The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-01-27
TO HANG.
what Adam thompson HAS to Soy
About His swipsins-A Sketeh
OF fRe CriEe.

In the dispatches from Galveston to yeS"
terdsy's HERALD, it was stated, in regard to
the Adam Thompson case, that the Emotion
for re. hearing was ordered;" this was mis-
take. and it should have stated that the mo-
ton for re-hearing WAS overuled. 4
HERALD reporter called at tho jail yes
terday morning to learn what the prisoner
had 10 say. He had not heard of his doom,
and when the guard who sits in the hallway
between the cells broke the news of his fate
to him, he was consid erably excited, show
ine il very plainly. Jumping from hi;
chair be rushed toward the guard as far 8:
his chain would permit him, apd with i
look of dismsy on his face be
asked, care you sure that there can be nc
mistake p? The guard s7satcd him Thai there
was none, and after standing still several mo
ments he walked back and dropped dow
into his chair with hopeless air about nim
~ hate IT," said the prieoner, "but If FAUST
20 that way, | must. What is 10 be, will be,
and while Il is pretty rough, guess I'll have
To stand t." After II few minutes converse
lion with the guard and reporter he appeared
10 brace IN, and talked cody about his
hapcing. When asked if he still protested
his Innocence. he said that be did, and that
as far as any confession was concerned, he
would never make any, as he had nothing to
confess. aud besides be did moi
propose 70 make monkey Of HIM
elf ON tho scsffold. Thompson
Is an able.bodied, dark skinned negro, is Ia
clined 10 be soeiable and does not look ike
ore who would deliberately commit murder,
vet there is. according TO the evidence gwen,
hardly doubt as to his guilt When the
reporter took his lesve tho prisoner asked
him 10 send him down some papers TO have
read 70 him. He is specially fond Of news
papers and books generally, though no can
read but little, yet he presses others into ser
vice 10 read 70 him. Ever since bis convic-
ton he has read his bible, though the indics.
tons are now that he will never gsin o great
amount of religion. Mr.. Sswnie Robertson,
who acted as special Judge in the case, will
extend him the full sixty days, the limit al
lowed by law, in which ~ prepare IOI G.--A'
THE CRIME
On tho night Of the first Of July, 1870, DO
seph Shumsker, an old and dscrepid Ger,
man, Was doing business on the Cedar Hill
road miles southwest OF the city OF Dsllas.
He was found the next morning lying IN
front of his door, bis face buried in ne mud.
his bed and bedding piled on him, with three
chastity wounds on the back Of his head, and
near him was found his own axe, on when
was found blood and hiir. The store had
been robbed and the cash box was found IN .
field near By, and the tracks OF two men
were found on the scene. Suspicion pointed
10 Adam Thompson and Wes Pollard ns ire
perpetrators Of The crime. After diligent e.
forte on the part Of Mr.. Moon, the then sher-
III, and bis deputies, and after exchanging
several shots with these two men they were
o, length arrested. On the person OF Adsm
Thompson was found counterfeit half-dol-
lar, which was recognized by several Wlt,
nesses ss having been In the possession 81
Shumaher the day before bis death. In tee
trunk which was owned and used Jonlly %
Thompson and Pollard was found Key, the
property Of one 3. n. Emerson, winch AAa
been loaned BY Mr.. Emerson 10 Shumakfr q
few days before his death.
witnesses wero introduced by the state
who stated that on the evening that Shu-
maker was killed they we're seen going gtst
from the city, and they were traced near 10
Shunaker's store. Thompson was overheard
BY I. negro womsn coufessing 10 q woman
with whom he was staying, that be and Pol
lard had committed the crime.
The c.,e was tried, ss 10 Thompson, IN
1876, and his punishment fixed al death, but
the court Of appeals reversed the case be-
cause the Judge failed 70 sign his charge:
Defendast ubs Again tired o. the : dag OF
-. 1880, before Hon. SAvnie .Robertson
as special judge, and be was again conylcsed
and the death penalty assessed Again ne
appealed. add this time the court o. appeals
affirmed the conviction
We Pollard, his partner IN the crime, died
in isii several months since, without ever
having ben plscs1 on trial