Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-18
The Hirth NIurdeYers.

The Hirth Murderers.
RUSH FOR PASSES TO SEE The EXECUTION.
Yesterday. there was aperfect stream OF yisi.
tors to the jail, including many women. so.h
white and colored. and the residence C. Warden
Crocker. was besieged before he got ont of be
In the morning by applicants for tickets OF al
nission'to see the execution of Bedford aui
QueeDan, condemned for the murder of George
PHILIP Hlrth In January last. Among the appIi-
cants for passes was Tobias Brown, who was an
important witness for the government In the
trial, and who, as the defendants claimed had
guilty knowledge OF the murder, If he did not
have direct hand in it. Brown stated that
tnere was q report hat he could not look on
could.
Yesterday the prisoners were not allowed to
see Others than their relatives. the ministers
ana such other persons only as they themselves
desired TO see. Most Of the day was spent by
Q1eenan In reading religious work called the
Pastors Manual, while Bedford passed his
time In prayer and meditation.
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH BEDFORD
oy representative OF THE STAR yesterday the
prisoner stated that he was born at residence
on the road between Rockville and PoolesvIlle.
IN montgomery county. Md, and he believed
bapy ne about ~ years Of age that when
Georgetown and lived there about year and
men moved out to Samson street, in this city.
and that he has lived there or in that vicinity
ever since. When a small child his father,
Ne7ersOn, enlisted In the army, and word
came that he had been killed or was
oeao, and some time afterwards his mothe
married man named Bedford and he Nhe prs.
oner) mad been known by this name since; bu /,
his father came back. He had attended school
at the sumner building. and then near 18th ana
N streets-at Mrs simmons. He learned tn
confectionery business at Buckingham's, on
l4th street, between and Streets and after
wards worked for Mr. Heoner, 14th, near P
street, ana Kaiser, Massachusetts, avenue, near
18th street-working in all about four years.
ne mad also worked some, driving cart for his
Iather The singing club. spoken OF In the tes-
tlmony at the trial, was organized several years
ago. and there were In it Pian, Queenan,
Tom and VIII Coleman, William Ellis,
James johnson [who was shot by j. S. N. John.
son. young white man, almost at the door of
Mr. Hlrths store, on March Goth last.) and Geo.
Lincoln. They met for practice usually at David
Whites, on Samson street, and though most OF
them could sing by note, they usually sang by
weeks before Mr.. Hirth was killed. When a
boy he (Bedford] went to the Baptist Sunday
school on X street, between 18th and 18TH
streets, (JOhnsons,) and the lessons he then
arrest. once he had been arrested on suspicion
OF steallng, cut Was let out, and once for being
loud and boisterOuS.
BEDFORD ASSERTS HIS INNOCENCE
He said he last saw Mr.. Hirth the Monday
before his death, and may have seen him Tues
day he worked for Mr.. Hirth over a year,
and there never was a cross word between
them. MIR. Hirth trusted him in his store He
was certain that he did not see Mr.. Hirth on
the day he was killed, for he was at work all
That day for Mr. Lighter, and he never saw him
TIL after the girl told him that he was dead. He
went home that night about IL or l o'clock,
ard found Lincoln asleep there. "The Lord
Knows that am innocent and I'll die so. l
feel feel Ike Ike, the Lord 4Sa+ Is Standing by me
have been rejoicing that God has pardoned me
for month. | have asked Him TO pardon me
and He has, but did not ask for pardon for the
crime charged against NE, for | ain free of that.
Before die | want to say that although nave
been punished once or twice for what / did not
do during the nearly 10 months have been
larry Messrs. Hudson, Woodward and Jones.
In fact all have been good to me-
A TALK WITH oUEENAN.
Queenan stated to The STAR reporter that he
was born in Maryland, but did not know where;
that when mere child he was brought mere
and had always lived In the northern part of
the city. He went TO the Rhees school on 9th
street, between P and Q streets for about four
He used to go to Sunday school on 18th and K
streets, and Joined the singing club with the
other boys on Samson street some years ago.
He was once in jail for nine months for fight
Ing, and in the work house for seven days be.
cause an officer grabbed him when standing In
front Of church. He knew Mr.. Hirtn well,
tQueenan) was innocent. He was fully pre-
pared TO 90, however, for God had spoken peace
TO his soul, when he was all alone In his cell on
Saturday night.
been committed, appears to be quite unwell,
AID, like the others, still asserts his innocence
THE SCAFFOLD,
owing to the wording of the sentence, that the
exc execution shall take place within the walls OF
the jail. the gallOwS has been erected in the east
corridor OF the north wing; the prisoners cells
being In the south wing. This Sca1old was
built new for the execution OF Stone, the struc-
lure In use for the past Is years having become
worn Id the service, but the iron work OF the
ola one was used In this. 1t stands short dis
lance nom the extreme north wall, and the
platform is about as high as the first tier or
cells. The rope attached TO the trap runs
through box into the window of the las5 cell
I from ,, whence it VIII be pulled on
1t is built OF select Georgia pine and its dimsn
sions are: Height OF cross beam e by 5 inch
u dn, q feet, platform II feet square, sup.
Teet drop feet, height of railing 30 Inches. The
platform IS reached 10y a fight OF wide stems
from the south side OF the structure over the
cross Deam an additional piece of timber is
placed 10 strengthen 1t, and through them both
run the rope, one end made fast 10 iron cleats
on the uprights and the other arranged in a
Moose. Ihese ropes are Manila and seven
eighthS OF an inch In diameter
Yesterday afternoon MeSsrs. Wells and Coyle
OF couhsel lor defense, were engaged In Copying
the papers In the case at Gen. Crocker'S oflIcs
with view TO some further action.
LEAVE TAKING.
The mother and stepfather OF Bedford had a
long Interview with him at the jail to-day. and
although he appeared TO realize that this might
be his last interview with them he did not an
pear to be cast down, but wore cheerful look,
and IN reply TO question, he said he felt first
rate this morning.
THE SHADOW OF THE GALLOWS
The ropes We're rugged in the cross beam OF
the galioWs this afternoon, and MI J. X
wright, the undertaken, took a view OF the
prisoners this afternoon In order to prepare
their cofiinS
THERE Is AN IMPRESSION ABROAD
r. 10 p.{co
Wells and Coyle-were engaged yesterday Iook-
ing over the papers, and that they found so.ne-
thing On which to base writ OF habeas corpus
AT any rate, they took cOpioGS notes OF tue
sentence and orders in the case yesterday and
had private interview with the prisoners in
the office OF the jail.
THE PRISONERS THIS MORNING
were all as cheerful as they were yesterday, and
when Rev Mr.. Gibbons called he was gladly
received by each OF them. He went In their
ceu and sung. prayed and talked with them
They entered into devotional exercises with
spirit, and expressed themselves ready to meet
thelr COD They repeated also that they were
innocent OF the crime.
HENPLER, ~ ST., has splendid glasses at 81.