Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-08-29
W. m. 3 N. 6 N. Tyr.
Tie Romance OF Crime,

1he tAsc0!iGu OI tWO SpaElaFlS, feQro AFmsS
aud Manuel Bii,o, for tho murior of an Eng
llshmao sTo aud q half years ego, took place on
the i OF Ju y in tho Port OF O,otsrs. Tcnoriffe,
CanaIy Islands. Tho mu,dor. ssys an Eoslish
ptrr, was ono tt tue mcst horlitl, and cold
blocded eV;r committed l: appears that the
Vlolm, hlr. James William Morris, Was tm-
ployed 10 an Eoglish house of business at Port
Oiosnrs. aud wss on very intimate terms with
The two mlrderers. so much SO that i. is sup
posed ho intolm,d them that no CARL ID tho
keys of q safe 10 which Was deposited large
sum OF money. This excited their cupidiiy, and
QUO ovcLiug they eo,iccd tho unfortunate man
TO an unlrtquonted spot short distance from
the town, near ccmetory, and there. while
quietly walking along togsthor. one threw
handful Of limo into his eyes, and after knock
ing him down with hcavV stick they both
stabbed him. Aficr ransac!iag the body, tx
lng among other things the kegs Of lho cafe.
they o4rriod it ioo tho cemetery, and, opening
tomb. threw it ic; then, alter oiosog the
tomb. they Eat down un tho stono to sm,ke q
ogsr. ono reraarking that Morris could net
Complain as they had given him Christian bu
Tho utonc that covered tha tomb hey broke off
q small ritc, from tho o,rner, and four days Of.
tcfward blcd boy, VINO WAS aslondicga iuu-
eral. WAS a,tFtc:ed to Tho tomb by strong
smell, and tho people with him observed soycr.
q! flies suing from holo in tho corncr
Tdn luhorltcs were informed of il, aud
caused tho sIo2o 10 bo raisad. whGn Morris
body was iound. The money having boeu stolen
!rom tho sale. suspicion foil upon lodto Armss
and Manuel B'ito. as b3th OF them had bad
reputation and Tcro klCwh to hhva beun inti-
mato friends ct tho murdered man. Strong
Ard ocnculivo criacLco Of their guit having
boan brought. ag; mat them. ihcp woro arrested,
til: d and sORt0r0ld 10 doaiiI. They Waro then
a,nt to prison t1 await 6 confirmation of the
aantRnoo from Madrid. whara they remained
t1n and halt years, dnriag Whinh timo several
petitions WGrn presented tn TIM authorities in
ordar TO procure tho remission Of tho s0ntcrcc.
However. thanks 70 the untiring cifdr's Gf the
Eag'ish Corsnl nj Santa Cruz, The confirmation
at lanHth G,rV'd anl Tho execution was fixed
for Lie ID ui Ju!y. AZ snon as tbs dsio wns
hzad tho murGorera waro urged TO o5ciesi their
horrible crnc tus refused 20 make Any state.
mcnt until tho evo Of tho execution, when they
both admitted tho murder, and also olnftssad
having ooImltttd several robberies, at
t,np"ir% 10 SnOot SpaDlard, aid twice
setting fro to ;hG judges house. Ol the
motuing OF the 81 Of ) JJc.I"r tho Inhabitants of
Ototara wero ss,ir voiy carly. end a, ) O. NJ.
large number of people from all parts Of ,is
island had collected st the scalold, which had
boon erected during the night on the very SPOT
where the murder Was committed, Three hours
later Tie prisoners lett the sil in small cart,
ACCOMPANIED by priest boldlag cruclf1 I: they
were both dEcs:od in Hack gowns, with tail blsck
hats, The elder Of ths two. Pedro Armss, an.
pesCed to DO worry much aGrc!od bat his com.
psuion showed no sig1 Of feeling whatever.
They were TO suffer death by "gnrroLing" and
TO die facing The Cemetery. Arrived At the scat
fold they waro both led On TO tho platform, and
altar having kissed tho cruci1x sid received sb-
solution from the priest ihoy wore sealed side
by side. each with his back sasns. tha post to
which tho instruments OF death Tero fixed.
Ihore being only one eIecutoner oEo msn had
ID witness the cthel's dtslh, Pedro Armas was
the GsSt 70 futiar, and tho wcotcied mso hiclse.f
aided tho e1ccutioner to put tho irons srouad
lis neck before being bouud. lie suilarcd con.
sidersb!y before d5iaf, as the executioner. bs.
irg verV old man, hsd not sufficient sirongth
to sc.aw the irons tight enough. The other pri.
sontr died ainlcst iGs!snlsleou:ly. Their bodiss
remained till sunset, when they were tsken doHn
snd tured; but The sCi0od still rensins as q
warning 10 nj! cVil-dOers