The New York herald., 1879-07-12
COLORED CUIPRlTS.
Hanging of Williams and Payne
at arrsntOn, Va.
DESPATCHED IN PRIVATE.
How Williams Murdered the Young
Telegraph Operator.
PAY MES BRUTALITY.
PAY MES BRUTALITY.
Battering Fellow Workman to Death
... to Please His Wife
"yEY" EXECUTED At GREENVILLE, MISS.
Tohn. Davis "Tucked Up" at
SoiIhfield, N. c..
[sY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. ]

/.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
s3 WARRESToN. Va. July IL. 1879.
John Williams and Winter Payne. both colored,
were hung in the Jail yard here this morning at
twenty minutes after six o'clock the first for the
murder of Howard Holtzclaw. the second for the
murder of John Adams. colored. The prisoners
spent comfortable night. The Jail yard is near
the principal hotel. and last night the piano in the
paror going with popular waltzes and galops;
the music very gratifying to Williams, who had
in his early days been the leader of q colored
choir. but 1t oppressed Payne The execution was
the first under the law requiring private exc
cutions and only the members Of the press and the
relatives of Payne admitted. making altogether
about twenty five In order to conform to the
Sheris Interpretation of the law the reporters had
to 90 in as part of the guard. crowd of seventy
FIVE stood outside. aud tall aianthus tree by the
wall filed with young men. who beguiled them
selves during the long hours Of waiting by singing.
WILLIAMS CRIME
Williams crime cruel and deliberate his VIC
tim being the telegraph operator at Warrenton juno
ton. Howard Holtzclaw. the murdered man,
very popular in the neighborhood and noted
for his kindness and hospitality. But two weeks
before he killed he called Williams into his
and gave him suit of clothes. for he noticed
that the negro going about thinly clad and the
weather cold. This act of kindness
the part of the operator led to his DEATH Holtz-
claws sleeping room was in little frame building.
Here 1t that he took Williams and gave him the
DID, but whole aud comfortable suit OF clothes The
wearing apparel in q trunk in the tray of which
small roll of two dollar bills the operator had
saved for the payment Of his board. The eye OF the
negro caught sight Of them. He said nothing
further than to thank young Holtzclaw
warmly for his MANIFESTATIONS" said he,
as he bowed himself out. 'Pn never
forgit your Kindness" John Williams boarded at
the house of Jake Washington, negro man, who
had always borne good character in the community
Williams. ON the other hand, was man OF bad re-
pute sort of gambler. He spent his entire time in
hunting. and when birds and squirrels did not come
IN his way he took down chickens and ducks He
was in the habit of hunting with Jake's gun.
MURDER
On the night of the 9th of February last he bor-
rowed Jakes gum went in the back yard and shot of
the charge He then coolly proceeded to reload the
gun. putting in heavy charge Of duck shot. which
he to make them cling together. He then went
off and hid the gun in q pine grove
Holtzclaw's Office. Going back 70 Jake's house
the trap and was waiting for the victim. He He
remained at Jake's house until late in the evening"
Then he heard the death signal--the warrenton
engine whistle. He had decided that when the
engine whistle blew he would kill the operator. He
we'll acquainted with the movements OF Holtz
claw AMI knew soon as the engine passed by the
operator would leave the Office to take his supper
He would pass the spot where the gun
blew Williams went Immediately to the
place where he had hid the gun. He picked it up
He crossed small bridge on his way and STOPPING
down tore wide plank from its fastening. He
the fence near the stiIe be stood behind il. with
n,arsa gun s9oked waiting for the ana man he he
ofice and walked to his death. Ensconced behind
the plank Williams watched the approach of the
fortunate young man. Hotzclaw was in merry
mood. and as he walked along was humming popu-
lar songs. The negro raised the gun and glared
along its barrel at the advancing victim. When he
within PAGES of the plank, Williams. taking
slow and sure afm. fired. And the man sang his
own arge. and the melody ended with shotgun
onpaniment. Holtzclsw fell dead.
STEALING THE VICTIMS PROPERTY.
Williams quietly proceeded to rifle the body. He
never had any III will toward Hotzciaw He wanted
his money and to get that he took the ms life
The dead mans pocketbook contained only 81 so in
silver and he had on his person watch and chain
penknife and pincushion looking glass. These
were the total assets, and the seif-appointed
receiver took them shouldered his gun and
the forest. When he reached the swamp he took the
money from the pocketbooK and threw the book IN
Jams next went to HoltzclAws lodging room. Find.
Ing the door locked he put his shoulder to 1t and
searched the trunks. He did not succeed in finding
any money, and lett IN disgust Soon after this hs
Mem nent to s big , hollow tree and buried risd
wentto the place where he had hid the gun and got
it. after which he went home and went 10 bed. lie
slept 80 soundly that Jake had TO 50 and wake him
up the next morning He had jolly tine that day.
Before going out, and after Jake and his wife had
LETT the house. Williams loaded the gun with No. 4
shot. He thought he unobserved. but he was
in this act by Jake's little boy. II tho
last time he ever loaded a gun. He lett the
house proceeded to get drunk on the dead mans
money he visited all the grogshops In the neigh
borhood, drinking as he went along and soon fell in
and. as s usual in such cases. the drunk they
were the more they talked
Williams language led the Others to believe that
he had done something wrong. That morning
the operator was missing, and search being insti.
tuted his body found In the woods. Williams
was at once arrested. He at first stoutly denied
the act, but the chain OF circumstantal evidence
against him became strong that he confessed. He
pretended that there were coniederates associated
with him in the commission OF the deed.
but his statements in this regard
conflicting that believed them. aud he finally
acknowledged that he alone had planned and exc
cuted the murder. He did not seem to have any
idea OF the enormity of his crime and talked freely
and jested about it. He tried st the Febru-
AIRY OF the Circuit Court OF Fauquicr county and
convicted OF murder in the FIRST degree Poor Holtz-
claw was only twonty yesrs of aye and was engaged
to be married in March, less than month aiter he
was killed. williams, when asked carly this morn
ing. said his prayer had afforded him relief.
Payne was asked by the sheriff IL he did not xiii
Adams with axe, but he maintained o sullen
silence,
WHAT PAYNE WAS HANGED FoR.
Winter Payne killed James Adams, another negro,
near salem. on the 18th day of April last. At tho
time of the murder the two men were laooring in
neiu ON 'he thrin Oh mr. Cochrane, IN fauquler.
While working they began to quarrel and some
very bitter words passed between them.
For several days before this there had not been
u good feeling between the men. The trouble
originated in disagreement between their wives.
The women went ABOUT tine neighborhood de-
nouncng each other in bitter terms, aud finally the
husbands took part in the quarrel Their last quar-.
rel such as to deadly feelings the part
OF Winter Payne. At night, when they went to Mr..
Cochrane's kitchen. Adams lett for his home after
eating supper and Winter Payne followed him, hav.
ing In the meantime uttered threats against him.
r.
Kitchen to follow Adams and while they we're
in tho yard they heard Winter Payne ut q
distance OF about one hundred yards call out that
they had better come and Adams. This call had
bcen preceded by the sound OF hat mght I'VE been
baavy blows struck upon mans head with q club.