The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-09-10
In the Shadow of the Gallows.

| On sunday, tue 2nu OF November
last, Green Redding, colored man,
murdered his wife, Adeline, to whom
he was lawfully married, in a cabin on
the west bank of the river almost op-
posite this Office. The deed was COM
mitted about noon and with a pocket
knife by stabs in the neck and breast.
The act was witnessed by little negro
girl, who testified that Green held Ad-
! eline's head down on the bed and
stabbed her three times in the neck !;
and also by one Haywood Moore, who
swore that he saw Green strike Ade-
line, run his hand in his pocket, and,
catching her by the hair, stab her in
the neck. Lizzie Williams testified
that she heard the little negro girl cry
out, "Mamma, Uncle Green done
killed Adeline," and looking that way,
saw Adeline sitting on the floor, her
head leaning on her hand and the
blood spouting from her wounds.
Green fled, was pursued and captured
on this side of the river, which he
waded in his flight. He was commit
ted to prison without bail, after an in
vestigation before Parish Judge Gar
rett, at which he made voluntary
statement, confessing his guilt, plead.
ing in extenuation, only, that he had
been with some fellows drinking that
day; that his wife had left him for
what reason he did not know that he
only wanted to talk to her, and that he
did not know how or where he cut her,
or what made him do it.
In April, Green was tried for his
life before District Judge Richardson,
and found guilty of murder by the
jury, there being no plea of justifica-
ton to offer, nor escape from the stern
verdict as rendered. Called up to be
sentenced, Green, in response to the
usual inquiry why the sentence of the
law should not be pronounced, said,
without visible emotion and with ap-
parent resignation: 81 do not know
how I came to do it, sir; 1 cannot tell,
sir. I done it and can't give any bet
ter evidence, sir.' The sentence fol-
lowed-ssThat you be taken, by the
sheriff of the parish of Ouachita, from
the Jail and hanged by the neck until
you are dead ~
The condemned man was re-incarce-
rated and securely chained to the floor
of the lower cell in the parish Jail |,
where he has since remained meditat-
ing upon his enormous crime and pre-
pairing for his awful doom. His case
was appealed, on legal points, to the
Supreme Court meanwhile, only to
have his sentence confirmed and
Green Redding is to be hanged three
weeks from to-day, October LIST. His
department in prison has been that of
calm resignation, and his time chiefly
occupied in preparations for death, in
which solemn task he has been assisted
by all the ministers of the city, white
and colored, Parson Reuben Benson
(colored) being, probably, his nearest
adviser.
The condemned prisoner is likely
looking young man, about thirty-four
years of age, heavy set, copper-colored,
and about five feet, nine inches in
uelSHC. Ills uaA1, "AASu 10 ASaA1y
straight, had grown long, but was cut
a few days ago, and was plated into
small wisps by Green, as mementoes
for his children, of whom he has two
Or three. He is, as stated, rcconciled
to death, saving the manner, and
makes only the request that he be
buried ut tho side of his murdered
Wife.
The execution will take place in the
courthouse square, Immediately in
front of the Jail, the gallows to be the
same as that used by Sheriff Hamlet
in the hanging Of Toney Nellum and
and Alcee Harris in November, 1875,
since which time the dread instrument
has lain idle.
It is to ne hoped that the executioner
for which place the sheriff has three
applications, he informs us) will per-
form his duty without repetition OF
the horrifying scene in old Toney's
case, and that the curious who may be
drawn hither to witness the execution