The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-08-21
EXECUTION OF WARD, THE RAPIST.
Scene at the Jail--Speech by Ward on the
ScaffOld---A Speedy Death.

This morning. the anniversary of the crime,
the colored man, Charles Ward, was executed
within the precincts of the county JAIL for
rape committed upon the person Of Dora
Ellermann.
On arrival at the Jail our local entered the
"ctadel Of vice." Passing by the cell occu-
pied by Ben Thompson and around the big
cage he came to the gallows, which were erect
ed at the far end of the Jail. The structure
was very solid and convenient one tor its
miserable work, and the whole arrangement
as humane as such thing could possibly be.
The first person to appear upon the scattold
was the irrepressible Charley Seabaugh, who
sprane to the front and examined the rope,
apparently taking in the whole thing in put
yourself-in- -place-kind-of-a way. Protitnng
by this example, other reporters and the pub
lie crowded up the gallows, examined the rope
and its arrangement. The knot upon the
running moose was unusually large, and was
subsequently arranged to allow ''drop" Of
about five feet. Experiments were then made
as to the working Of the trap, and this was
found to be decidedly satisfactory.
Then the prisoner Ward was brought up.
He was a mulatto Of good appearance, aged
s years, and has only one leg, one having
UccH aIuputdtCu HCdI io"Si paw VI VIZ
thigh. He was therefore supported by a
crutch. He was alfred in black alpaca coat,
white waistcoat and black trousers.
Awaiting himself of Sheriff McCall's invita-
lion to address the crowd, Ward made long
and rambling speech, and he was evidently
somewhat Under the influence of liquor. lie
stated that he had previous intercourse with
the prosecutrix Ellerman, in which she was
the consentng party. All she cared was that
there should be no exposure. He had ar
ranged to meet her on the Saturday night,
and he met her on the Sunday, near the Alazan
creek, when she was quite friendly.
She then explained that the reason she did
not come on the previous night because she had
been to Jonas gardens and had stayed with
friend. He then gave her two bits and she
bought some horse reddish of a woman with
full breasts who sells fruit on the plaza, and
for this he was now going to be assassinated
before them. He had been thirty-one years
on the world and had never done anything to
We punished for or to be sent to the peniten.
tiary. He thought it was hard to die in that
way, but he deserved the punishment. He
pointed to his leg and said he came here in
&C., when Judges and sheriffs dare not show
themselves. He had served in:the army and
in the navy and did good service. He argued
against the sentence, asserted that he was
first charged with an attempt, and
that no surgeon had examined either party or
vas called to prove the ofense. He was, he said,
IS years of age, and was born in Alabama of
/ mother who has had seven children here
several dogs commenced howling.) After GER
ain incoherent remarks he thanked Sheriff
Mccall for his kindness to him. At this point
there was signs of impotence when Ward said:
Are you in hurry" and then closed his
speech, trusting that all were satisfied, and
wishing the Lord might bless them and bring
them good luck and Injuries.
Mr. Davis, a colored man, asked him to ex
plain what he meant by deserving punishment.
Ward said that as he had no witnesses to
prove the previous tranactions with the per-
secutrix he deserved the punishment.
The prisoner was then conducted to the
centre of the scaffold and the rope was adjusted.
Deputy Sheriff Penalosa read the warrant and
the black cap was drawn over the culprit's
face. He then called goodbye to you ALL"
and several prisoners shouted back good
bye" At 1921 the trap was sprung and the
body fell with a deep thud Drs. Adolph
Herff, Watts, Bennett, r. L. Graves and
Menger were present, and at I2:26H the doc
tors pronounced life to be extinct. The body
was allowed to hang for twenty-five minutes,
when it was cut down and placed in a COM
from the neck and the black cap drawn offhis
indicated quick and comparatively painless
death, the only main alteration being the dis
coloration incidental to hanging. The body
was then borne from the Jail by colored
friends, who will bury it this evening at the
poor house or in the potter's field.
Alamo BOhemiams.
A meeting of the Alamo Bohemians was
held yesterday morning at the Office OF the
Texas Wool, the president, Mr.. c. Coch-
ran in the chair.
The secretary read the minutes Of the last
meeting, which were, on motion, adopted.
Mr. Rose reported having waited upon
number Of gentlemen as requested at pre-
vious meeting relative to letters received and
inquiries made.
The treasurer (Mr. r. II. Rose) presented
financial statement of the society.
The following gentlemen were duly elected:
Messrs. Juan E. Barrera, Hal Costing, A.
l.. Cashiell, X. w. E. Nelson, John II. Cope
land, Frank H. Grice, J. G. Rowe, J. Durfee
Stevenson and Capt. p. Sid Jones.
The discussion on ''the rights and prvil-
eges of reporters in San Antonio" was then
opened by Mr.. l.. A. He'll. The following
also took part in the discussion
Messrs. T. B. Johnson. c. M. Barnes, X.
!. Kendall, F. J. Caldwell, r. H. Rose and
Geo. G. Lester. After discussion, the sub
ject was adjourned till the next meeting. A
committee, consisting Of Messrs. Rose, John
son, Hell. Caldwell and Kendall were ap-
pointed to consider plan of action to give
effect to part Of the discussion.