National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-04-03
HARVEST OF THE GALLOWS
Eight Murderers Pay the Penalty
of Crime.
Horrible Scene at the Execution Of Stone
Ills Head Severed by the Rope Death
instantaneous - Triple Execution
at Macon, Ga.-Two Murder
ers Hanged ut Louisville
Other Executions.
Ekeeutlon of Stone. lhc MIfe Mnrdcrcr.

Execution of Stone, the Wife Murderer.
Tho execution Of James Madison Wyatt
Stone for numbering his wife on the 9th OF
October, 1878, took place at tho Jail yesterday
afternoon few minutes past one O'clock and
resulted In one Of the most horrible spcctaces
over witnessed in a civilized community.
Despite the orders that had been issued re.
garding the privacy which should be observed
at tho execution upward of three hundred
persons succeeded in finding the open Sc
same" aud were witnesses of the terrible
scene. Stone retained his composure to the
last-in fact, it was noticed that the officials
and witnesses seemed more agitated than tho
man who was about to expiate his crime upon
the fold. The condemned man retired about
o o'clock last Thursday night, and slept soundly
until o'clock yesterday morning. lie then
conyorsed with one Of the guards for n short
time, after which he mapped until o'clock,
when he nrose, and, after dressing himself,
read his Bible until breakfast time, 8
o'clock. His breakfast consisted Of spring
chicken, fried potatoes and other dciica-
cics, which were washed down with
u quart Of strong coffee Ho seemed
to enjoy his breakfast, immediately after
which he began reading again in the Bible.
He soon tired of this and opening his hymn
book began singing Are You Coming Homo To-
night" his favorite. The sound penetrated to
tho cells Of Quecnan, just overhead, aud Bed
ford aud Pinn, in the same corridor with
Stone, aud they all joined in the chorus, rem
dering some very fine music, the deep bass of
QucCuau being especially noticeable, Stone
then sent for two prisoners, Battle Keys and
Ben Burley, to whom he loaned hymn books
and they also assisted in tho singing. He
Nt rl,.t tNrn In al
singing, and about IL o'clock he was
REMOVED TO THE wARDEN's OFFICE,
where Rcy. J. E. Rankin, Rov. w. +. Gibbons,
Rev. +. J. Grimke, his counsel, Mr.. A. X.
Browne aud Il guard or two were assembled.
Devotional exercises were held, In which the
condemned joined.
Meanwhile all was hustle in the vicinity of
tho jail. In anticipation of large crowd, n
force of mounted police formed "a Gordon about
il, being stationed about fifty yards apart
even down to the Eastern Branch, crowd
of tho curious probably about 800, congrG-
gated at the north of the Jail outside the
picket foncc, and although nothing could be
seen except the top beam Of the gallows, they
remained patiently until the end. Inside tho
Jail rotunda upward of 800 persons, compris-
ing merchants, doctors, lawyers representa-.
tivcs of the press aud policemen surgGd back
ward and forward scanning everything and
asking iumumoral'lc questions Stone aud his
spiritual advisers aud friends still kept in the
warden's office, and about noon representa-
| tive of The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN had a
short talk with him. His first inquiry was,
Have you forgotten what ! said to you last
night about meeting me in Hcaven2 You SEQ
| | am all ready to CO." He was not in the least
nervous, but smiled and chattcl with his Wis.
| ior for several minutes. Upuu leaving, Stone
rose from his chair aud said, - Good bye, sir;
trust we may meet in Heaven" The religious
exercises continued until about ten minutes
before l o'clock, when Stone announced that
he was ready to hear
THE DEATH WARRANT
read. He was then brought out into the main
office, aud in the presence of abou. thirty per-
sons General CroclSer read the various papers
relating to the case. At the conclusion of tho
reading Stones arms and hands were pinioned
| byR guard and II procession was formed In tho
| follow ing order: General CrocliCr and Cantain
Coleman, Rev. J. Il. Rankin and Rev. +. j.
Grimkc, tho condemned between two
guards, Mossrs, Torrens and Strong, Mr. y. X.
| Browne. his counsel, and Roy. w. f. Gibbons
and two guards, Messrs. DuttOn aud Woodward
Stone, who was barchcadod, WAS attired in q
black Prince Albert coat, black pants and
shoes neatly polished. In his shirt, which
was newly laundried, were displayed three
gold studs. llc wore turn-dOwn collar and
n black butterfly" cravat The procession
passed through the rOluuda, where crowd
! had assembled all anxious 10 sec how Stone
stood tho ordeal, across to the steps at the
northeast cornerOfthe buldingand out through
| the corridor into tho temporary iucosure.
| Here detail OF police, under command OF
| LicutCnants Dotolcr Arnold, Guy and Austin.
were stationed, aud ut the gallOws Officers
| Miller, Boyle, Raukc and Smith. A passage
| was made through the crowd aud the solemn
! procession moved up
TO THE sCAFToLD
| in the order given above. Stone asceudcd
| firmly aud seemed almost obliyiOus Of his sur.
rouudings. Arriving upon the platform he
was placed in q position facing north, aud
! whispered to DIR. Rankin, who announced that
| he said he was at pCgco with all mcn and
hoped soon to be with his Saviour DR.. Grimko
! then offered u short prayer during which
| Stones brow was observed TO Knit slightly the
only sgu of nervousness betrayed during the
day. Dr. Rankin then read several short pns-
sagcs Of Scripture and prayed for u few mu-
utcs, after which Stones legs were tied to-
gether and he was assisted back to his place
! on the trap, A guard stepped forward with
| the rOIe, which he adjusted around his neclS,
after which the black cap was handed him,
| Just ms il was being drawn down over the con-
dcmuud mans face he wNs seen to smile and
his lips moved slightly. lie was not allowed
to stand hut second when Warden Crockcr
gave Il sign and tho trap was sprung by an un-
seen hand. A quick plunge, when, to the hor'
ror of those present, the head was seen to
| Stllkc against cross Ocam NJ lNe lOOt Oh lno
scailold, the body falling directly under tho
trap. Those in the rear Of the crowd thought
tho rope had broken, and made q rush forward,
but tho police held their ground, aud no one
but doctors and representatives of the press
were allowed to 90 near tho body. II was
found that
| TIE HEAD HAD BEEN TAKEN OFF
the shoulders as neatly aud quickly as If by
an axe and the body lay motionleSs on tho
ground, blood squirting in several streums from
tho neck, which began to decrease in size.
few pulsations of the heart were noticed b. tho
physicians and continued about minute.
| James Madison Wyatt Stone did not know
what had hurt him, death having been instUnta-
ncous. 1t was decided TO sew the head ON tho
body and tulu it over TO his counsel, Mr., A. X.
Browne, for utorment, willing hands soon
performed this operation, aud when the hco
was washed of, the eyes closed and chin tied
up all that WIS earthly Of Stone WAS eucased
IN q culu and turned over to Mr.. j, r. Wright,
the undertaken for inlcrmcut, In conformity
with his request, he will be buried in tho
Young Mons cemetery, alongside his wife.
Tho horrible termination OF the execution
was tho al'NbsOrbing topic of conversation last
evening, many persons thinking that tho rope
was too thin for the purpose. II was i've
cighths of an inch in diameter, tho size gen