dreamed that the rope
would break three times before he would die. 1t was
dream not unexpected from man in his position,
but the breaking sufficient to horrfy every
man of any sensibility in the crowd.
HISTORY wAsHISGToN's CRIME.
On the evening Saturday October 10, last Frances
Otte the daughter of a thrifty German couple whose
residence the eastern edge OF the city limits Of
Louisville. left home to seek several cows in an
adjacent pasture. 1t her habit to do SO every
afternoon and upon this occasion she went forth
with unusual gsyety, singing and playing with
bright and beautiful, and perhaps not eQualled
in its spendor during the Indian summer of last
in this section During the several days pre-
cedng October II two negroes had called ut Mr..
Cites house and begged for bread, one OF the
twain stating that he recently LETT the Penn.
the police found employment an impossbility.
Mr.. and Mrs. Otte gave them food on several occa-
sions, until at last their frequent visits became
nuisance, and having discovered them, with some
companions holding an orge over his victuals and
playing dice by the light of candle stuck in the
earth one evening, Mr.. Otte bade them come no
more. The game in question is OF negro origin and
they alone play it. For them II has fascination
OF the strongest nature, and no white was ever
called tour with more regret than these sable
devotees of dice see fortunate fellow throw win
ming dice. The game is played entirely with dice,
ana the ante, which is very small. agreed upon is
Jumped into "pot," the highest throw winning the
,,laxy
this game very generally; but those who its
warmest friends are seldom good for aught else
to no longer give his visitors food Upon
the evening in question little Frances Otte
the central part of the pasture alluded to- when to
her great astonishment, the two negroes she had no.
tced around the house OF her parents suddenly con-
fronted her. feeling akin to fear had come over
her but a moment before and she singing nur-
sery rhyme to shake it of. it were when the black
fellows appeared before her. Her alarm
great that she could not speak try to escape The
negroes seized the trembling child. and, throwing
her upon the ground. an outrage followed. Ono of
the scoundrels held the little girl by her long brown
hair her screams, the look OF terror in her eyes
she placed them on bis hnding no mercy in return.
the other negro was compelled to knife. The
child tainted, and when consciousness had again
turned each had executed his design
A CHASE AFTER THE wRETcHEs.
The child dragged herself home best she could
and told to her parents the crime committed. Father
and started III pursuit OF the negroes and score
of men Joined in their aid. They failed to find them
that night. Next morning, Sunday, the search
kept up. mounted police from the city joining the
fathers volunteers. During the day the black
scoundrels were often heard of but never seen by
this party. The country for miles around
alarmed aud hundreds were the lookout for the
criminals. One of them. he who had first committed
the outrage George Washington, the other was
unknown. On Sunday j. A. Hamilton. Louisville
officer, who previously arrested Washington. joined
the pursuing posse The same day he espied the two
negroes. Lieutenant Steler was with Hamilton
wearing citizens clothes. They enabled to
within shooting distance before being recognized.
Whar.tl sxt HaI IL.
site directions, the two officers, however both max
ing for Washington at whom they emp,ied their
rifles. Washington ran with fearful speed, hopping
logs and large pieces of stone with wonderful
agility The firing brought Others to the scene tho
threes and tours Washington picked up pieces of
stone as he ran. and the moment u man made ready
to fire on him threw at his gun with remarkable
precision. He ran the gantlet almost without q
single turn from a straight path until be before
him party of four, with young otte, n brother OF
the child he had outraged, at its head. Iedoublng
his exertions he made of in another direction. but
the brothers aim WAS upon him and the quick crack
Of his rifle followed by the ncgros tottaring showed
That he fired with effect His companions fired Also
put Washington. who had almost stopped. again
iped on. They saw him no more. but during the
lay picked up bloody coat marked with four
bullet holes Several days passed and nothing
heard OF the two negroes. On Thursday
Information received by the authorities OF JET
tersonvillc, Ind, town opposite Louisville. that
two negroes. similar to Washington and his COM
psnion. had made an unsuccessful effort to commit
IA outrage four miles from the Ohio River bank.
Louisville parties went over to Indiana and Wash
ington with his companion having been caught i'll
lie neaLtime brought them to Louisville. The
Lenous nature Of the crime stirred up all Louisville,
and The day after his Incarceration Washington would
hear the yells OF mob before his prison baying like
hounds for his blood.
TIKI TRIAL AND CONVICTION.
The presence of the white haired father of the
child IN The crowd the signal tor renewed demon
tra0n Int the parent asked the people To ispersc.
LET the ~ have its way; he il guilty and he will
tc punishd said the old man. and the populsce dis
p,rsed. Warrington was convicted and sentenced to
be hanged to-day. Al the trial. the child testified.
Ter sppearance excited much sympathy. From
aesithy, rose-cheeked, bright-eyed little child. she
bai been transformed into with face of ashen
palcncss. her eyes were sunken and she little
wreck. Washington was placed among o dozen other
negroes.
"Can you point out tho prisonerr asked tho
COURT
Yes" spoke the child, in accents that rang out
through the entire court room, 'ths IL the black
9og this is tho dog We gave victusls he is the man
Nho did H."
wsshingtons companion in crime was Charles