Daily Republican., 1882-05-27
DOOMED.
JAMES REDDEN SENTENCED To,
BE HUNG ON THE 25TH
DAY OF AUGUST,

Court convened at 8 o'clock yester-
day afternoon, and shortly after the
opening James Reddeu was brought in
between two tipstaves, but the order of
carrying the stats was reversed, as tho
black one was carried in front.
| The prisoner was placed in the dock
andin few minutes afterw Wards States
Attorney Gray addressed the Court in
a solemn and Impressive manner. He
stated the fact that the prisoner James
Redden had been indicted for the
crime OF rape, and found guilty, and
moved that the judgment Of the Court
be passed upon him,
The Chief Justice then ordered the
prisoner to stand up, and amid a ST.
lence that seemed almost oppr ressive, his
honor addressed him as follows;
"Hou were indicted at the present
term of court for the crime of rape COM
mitted by you on the body of Sarah
Ann Purse, child OF less than fourteen
years OF age. CDon your aTraignment
to answer the charge, you pleadel that
you were not guilty, and for your trial
pnt yourself upon God and your coun-
try, that is, a jury of twelve men. 1t
being apparent to the court that YOU
had no money or property to enable
| you to employ counsel to aid you in
your defense, this court under our
humane statute in that behalf, assigned
you an advocate at the public expense
and how well he performed his duty is
shown by the fact that although the
Attorney-General was confident of q
verdict against you the jury delibera-
ted tWenty-four hours almost before
they decided that you were guilty in
manner and form as you stood indicted
Your trial was very fair one in all
respects and no imputations can fairly
be cast upon either counsel, witnesses
or jurors that you were treated other
wise than if you had been a white man.
After viewing the testimony on both
sides and weighing as the jury did
every fact and every circumstance
shown by you" proof to raise doubt in
their minds Of your guilt. they could
not find anything TO override and de-
stroy the proof against you or weaken
Its force and therefore pronounced you
Justly liable to the penalty demanded
by the law againt your crime.
That penalty is death. We believe
| the verdict to be right. 1t therefore re-
mains to the court IN the last office to
be performed by it in the tragedy to
pronounce sentence Of death upon you.
A duty always performed with the
greatest reluctance and utmost commits
Grafton that can be felt for a criminal,
who 80 early in the future is to appe; 2
| before his Creator TO answer tor his sins.
Before discharging this last require
ment of the law | feel it my duty to ad-
wise you as one who need expect no es-
cape from the Judgment to be given
against you TO endeavof to be recon-
ciled to your Maker.
From man there is nothing to hope,
but from Him there is everything, pro-
vided you heartily and truly repent
of your sins. Call upon some intelli-
gent man of God to aid you in your
struggle with the consequences of the
future, that you may avoid and escape
them. Listen to and be guided by
him, and we hops it may be well with
you in your last hours Of life.
The sentence of the Court is that you,
James Redden, be now taken from the
bar of this Court to the place whence
you came, and be there safely aud
securely kept until Friday, tue 18th
day of August next thai on that day,
between the hours of 10 o'clock IN the
| forenoon and three O'Clock in the after
noon, you be taken to some convenient
place of private execution within the
precincts Of the prison enclosure, aud
that you then and there be banged by
the neck until you are dead, and may
God have mercy on your soul.
| You are now committed to the CustO-
dy of the sheriff until this sentence be
carried into execution.
After the jury had rendered their
verdict, and the prisoner had been re-
moved to his cell he spent the greater
part of his time in prayer, until he
was brought up for sentence. About
half past twelve he made cOtession to
Warden Cloud and sail that he was
guilty of the act for which he had
been convicted, and that all the wit
nesses had said was true He seemed
to be deeply contrite and to commence
to realize the enormity of his crime.
| Immediately after his sentence was
pronounced he was taken from the
Court room to his cell in the basement,
and about fifteen minutes OF four o'clock
a carriage drove up to the King street
entrance to the Court House, and after
the prisoner had been securely hand
cutted he was placed in il, accom-
panied by two tipstaves, and in anOthe"
minute was on the road to New Castle
Jail, from which he will NOT emerge
until the day of his execution.