, 1879-04-27

The Author Of a Half-Score o
Horribly Brutal Murders
Is Inclined to Enter Partial Denial
While on the GalloWs.
he Is, However, According to the Ac-
count, Game to the Last.
L Curious Mob Tear Down the Enclosure
to Witness the Hanging.
One Of q Notorious Gang Of Express Robbers
Captured in st. Louis.

| WIG VI HVLulVuo uAn5 VI 1AfA1So-As"@sA'
Captured in st. Louis.
RICHARDS EXECUTION.
| 8psc5cl Dtspafcn to The Tribune
| LOWELL, Neb., April 28.-L. D. Richards, The
! hatcher Of Peter Anderson and the Harolsoa fam
| lily, was hanged ut Minden, Kearney County, ut
| l:17 to :day. He was brought up from the State
Prison at Lincoln last night by Sheriff Kieren, and
| was greeted at every station by eager, curious
| crowds. He arrived at Lowell at $3.50 p.
| m., and was Immediately taken by
carriage to M1nden,. small hamlet county seat,
sixteen miles from the railroad. On the way out
| ho laughed, joked. and conyersed freely OIL many
topics, principally those connected with bis crime
! and approaching execution. He arrived at Min
| den at 11:30 last night. He was Kept under a
| strong guard over night, and did not sleep. He
| spent the time in writing and talking He deter
! mined once or twice to make confession. but
finally died without doing so further than that a-
| ready made, which is not truc.
4 good many people assembled at M1nden, and
campcd out over night IN wagons. The law pro-
vdes that the execution snail be private and that
not over ten people shall be admitted. For this
purpose frame inclosure sixteen feet square was
built.
At noon to day 2, 600 people were on ths ground
and, amid loud shouts,
THE INCLoSURE WAS TORN DOWN,
so the execution was public. After this demon
stration, the crowd was orderly. 80:
Richards spent most OF his time With the re-
porters and clergy. and at 2:45 was: placed in q
carriage and carried across the square TO the
scaf1old. He WIS accompanied by Il Sheriff, Two
Deputies, aud bis spiritual adviser, the Rev. ".
l.. Gee, Of LINCOLN. de walked up the stems with
firm trend, took his place on the scaHold eyelng
the crowd, aud stood with folded hands. His
appearance WIS courageous there being but slight
signs OF nervousness After the usual prelimi-
naries, Richards, in firm, even tone, spoke
few words, saying he was dying for crime be
never committed. He considered the killing Of
Anderson jus.ttlable under the circumstances. Re
spoke OF friends at home, gave warning to young
men to do right. He did not con-
slider the execution lawful. He had
made his peace with Jesus; expected to
60 to Heaven and to meet many who were present
before him. He wished his father and relations
were in 3 far-oG land. SO they might not know his
fate. but they knew the very hour he was to die
He would rath t1die with the surety Of going to
Heaven.
At his reque the unusual act OF singing Watts
hymn, "Come Thou Fount was engaged in by
the crowd, including Richards. Then his arms
were pinionea and
THE MOOSE ADJUSTED, .,,
consequence. giving warning to young men, and
protesting faith in Christ After prayer, the black
cap was adjusted, Richards still talking. At 1917
the trap sprung and tie body fell SIX feet, Dreak
ing the neck, and the arch fend died almost with
out Il struggle.
Richards left written confession Of about fifty
words, saying he was not the murderer OF the
uarclson family, but two others engaged with him.
He denied committing nine murders, but says he
n fu1- y hrv IN he 9TH nnA" "4f hn
H1relson children.
The execution was perfect success, but the citi-
OF this county are scanda1izcd that. the mob
should tear down the inclosure erected. Richards
is only the second man hung in Nebraska, and
he showed most wonderful nerve in meeting his
1ate- The State is well rid Of him.
MS CRIMES,
Stephen D. Richards first made bis appearance
at the OF the murder about the latter part OF
October. He 1ngratiated himself into the good
will Of Mrs. Sarah HareIson, grass widow,
whose husband had fed from Justice few months
before He soon took up his abode at the house Of
this woman. they living together man AMI wife
About the 1st of December the woman and her
three young children disappeared from the conn
try, and Richards reported that they had gone to
Texas to rcjoin the husband and father. His ex-
PLANTATION satisfied the ne1ghbors, as the woman
had talked Of doing this very thing on several oc-
caslons. Their real fate was not discovered until
the murder OF Anderson set the people to making
Investigations. 9.
The murder OF Anderson took place on
the 10th OF December last lie was
young swede. employed ion = |
farm near the 11areson house. On the 9th Of De-
cember he male Richards friendly Gull ut his
bachelor quarters and drank tea there. Returning
home, be was taken quite slck, and was convinced
went to Richards, and accused him OF doing the
deed. Richards denied it, a quarrel arose, and
Richards Drained his visitor with hummer. Rich
up with rubbish, aud :.
FEARING DETECTION.
In this last murder, prepared leave the locality
lie hitchcd a span OF hurses to wagon and COM |
intending to sell them. 4 couple Of neighbors |
VINO saw Anderson enter the house and saw |
Richaras' preparations to leave, had their sus-
Richards where anderson was. He replied that he |
was somewhere in the house. They entered the |
oq'tdn tnn un afr .i' LITTLE seassh qana tas
the alarm. and saw richards galioping rapidy diy
had tnken from the wagon. They procceaed to
give the alarm; and The finding in the house OF
garments belonging to Mrs. 11urelson
regarding the disappearance OF tue family An
nctive search was made, resulting IN Hudine the
1onr !, @ bodies IN shallow hole, partly filed with
with an aX or hammer.
GENERAL ALARM
was sounded, tho Governor offered reward and
Richards was arrested III Northern Ohio Dec p3
He contested all. the crimes, and, rs your renders
aave alrendy seen in your past published accounts.
slorted in them, gioated over them, ana made him
'elf 1u hls excess Of bravado, the champion mon |
Bter Of the nineteenth century |
lie was hurried to Mindeu, the countr-seat Of
Aearney County. aud his trial pushed :. .Iily for
yard; and on the 18th OF January be was found
:uilty OF murder In the first degree, and sentenced
o be hanged April 20. He laughed in the face Of
he 9Mags whsn b. sentence Wus 2ronounced md
ried On the Charge Of numbering anderson. the !.
ightest Ct his crimes, but the one in which the /
'roof wns most ensily attatnabc. The trial, of
onrse, was mere legal formality to get rid Of 4
dangerous monster.
After his arrest, Richards gave a clrcumstantial
ccount OF the 1nurllcr OF the Harelson family,
making his statements almost glcefu}1y, give |
b hem 70 ron as he has .tvcn them to me in several
He Killed the family about Dec. 10, having de-
fded several days before that he would do so He |
rose early IN the morning. before any OF bis IN
enueo victims were awake, and, partially dressing
1mself' procured IN AZ, and proceedeu to |
lis terrible work. He frar strurE fho uor,o,, |