National Republican., 1880-11-19


by Messrs. II. II. Wells jr., Randolph Coyle and
john A. Hayward, while Pinn's case was managed
by Me.srs, Q. NJ. smith, T. +. Miller and y r Riley
Perry, conducted the prosecution. The main wit
ness for the defense was
BENJ1MIN JOHNSON,
one OF tho four men concerned In the murder, who
gained his freedom by testifying for the govern
ment. His story was in substance as follows: lie
met Bedford. Pinn and Queenan about halfpnst
o'clock on the evening Of the murder al the corner
ofTwefth and streets, and was asked to go king-
Ing with them; after taking roundabout journey
they reached the corner OF and Fourteenth
streets aud taking the north sldo Of street walked
on toward Gcorgctown Bedford urged them TO
quicken their pace. saying Hurry up; II you don't,
we'll be latc" Bedford at the same time picked up
Il stone, which he carried with him; they stopped
at Seventeenth street and were passed by man
with an ovorcoat on, who oftcrward proved obo
HirIh; the four men then hurried on, and when
they overlook Hirlh Babe, stepping up behind him.
knocked him down with the stone; Hrth cried
For Gods sake Babe, don't Kill me- Babe replied,
You = - -, have got you aud am go
blow; Quconan, Joining In the assault, kicked the
PROSTATE man, aud Plum struck him with his hst;
Johnson cried out "For Gods sake don't kill tina!
man." and then He'd from the sceno. large
amount Of evidence was offered corroborating dil,
ferent points of Johnson's statement. scarf
HSSa o%gP day S Wa aSd IN court as Belong @
ing to Bedford. In defense, an effort was made In
the case Of each OF the accused mon
TO ESTABLISH AN ALIDr.
QueetGn accounted for his time by saying that
he was at the house OF his sweetheart Sarah Turner
ON Tenth street between i and u, from to 10
o'clock on the night of the murder. Plum and
Bedford both claimed to have been ot the house
OF Mrs. Hal, 1864 Il street Mt the time OF the
murder Both Bedford and Qusennn failed to sup;
port their statements with Substantial evidence,
their witnesses In fact confusing times dates and
persons to such degree that they probably did
much damage to the defense. In Pinns case, how
ever the evidence TO corroboratc his statement
was strong clear and consistent. Tho most dra-
matte pUigDlo of tll tFinl the introduction
of deaf and dumb witness, colorod woman
| named Emma Johnson. The defense desired to
show by this woman that the day after The murder
| Ben johnson came 70 her, showed her SILVER
watch and ring, and told her by signs that he and
| another man had wayluid and robbed q man the
| night before. As the woman was destitute OF all
| means of communicating with persons about her
| except by the crudest pantomime, finally, aher a
vain attempt by Professor GallRudot, OF tho deai
| aud dumb college, TO examine her, she was sent
home, and carried her secret Whatever twas, with
her. The jury werO nearly thrty-sx hours In ar
riving at u conclusion, Pinus str0ug dciense caus
ing q difference of opinion at first which wa'
| finally overcome. On Saturday, March l3. the mo-
| tlons made for a new trial were denied and the
| three men wero
SENTENCED
to be hanged on the 3O,h day of April following
| A suspension Of execution was granted aud thI
case was taken to the court in genera! term on mp
peal The opinion Of the court In general term
| affirming the Judgment of the court below, wa
announced on the 9th day of June. On the 2jd o
June Justice Hagner resentenced the men TO b'
| hanged on lne lOtn OF slhLluB lnht III
gave the condemned men an unusually long less'
| Of llfo in. order that their counsel might hay,
ample time TO develope the new eyidcuce whicl
they intmated that they had discovered. AS th'
| 10th of September approached great efforts wor'
made TO induce. the president to commute
tho sentence. Of death to impriSonmen
the counsel of the prisoners ronsacking th
whole District for evidence tending TO ciou'
the case with doubt. The president left Washing
ton OH his astern tour on the 2Gih Of August an'
on the day OF his departure signed
pgppttvE
postponlng the execution until tho 10Th of Noyem
ber Tho purpose OF this pospJnemeu, was tha
the case might have q iaireSt onsideratiOn Til
president returned 10 tle city on the 9th instant
and was Immediately besleged by the friends q
the condemned men. The excitement which FOL
lowed tho trial having died away, there wer
many persons ready to interCcde for The con
| demncd men, In fact, II Is probable that there
no case on record in which there has been such
marked change in the public feeling ana ID whlc
so many persons asSert0 doubt Of the guilt Of th
men. ON Tuesday, the 9th instant the president
decision 10 commute the sentence IN Pinn's cas-
to imprisonment for life aud TO let the law take II
course was made known. Since that day the ei
forts in behalf of Bedford and Quccnan have nc
been relaxed. The argument Is used that an
doubt affecting Pinns case must Affect the eases
the other two men, as the three were convicted o
the same evidence. The two men, however, SUI
rendering all hope began to make ready
FOR THE AWFUL DEATH
before them, and have spent the greater part {
their time In religious preparations. They hay
| never WaYercd In their declarations thnt they wer
innocent and that Johnson sworc away their livc
Even to their spiritual advisers, to whom they hay
expressed themselves freely, they have never oC
mltted the crime in any way.
