The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-03-20
EXECUTION OF BROWN AND JOHN
SON.

SON.
Notwithstanding many of our citizens
had hoped otherwise, the condemned .
johnson aud Brown, were /
executed on Friday last. Theirs was a
somewhat peculiar case. On the 10Th /
day Of August last they entered a busi-
ness house in this city in broad day
light, and dealing the proprietor a stun
ming blow with an iron bar, effected
their escape from the premises carrying
with them a considerable sum In money
and iewelry. Being hotly pressed, they
turned, and firing at an officer, the ball
glanced and instantly killed another
person. They were at length arrested,
one Of them but few miles below the
city, the other in Los Angeles, Cal,
tried in the Circuit Court aud found
guilty Of murder in the first degree
having taken life in the commission OF
another felony-and sentenced by Judge
Bellinger to be hanged on the l4th day
OF February. They appealed on error 20
the Supreme Court, claiming that the
robbery was sconsummated before the kill
ing, and hence they were not answerable
to the section Of the statute under which
they were convicted. But on the 18th
day Of January the Supreme Court
passed upon the appeal, affirming the
judgment and proceedings of the court
below. Governor Thayer then granted
them a respite until the 18th day Of
I March following. This in brief is the
history Of one of the most daring crimes,
and the termination Of the most re-
markable and ably conducted criminal
I trials that has ever occurred in the State
! Whether from a growing sentiment
in opposition To capital punishment, a
want OF correct understanding Of the
/ degree Of the prisoners crime, from sym
pathy with them on account Of their
extreme youth, or from all these con-
sideratioDs, many of our good citizens
+ from the time that the decision OF the
supreme Court was published up to al
D
nest efforts to procure from the Gov
eruor Communication Of the sentence to
one Of life imprisonment. But His EX-
cellency was inaexible, and at no time
gave any encouragement that he would
interfere, and finally Oh the IN orning OF
the fatal day, telegraphed to Sheriff
Norden to proceed with the execution
The writer had visited aud couversel
with the prisoners since their condem
nation, and although by no means con
vinced that the world had attained IN,
stage Of progress where the death pen
atty could be safely abolished, deeply
sympathized with them in their grea
trouble, aud should have found no faul
had the executive interposed his author
ity in behalf Of one Of them at least, bu
| doubt not that it is better As il is. Fo
young as they were in years, they wer
both old in crime, and were living ex
amples Of the terrible truth that, how
ever designed, immurement in our pen
itentiaries has little tendency to reform
bad men.
The fatal day dawned, however, an
the necessary preparations being com
pleted, the doomed men we're led to tn
scanold and furnished seats on the plat
foim. johnson, who had maintained
genteel demeanor all through his tria
and Incarceration, looked haggard an
seemed buried in thought, but his com
panion in crime sat with head erect an
gazed boldly around, his inperturabl
features displaying less concern tina
the faces Of the sheriff aud the specta
tors. The jerking OF the formers fac
told plainly Of the terrible storm tina
was sweeping his heart, while the LAT
ter acted AS though anxious to carr
posthumous fame by dying game.
He had probably worshiped the i'm
probable criminal heroes created b.
flash writers until his chief ambitio
was to win name in the same immoT
tai niche! Think Of man singin
songs replete with slang, and boastiugl
r telling of his fearlessn ess in crime
even while the swiftly advancing shad
ows Of death we're thickening aroun
2 hint Think Of the depravity Of hiu
who could, while standing face to fac
J with his maker, prefer an unjust charg
= against a fellow-convict, or challenge
: listener to a contest with knife or pisto
Such was Archie Brown.
r But is it not the duty Of good peopl
{ everywhere to frown on all attempt
} to immortalize criminals or glorif
, crime? Should man who during hi
1 lifetime tramples on all Law, human an
divine, be apotheosized only because h
was made to expiate his crimes wit
e his life? No, no! We may sympathiz
J with their heart-broken parents an,
5 friends, and let fall the tear over th
2 terrible and disgraceful death they hav
suffered, but we owe it to ourselves a
5 law-abidiug citizens, we owe it to th
rising generation to reprobate every at
, tempt to honor criminals or to lau
! crime. \. i. J.
e PAST ALL DIsHONOR.