Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-11-02
by Telegraph TO tho Herald


NEGRO "GoSE TO HEAVEN.
by Telegraph TO tho Herald
NEWTON, N. c., Oct. %, 1880,
The first execution in the history Of
this (Catawba) county was witnessed to-
day mt this placc-the county site. I'M
der the laws Of North Carolina II Is a
matter of discretion with the Commits
sioners of each county whether eXccu-
tions shall bc public or private. IL Is to
lJe said to the credit Of the officials gem
efally, that since the passage of this
law the sentence Of death has been oXe-
cuted upon criminals in this State, with
rare exceptions, inside Of jail enclosures,
and In the presence of u guard, report
ers, ministers, physicians and II few
spectators, TO whom tickets were issued.
But in this instance the Commissioners,
pandering to the depravcd tastes of the
populace, ordered the execution public,
and It took place in the presence Of q
great gathering OF people, who gazed
and gapcd and josQed each othcr'fOrthe
position closest upon the heels of the
guard and within the best view Of the
gibbet. III 49,.
- lDm CRIME.
The victim In this casc was one Chas,
Pearson, alias Henry Williams, n negro,
and the crime for which he has Gist huf-
fercd death was committed In the town
of Hickory, In this county, on theinlght.
of Saturday. Auguetl7. The story Is
brief and may be told in n few Words
on the night In question Harrison k IN
dor, colored In company with n'eol0red
girl, Julia shores, was staading upon
tlie railroad platform at llickory.wnlllng
for the comlngpf train. While thus
standing and engaged IN conversation
Henry WilliQms--as ! shall call him,
this being the name by which hewqsiat
the time known and the name under
which he was tried--came upon the plat.
form, approached the couple, SLAPPED
the glrl and kicked her compnnioh.-
Surprised at the onset, Kinder inquired
of his assailunt whathc meant, receiy-
inc the re- csponBc, "l mean to cut your
damned henrt OUT Kinder reached
down as II to pick up something, and .as
Inc stragntcned himself Williams, who
had rcccdcd few steps and turned his
back, produced u razor,l wheeled ana
attacked him with II, cutting him In the
left arm below the elbow. kidncr, me
blond pouring IN n stream from the
wounded member, repaired ut once 'p'
hla boarding house, where the arm was
dressed by n physician. II had been cut
through clothes, ilcsb and muscle 70 the
homo. but the blood WIS stIpnchcd nild
The pntlent was left In some comfort, -
subsequently he went ont of the house
and eil, cruising 4 fresh hcmorrhagc'--
The following day he was ON the street
ono lmprudenCc after another cauaeu n
finnl rupturu Of the ulnp artery, aud on
wednesday nlaht following the dillielll-
~ the patient died.
ARTIST ASD TRIAL. r
Tho slayer was at once arrested ana
lodpcd.nnd inil NJ Newton. Ten lays
lalcr Cniawbn Superior Court convened,
.iudrr Bennett presiding. The prisoner
was nrrnIpncd and his trial commenced
on "wednesday Of the first week. so
lirltor Adams aud Mcssrs. R,J. Sluph
AMI ID N. 'rutllc appeared for the state,
anJ Mrssra, u, q, d r. II. Cobb. George
ucCorklo nnd W. q. Burkhcad appear
nd bv nppointmcnt Of the Court, for the
dsienco, The testimony occupied one
lac. aud the arguments the greater part
ogthn next. After nm absence from the
hos of three hours the jury. returned
vJb ,sitb the verdict, "Oulliy," aud tho
Canrt sentenced The prisoner 10 be hang
cJ lila day (i'flday,) October 2N'
w Williams heard his doom without mp.
,,rsnt emotion. aud nt once resigned
Ii,rsslf to hia Gtlc. There wac no np-
nai a,d ii,cro bns been no Application