National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-04-02

|
| stated that when quito young he had been
kicked in the head by horse, and ever after
was subject 10 q queer sensation" in the
! head. Stone was frequently morose and when
| crossed in any way showed q very passionate
| disposition. In 1868 ho removed to Bethel
| Me-, with one of Mr.. Dunn's family, aud re-
manned there until 1869. when he returned TO
North Yarmouth. In addition to his duties
as a farm hand he had charge of a large stable
of horses and gave great satisfaction TO his
employers. In 1870 he left Maine aud came
South, settling In Virginia, where he ro-
manned until the summer Of 1871, when he
NOV cd TO this city. In 1872 he was employed
at the Associated Press building, corner OF
| Fourteenth street and Pennsylvania avenue
no rtlwcst, as a jauitor, and continued there
until 1876, when he entered into business with
another colored man in keeping restaurant,
near the Baltimore & Ohio depot, and it was
while engaged in this business that lie COM
mitted the crime for which he has been sen
| teuced to be hanged.
STONES CRIME.
The crime for which Stone is to suffer the
extreme penalty Of the law was committed
about $3.50 o'clock Saturday evening, October
>, 1878, in two.story frame house, No. 1l41
| Nineteenth street northwest. Alberta or Al
| vuerta Stone, wifo of the murderer, not hay
ing lived pleasantly with her husband, left
him and took up her abode with her two
| children aud her younger sister, Lavlnia
| Pitcher, in tho house. Stone made repeated
visits TO the house, and on each occasion
quarreled with his wife aud sistcr-in'law. He
appeared to be victim of Jealousy, and ac-
cused the sister OF taking the wife away from
him. On the Saturday night, October 3, 1878,
he came to see them about 0 o'clock.
| Mrs. Stones two children wcro asleep
up stairs, and Mrs. Stone, 1t is thought,
was busy in the room with them.
Lavinia was in tho front room down stairs.
.. s.n.s.
jamb along with it. Very few words wero
spoken. lie then attacked Lavinia savagely
| with an open razor, chased her screaming into
the yard back Of the house, comered her, aud
deliberately cut her throat. Mrs. Stone, hoar-
ing her sisters shrieks then came down stairs
to save her, If possible, when tho enraged
brute fell upon her aud hacked at her throat
with the razor, making horrible, ghastly
wound.
Stone then ran from the house. Tho two
women ran after him, but fell before reaching
the sidewalk. The fearful cries Of tho women
had by this time aroused the neighhors, and
they crowded to the spot to find the women
lying in great pools of their own blood. Three
colored men who saw Stone leave the house
gave chase, and after pursuing him over cir
Cuitous route, captured him rs he was at
tempting to climb over the fence Of Jardne's
nursery. They brought him back toward the
SCENE or THE TRAGEDY,
Dut on tnclf way We're meU ny y iHlBe crown
of neighbOrs, who attempted to take the pris-
oner from them, evidently for the purpose Of
lynching him, as their threats were loud aud
deep. stones captors held to him manlnlly
until the arrival of the police officers, Hess
and Burrows, 10 whom lie was delivered and
taken to tho Fourth precinct station.
Drs. Newman Royburn, Mallan and Men,
dell were summoned TO the house, and in.
voked all the skill they possessed to save the
lives of tho unfortunate women, but their
skill proved of little avail in Alberta's case.
She died next day Sunday about o'clock.
As she was unable to speak before her death,
no deposition could be taken from her lips.
Lieutenant Hurley questioned her in the
presence Of Justice Taylor, and she indicated
by mods and shakes Of the head that
Stone had cut her, and that sho had had
10 quarrel with him. Her sister Lavina, tho
only living eyewitness to the terrible scenes,
was able to talk for a short time the day after
: the affair. and in brief narrated the facts oil
Stones visit and attack upon herself and sis
ter, as told above. The razor which StouC
0 used, q common one with n wooden handle
4 was picked up in the yard OF the house By
+ Lieutenant Hurley,
f An interesting Incident of the tragedy Il
) that during all the disturbance and commotiOl
5 the two children, who were sleeping up stairs
t were not walked, and they wero found after
ward sleeping as peacefully as though nothing
{ had happened. One Of the children belongs
: to Stone; the other his wife had before he
> marriage with him. Laviuia, the sister, re
Q covered entirely from the wound inflicted upoi
q her, and was the most important witness
, against Stone at the trial. After two postpone
ments
S STONES TRIAL
u was begun Thursday, September 49, 1879
+ nearly year after the crime was committed
d Owing to his poverty, the Court assigned hi
s defense TO Mr. A. X. Browne and PrOfesso
! yvh m al nj cd laip ~
t of defense would be that the defendant was in
@ sane at the time he committed the act 1t wa
J. proposed to show that Stone, in early life
It while living IN the State Of Maine, received al
If injury to the head from which he had nevc
n fully recovered, and when under excitomen
he lost both rcGson and control Of himself.
+. The trial lnsted three days, and despite th
Is efforts Of stones counsel resulted in the Iur
q bringing In u verdict of guilty as indicted.
o The prisoner received the verdict unmoved
10 and in fact, it did not seem to surprise any
d body, as 1t had been generally anticipated tina
y such would be the result Of the trial
d A motion In arrest Of Judgment and motto
/. of a motion for a new trial was entered.
% On tho 25th of October, 1873, he was scr
IF fenced to be hanged December 49, but hi
/. counsel taking an sppeal, the time was e.
y tended thirty days. The motion for II ne
t. trial, made when the verdict was rendered
;" was ovsrrulcd and the eth Of last Februar
g fixed for his execution. Owing to the strenl
% Gus efforts made by his friends and counse
|. another respite Of thirty days was granted b
Is President Hayes-this time until the Goth
3 March. AS this would fall on Good Frda.
t. another stay Of sentence for one week WI
," given until Friday, April 2. 1880.
nc THE CoU M RECORD.
u, Following is a loyal history of the case
ID shown By the records of the courts Indctc
n December 49, 1878; case called and continue
t, December ~ motion for postponement WI
Q. made by Stones counsel, j. b. Sweat {
I'd March % aud Ovorruled; Mr.. Sweat then witt
g. drew from the case and A. X. Browne W
at assigned to the defense; trial postponed unit
" March 81, 1879, when jury was cmpanele
NJ but never sworn another continuance WI
~ granted June 10; September %, trial bcga
at September 20, jury was obtainedi Septemb
a. 27, verdict of guilty; OctOber2, motion for no
IN trial filed; October 25, motion overruled al
re sentenced to be hanged December 49, Mover
or Der Is, bill Of exceptions filed; November 2
execution of sentence suspended; Janusry
Is 1880 argued in General Term January
I'd judgment Of court below affirmed; January
d, objection TO further sentence filed and owe
m ruled, and Stone sentenced to be hangC
nc February 81; February 10, writ Of execute
Il issued February "a, respited until March
" March a. respited to April 2,