The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-07-15
FOUR NEGROES HANGED.
HOW THE MURDERER OF WILLIE
BLACK MET HIS DOOM.
Refusing the Services ofs Clergyman, Saying thai
he ''Didn's Want any Nonsense on the Scaff-
old"-An Improved Hanging Machine.

N-
Cincinnati, July 9.-George Allen Price, the
murderer Of Willie Black, was hanged In the yard
Of the Hamilton County jail this forenoon. Price
was colored, born a slave In Kentucky thirty.sev.
en- years ago, was freed by the war, and came 10
Cincinnati, where he has since lived He was
employed as porter in the tobacco warehouse Of
Mr.. Black. Quantities of tobacco having been
missed, detective was put on the track and the
result was the arrest Of Price as the thief Mr.,
Black did not believe him guilty and went his
bail. Later developments, however, showed the
undoubted guilt Of Price, and Black directed his
discharge from his service. Price became so in.
censed at this that he vowed to kill the detective,
his former employer, and all concerned. On April
80, 1879, he placed large navy revolver In Gov
cred basket and went to the warehouse In search.
Of his victims. The first one be met was Mr., Black
He demanded OF Mr., Black retraction OF the
charge Of larceny which was refused, whereupon
Price drew the revolver from the basket and fred
three shots at him In quick succession, all taking
effect, and causing death by the severing Of the
spinal cord at the small Of the back, Price fed,
followed by a crowd, which he keptback by -four
ishing his revolver. He was finally arrested and
convicted Of murder in the first degree. He was
sentenced to be hanged on May 2S, but on repre-
rentations that he was insane, Gov, Foster gave
him a respite till July9
The conduct Of Price under sentence has been
described as cold, hard, and unrepentant BE had
aparticular adherence Of reporters, Hisredeem
ing traits were his intense concern for his family
Until the age Of twelve years Price said he was
reared Catholic, when, through the influence Of
a woman, who became his wife, he joined the
Baptist church; that he abandoned years ago, and
to the last he refused to have spiritual adviser
An hour before the execution the iailer asked
him, Are you prepared TO die'" He answered
"Yes' I'VE always been prepared, ever since
was born" To his best friends converEing with
him this morning he said Z" l suppose man ex.
lists hereafter, and II God made me Of dust and
breathed life into me I'm his own and I'll trust
him TO take care Of me. don't want any non.
sense about 1t on the scafold" One OF the most
active in trying to get his punishment commuted
to imprisonment for life asked him II he thought
he was sane at all times, and he replied firmly:
"Why yes. I've been sane all the time He ev.
Identity hoped for executive clemency to within
two hours OF the execution, when the jailer dis
abused his mind.
This morning he ate no breakfast, During all
the forenoon from hRif-past In the morning ne
drank great deal OF whisky, smoked cigars,
talked freely and cheerfully sought out prisoners
In the jail and asked their pardon in cases where
he supposed he had given otfense, and sent word
to JHdge Longworth, the Judge who pronounced
sentence, asking forgiveness for words used in
letter rent to him. He took occasion to express
the most intense gratitudeto some ladies who had
visited him In jail and to the wife of the jaler,
coupled with the wish that there might be here
after in which he would be able to repay the
kindness which was so dear, becanse rendered
when the whole public seemed to he merciless
and enIaged against him. The enormity OF his
crime and the business of his punishment he fully
realized and frequently took occasion to remark
that all disposition TO complain OF the courts and
public had vanished, he requested the Sheriff to
delay the hanging until half past II, and the sher'
on the way to the scaffold he called on a sery.
ant and some little children In the jail yard, bRde
them farewell, and hoped better life and death
for them than his. His interview with his wife
lasted TWO hours after eight in the morning. His
only daughter did not visit him since yesterday.
On the scaffold he was firm and composed. To
seversl persons IN the crowd whom he recognized
he bid farewell. Just before the black cap was
applied he addressed the spectators saying, I've
tried to live we'll and die the best can' The
nooEe was not drawn tight enough, and, when
the trap ell, II slipped and failed to break the
victims neck, For ten minutes the pulse peat.
The body, when cut down, was taken TO the
crowded streets and exhibited. By his request,
his funeral will be quiet and from the Widows
residence next Sunday This is the first hanging
In Cincinnati since the triple hanging OF the muir
derers Of James Hughes, the coal dealer, In 1867.
Charleston, July 9.-Dsniel Washington, alias
Carter, notorious negro desperate and the lead
Or OF gang Of outlaws and horse thieves, who in
tested this and the adjoining counties for several
years, was hanged at 1880 to-day for the murder
Of Allen Collins, colOred witness who had been
summoned to testify against him in horse steal
ing case The murder was committed on Sept. H.
1877 but Washington was not captured TILL IN the
early part Of 1879. he was convicted and sen.
fenced to death, but appealed, and, the appeal
being decided unfavorably, he was hanged to day.
The execution was conducted in private. and
death was immediate. In his last moments he
was attended by two Catholic clergymen.
Goldsboro, N. c., July 9-The negro, Alexander
Howard, was hanged at 2 p. m. day for the
murder of an aged white man named Babel Au-
try in Sampson County on July 25 1878 About
1000 persons witnessed the hanging. Everything
passed off IN good order, Howard protested his
innocence to the last and made a very bitter har
angue from the scatfGld; but the crime was fully
proved against him by his slepson, who was an
accomplice In the deed,
Augusta, Ga, July 9,-Henry Ryan, colored, was
hanged in Waynesboro Burke County, Ga, to-day,
for the murder Of negro woman named Mary
Thomas, in December last. Ryan killed the wo.
man to get her money about SC, which had Just
been paid her. He confessed yesterday for the
irst time that he committed the deed The hang
ing was witnessed by fully 1000 persons prtnci-
pally negroes. Ryan made a long speech from
the gallows, acknowledging his guilt and the JUS
uCe Of his sentence. he said he was going
straight to heaven; thstWhileants an bugs would
have his body Jesus would have his soul. At
1890 p. m, the trap fell. Ryan's neck was broken
and he died soon.
Anderson Jones, who was TO haYe been hanged
here to-day, was respiled until decision is made
by the Supreme Court.