The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-07-02
THE EXECUTION.

THE EXECUTION.
Yesterday afternoon Adam Thompson,
one Of the mur1erars of old man Schumacher,
expia!ed his crime on the psllows.
Numbers of strangers from adjoining com,
munities commenced filing the streets Of
the city early 10 the morning to witness the
execution Of the condemned man, and on
Gaming Of the contemplated privacy of the
affair, commenced hunting seats and locations
from which, if possible, u view OF the scsffold
could DO obtained The press, police force,
visiting sheritfs, several physicians and few
citz ms only, were admitted. Yet the
housetops in the neighborhood, and the high
plank fence around the jai! had large num-
bers of curious spectators, and every con.
celvable crack in the fence was put TO use.
THE CONDEMNED
awoke early III the morning from a sound,
refreshing sleep. When one of the guards
asked him now he felt, he replied "first rate;
had good sleep. l have PRAYED God
that he would show me my future state In a
dream but have never had any," Hs ate a
hearty breakfast and smoked couple of
cigars while he talked with the guards and
visitors about his pear exit from this world
He asked guard for the suit of clothes ia
which he was to be hung, SAYING he wished
to attire himself for death When Sheriff
Jones visited his cell about 10 o'clock in the
morning Thompson told him that he desired
to remain In his cell up to the very minute
he was 10 be executed, Us he had nothing to
say on tho scahold, and he wanted the officers
to get away with him as soon as p,ss bic
after be left it. During the morning two
cJlored ministers yisiteG him and sang and
prayei with him. He was very much
affected by the aongs and brok> down weep
ing, though they had been gone but IA few
minutes when he was fully composed again
and holding cheerful Conversation with tnose
around him.
HE SMOKED INCES'ANTLY
upto within ten minutes of the time he left
the cell to 90 on the scafold. A HERALD
reporter, WHO called to seq him abult II
o'clock in the morning. found him sitting in
chair with his legs crossed smoking cigar.
He said that he felt better than he had in a
long time before, and that he WAS ready to
leave this world. AT 1:3O D. m. he was, to
all appearances, cool anu self possessed, and
talked freely about the near approach of
death. Dr. s. w. Field examined his pulse,
which beat at the rate of one hundred pulsa.
tions to the minute. Indicating some excite
ment. He said that he had heard that Mr.
Clint had telegrsphed the governor
for a respite in order
that he might have more time in which 10
prepare .or death, but that he did not desire
it.. He repeated that he was innocent of Tn,
crime, and said that his life had been sworn
away by Barney McDuff and other witnesses
who appeared for the state, but that he
would leave the world bearing malice to.
wards none. He could not say that he had
experienced religion, yet he felt that in death
ne would be sustained by an sllwise and ius,
'God. He knew, he said, that most every one
believed him guilty, that the Jury and cour,
thought 80, yet he was not guilty.
The condemned was alfred in suit nj
black cloth, lasting CATERS, and wore white
cotton gloves.
Two colored preachers and two colored
women visited him Just before he was taken
IRON the cell. They sang and PRAYED. and
when they began singing the song, "Sayior
near my humble prayer" ETC., he began
crying. Looking around on the visitors, he
remarked: my troubles will be ended in 8
few minutes"
Az ten minutes to O'Clock Sheriff Jones
told him that his time was up. His shack le;
were released, and, surrounded by the sheriff
and bis deputies be stepped down into the
passage way that divides the two upper
cells saying: 0'
"dooD BYE, BOYS"
When he passed the two lower cells, in
Wnicn are confined the colored prisoners he
repeated II, turning first to one and then the
o.ner cell saying good bye, boys, be good. n
anu passing on to the scatfold he assembled /,
Wnn q hrm step, accompanied by
S sue Sncers and the colored divine.
one,,n Jones read the death warrant to the
uonuemned, who stood with his right hand
, testing on the trigger of the trap door. The
snas then sang another song, precious
Name'" and one Of them offered up fervent
prayer for his soul. He wept ali the while.
When asked if be had anything to saw he
answered that he had not The moose was
placed around his neck and he shoook hands
with the officers and his religious attendants.
bidding them goodbye, when hi.
hands and feet were secured.
Lifting bis eyes heavenward, he said in a
clear, distinct voice:
FAREWELL, VAIN woRLpp
he took his position on the trap door, the
black cap was drawn over bis face. and Al
two minutes 70 2 o'clock Sheriff ,Jonss
sprung the trap and the soul of Adam
thompson was ushered into eternity.
the body falling q. distance of seven
ana half feet. It was considerably con.
vulsed, the twitching Of the muscles were
PLAINLY visible, and be was heard 10 gasp
several times BY those standing near. and the
feet were twice drawn up. Al six minute,
after the drop Drs Feli and Moore exam.
ined the body and pronounced life extinct.
II Is the opinion Of the physicians that his
neck was not broken, and tast death was
caused by slrangulation. Exactly twenty
minutes after the drop the body was cut
down and turned over TO undertaken Linskie
and the remains were inferred in the colored
cemetery.
rnE PRISONERS
In the jail witnessed the execution from THAR
cen windows, and it evidently made de-.
cided impression on them.
Thompson. had no been permitted to live
unui the 10Th OF this month, would have bean
10 jail exactly five years. His was tho fonrth
.egal execution that has taken place in this
county. 'A''
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
Tno crime for which Adam Thorn nam
was eung' was one Of aim, 81 uuparnlled
Mrocnv, and was committed by himself nnd
west Pollard, another colored man IN tha
nrst day OF July 1875, just Eve yesrs from
sne Gay on which he paid the forfeit of biz
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