Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-04-03

stones DPcdpifOtiOn.
Previous Executions Here.

The execution OF Stone at the jail here yes
terday, for the murder OF his wife, AlFerta
Stone, in October. 1875 and the remarkable oc-
eurrence of decapitation OF the condemned man
Oy the rope-hlS head being completely severed
from the body, was the general theme OF con-
versatiOn Throughout the city last evening
The extra STARS, with the account of the horrid
scene, sold rapidly. and there was largely in
creased demand for the regular edition OF our
paper. The news of the beheading spread rap
idly through the country. and the special cor
respondents OF outside papers were telegraphed
TO send detailed accounts OF the singular occur
renee. Some OF those who were present were
nauseated at the terrible sight. IL was OBJ
served by the physicians that the SKIN OF
was layer OF fat or adipOse tissue almost
an inch in thickneSs) under 1t, and the spine
was remarkably slender for so heavy
a built man. II was observed, too, that the
rope had cut in just under the chin. and the
rope, striking the atlas, took of the skull as
clean as IL a knife had been used. There was
much com ment as 70 the cause OF the miShap,
and attempts were made to recall other similar
occurrences. IL was stated at first that there
was but one other such case On record, which
TOOK place In Boston some seven or eight years
since. One such occurrence took placei il Dub
lin some years ago, and there have been one or
Nv, Two Gas cases in England, but probably
iumbus, Ohio in 1857. In this case there
were two men eXecuted-one a well-built
man weighing nearly 200 pounds and the other
a small man weighing about 120 pounds Both
had about feet fall. and when the trap was
sprung the larger man hung in the old orthodox
way, but the smaller mans head was cut clean
on, as IN the case OF Stone yesterday. DrS Car
roll, Mcrgan and Crook Sewed the head on the
BODY and left no outward appearance OF the de-
eapltauon, and Drs. Noble Young (the physician
10 the Ja1D Eliot, Newman Alexander McWil-
Hams. b. b. Adams and Others were present
and al expressed the opinion that this was the
most remarkable instance OF the weakness OF
muscular tissue they had ever observed or read
OF, and Ii was totally at variance with the
theory OF medical officers OF prisons that the
stability OF the head is not endangered with
hemp rope OF fiyeeighthS inch or over If the fall
does not exceed the height of the man. and In
this case the fall was but feet lncheS-over a
foot less than his height.
FORMER EXECUTIONS IN THE DISTRICT.
The following notes OF former executions in
the District under the civil law may not be un-
interesting in this connection:
Daniel E. Woodward was executed in the jail
yard. corner OF 4th and G. streets. on September
2, 1853, for the murder OF his Wife and met his
tate calmly and with apparent indifference.
James Powers was hung al the old Jail on the
10Th OF JuDe, 1862, for the murder of E. A. LutZ
OF Baltimore. This grew out of a difficulty in
0ar-room. and the execution was done by Mar
shall Selden personally.
Augustus Ford. colOred, was hung on March
3. 1868, for the murder OF George Adams, COL
ored, the motive Ia this case being jealousy.
Cornelius Tueil. who committed one or the
most attrocious murderS-that OF his Wife by
beating her with hammer and then placing
her lifeess body in ped with his two children
was executed July ) 1864 Peter GOodpn col
Ored, convicted OF the murder OF Banks was to
have been hung On the same day. but his sen
tence was cOmmuted 10 Imprisonment for life
After this there was an interval OF seven
years when there were no executions. and Gen.
John :. Croker having been appointed the
warden OF the JAIL and being still In that posi-
ton, the executions from 1871 TO the present
time have been Under his supervision. That or
yesterday was the only ore at which there has
been any miShap or deviation from the OrthO-
dOx hanging. The first case he had On his
hands was that or James Grady. hung March
2ith, ISL, for the murder OF Mrs Fannie Faux
ner, an aged white lady. residing on Ohio ave
nue, by outraginS her person from the effects OF
which she died Grady. who had spent an
eyentful life, having during the war been a
blockade runner and made many perilouS trips
was perhaps the coolest OF all hung up to this
time, and was much like Stone In that he freely
spoke OF his approaching fate with apparent in
difference.
The next execution was that OF George w.
jenkins, y0ang, athletic cOlOred man for the
murder OF his wife-jealousy being the motive
which took place october. 1872. This was a pc
cularly atrociouS murder-the victim being lit
orally hacked 70 pieces. jenkins went TO the
Scanold in a nj OF religious excitement, singing
and shouting as he walked up the steps of the
scanold, and jumping FOR Joy up 70 the very mo-
ment the trap was sprung.
Next was Barney Wood stalwart native OF
ireland, December 9th. 1872. for the murder or
John a. CheeSman. Wood was employed near
the 10th street wharf, and shot CheeSman with
out any apparent cause. He went TO the scat
iold apparently expecting reprieye until the
last minute.
On DECEMBER 10Th. lSt2. ChaS- johnson col
ored. was executed for The murder Of his wife
In the preceding september
ION Wright. stalwart cOlored man, native
or North Carolina. was hung June 9Th, 1873 for
the murder or RogerSd a peddler. who had
called at his house 10 sell goods. His motive
was robbery, and subsequently the goods were
found In the house, and the body, butchered and
cut TO pieces, was found near by. Wright was
regarded a. the most hardened wretch ever in
the walls OF the prison, and a few minutes be-
fore he was taken TO the Scaffold he expressed
IA y fai
could die happy. He stuck out to the last that
sam Bembry, who lived In the same house did
the killing.
The latest execution before that of yesterday
was over six years ago: Henry Young on the
2sth or November, 1913, having expiated the
crime OF murder in killing Mr.. Hahn. a drover.
few months before. The motive here was
ROBBERY. Young only a few hours before the
commission or his crime. had seen a colored
man named Williams executed Ia Alexandra
so that the example did not serve as a warning
10 deter him.