THE con NDEMNED MEN.
The four mon charged with the murder were n
| good singers, and rOumed about the streets
night on serenadlug excursions. Pinn was til
only ono of the four who bore good reputation
peaceable and honest man Bedtords rigl
name Ia Joseph Neyerson. He Is muauo nearl
six feet In height aud says that he is about twenty
two years OF age. lie was born at place betwee
, Rockville and poole3yillc IN Maryland, ana Wa
brought to this city when only one year old. II
mother first settled In Georgetown. aud then move
to Samson street, in which vicinity Bedford spci
the rest of his life. His father enlisted
the army, and his mother hearing that h
! had been killed married u man name
Bedford, from whom Babe took the name that h
bears Neycson Iere however, turned up nn, aiN
confusion IN the family relations. Babe was raise
like most of the children of fcolored parents IN th1
: snonring much OF his time on the streets, whcI
he contracted vicious habits. He learned the COZ
iectIonery business at Buckinghams,, on Fou
, teenth Street near Il, and during the latter fou
years of his life has been employed by various cor
iectioners lie has no relatives IN ms city no.
except On aunt named Ann Hall, living III souI
Edward Queenan, q genuine African IN appea
i Rncc. short and thick set, was borne somewhere
Maryland, but exactly where, he does not know
He thinks that he Is abou. nineteen years old, II
was brought to this city when nchild, ana lik
Bedford was brought up IN the northern pnrt OF III
city Since he has been old enough 10 work for
living he has generally been engaged rs car
driver. When arrested he was working ns
I porter FOR an oyster dealer. Queenln hns been a.
! rested several times and bore bad reputation /
police circles lie had some education, hayln
attended the publ ic schools short time MS moihe
, n respectable cooIcd, woman lives III Bagden
alley, and has been IN the gr0a'est distress eve
since Edward was arrested. Tho singing cub
which the two condemned men belonged was o
gauizcd several years ago, ana theTe were IN
!. Plnn, Queenan, Tom und VIII Coleman NiiliGl
Ellis James johnson (WhO was shot by J, ).
Johnson, q young white man, almost Al lhe door
Mr.. Hirths store on March ~ lnsu ana Georg
LiuCon They met for practice usually at DAYl
Whites on Samson street, aud though most
them could sing by note, they usually sang by ca
: They had not been out singing FOR Two weeks b'
fore Mr.. Hrth was killed
THE GALLOWs
ON which they will be executed Is tho same MS TN
on which j. NJ w. Stone wa, hanged last sprini
. though 1t hus been altered in some particulars,
{ provide for the hanging of two men at ono tint
Stone, owing TO the wording oi the sentence, wa
executed in the Jail yard, Bedford and Queena
viii bO hanged In the Jail The gallows has bee
erected i'm the northeast OF the jail, IN III
area between the outer and the inner walls OF tn
building.
Government Ohioers and tho License nuoi
! ton.
The grand lodge of Independent Order {
! Good Tempars of tho District, holding its rel
ular annual session ut Washington hall, lai
{ Wednesday evening passed the following re
Olution;
/ Resoirsd That 1t s with, no common degree
pleasure that this grand lodge Of the lndependel
order Of Good Templars of the District Of Colun
hin recognizes the manly and noble act Of POstma
ter.Gencral Maynard aud Hon. John D. Deirees
protesting against mo SAFE OF lqu9r ~ ,lS ilniH