Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-29
Confession OF A MURDERER.
Charles ShaW's Statement to q Staz
Reporter. -

CHARLES Shaw's Statement to = Star
Reporter. 49,.
HE TELLS HOW He MURDERED HIS SISTER FOR A
SLIGHT FANCIED oFFENsE-A STRANGE STORY
FROM YOUNG CRrNINAL-HIS LIFE IN JAIL AND
PREPARATIONS FOR DEATH.
The colored boy, Charles Shaw, convicted Of
having murdered his sister, Sus IN Ann Carter, in
| the county, beyond the insane asylum, in Janu-
airy, 1881, and who was sentenced to be hanged on
the 18th OF January next, has at last made full
statement of his crime. The murdered woman
was found January 18th in an insensble condition
the morning after she had left her husbands house
| In company with Shaw to see her mother at her
nome near Oxen Hill, opposite Alexandria Being
taken to the Washington Asylum hospital the
wounded woman died the following Saturday
Shaw, In the meantime, had been arrested for
| robbing her house of some of her husbands cloth
Ing, and failing to account for his whereabouts
after leaving the city with his sister, he was COM
| mitted to Jail, and claimed that he was present
when two other men knocked his sister down.
This statement, after his trial, he denied and uD
70 his receiving the announcement OF the adverse
Cecsion In his case by the Court in General Term
| he protested his innocence.
sHAw's LIFE
On recent visit OF STAR reporter to the jail
Shaw told him that he should make clean breast
OF his case and trust to the clemency OF the PreS-
dent, to whom his friends would carry the case.
Shaw Is mere boy, having been born at Oxen
Hill, Prince Georges county, Md, Opposite Alex
andria) September Goth, 1866. He, however, looks
| somewhat older than he really is, and Is we'll
| grown strong-buiit boy. He Is descended from
slave parentage, and was raised on the place OF
| his grandfather, Dennis Slater, who has accumu-
| lated some property since the days or slavery.
Although he had the advantage OF sometimes at
tending acOuntry school taus hit by Miss Josephine
| HattOn, and also the Sunday school at ST 1gna-
care OF q father some ten years ago he became
/ somewhat maynard, working on his grandfatherS
place or going to school when it suited him.
| The reporter OF THE STAR to whom he had prom
lSed to give his story called on him on Sunday TIL
| his counsel, Mr. Ii. c. Cagett, and found that he
"The DevOut ManuaF and "FOllowing Christ"-
and had laid down for q short rest On the re.
porter entering the cell. Shaw at once arose and
greeted him.
SHAW TELLS THE WHOLE TRUTH.
He remarked that he was suffering with slight
cold and said, 81 am going to tell you now the
Whole truth aOOut this case and have it eff my
mind. and while think that the sentence was &C.
cord!ng TO law, think sometimes that should
not be hung (and his eyes here glistened with
tearS) / was at home Christmas times, and on
Sunday left to my sister to tell her about my
grandmother being sick. She had been married
about 10 months and was living opposite the City
Hail. She Was the only sister had. l came Up
to Uniontown and took the cars and then got in
the cars at the Navy Yard, and got to my sisters
about q O'Clock: She was not there. but came
nome about 81 O'Clock. She had been to her god
mot hers on Maryland avenue, and / told her my
me ssage about my grandmother being sick. My
grandmother was Sick for about seven months
She had the paralysis. My sister got some things
together and put them in basket, and little
after O'clock we started and walked down AZ
Navy Yard, and we then walked over the Navy
YARD bridge,
TALKING PLEASANTLY
along about family affairs. We met man near
the asylum wall 1t was a bright moonlight
night. When we got near the old fort-Pleasan-
ton l believe they call it-she asked me II her
grandmother had sent for her, and 1 said yes
Then she asked me about 1t again and seemed to
dOuDt my word, and got angry with her. She
then said her grandfather had been to see her the
day before, and he had said nothing about her
grandmother sending for her. When we reached
swallow Hollow, rather just this side, picked
from the side OF the road stone. was then mad
with her and had been thinking OF her for some
little time. She then asked if thought my grand
mother would live. This was about II a o'clock,
and
AND WENT UP BEHIND HER
and struck her somewhere on the back OF the
head She fell and groaned, and then struck her
several times about the head, but 1 could not see
WE'LL for where she fell WIS In deep cut and the
moon was hidden 1 was angry because she had
1ntimated that lied.
FLEEING FROM THE SCENE.
then took the basket and emptied the things
out near her and walked back l commenced to
| feel bad as soon as did it. l met Smith on the
road, between the asylum and the race course,
and as came by the stition In Uniontown 1 saw
an officer standing in the door, and walked on to
my cousins martha iiarrs), On street, between
81 and ~ streets. 1t was after one O'Clock when
got there, and Gil not get up next morning till
about O'Clock. then went towards the avenue
and met Mrs. Brown, who stands In the market
near 9th and b streets, and gave her the basket
10
road heard the people talking about my sister
having been found In the road and removed TO the
hospital. knew who they were talking about, but
did not say anything, and / went on home
reaching II In the afternoon. did not tell them
M Masf naa Deen. and staid home that night.
my grandfather. l had letter in my pocket
which he wanted to see, and threatened to shoot
MIN and then left then came back to the city
to my Cousins on street, and after had stopped
there about an hour ! went with some boys to l3x
5Taes; then went with another fellow to my
noon, and he staid ont while went in got the
Key from under the mating and opened the door
street to sell, when
I WAS ARRESTED.
never took any money away from my sister,
but / knew that she had some, fo- she paid the
fare In the cars This was the first time ever had
| cross words with my sister. / never made any
statement about Davis and another man being
| there. What said TO the officer was that Davis
and another fellow had been at my sisters house.
MY sister was only % years old. All my family
are Catholics except my mother, who Is a Metho-
dist. 1 am trying now to be good boy and to
i've right, and II had my time over again would
not do the act for all the world.n
| SHAW SIGNS THE sTATRNRNT.
After this statement had been written ont Il
was read over to Shaw In the presence Of fellow
| prisoner, and Shaw then voluntarily signed It. AS
| the reporter was leaving he asked Shaw ir he
desired any reading matter, and he replied that he
did not. for he h ld two religious books In answer
TO the inquiry II the reporter could do anything
| for him, Shaw replied: "If not too much trouble
when you come down again bring me q good
mince pie"
| The prisoner is confined In the end cell on the
first floor east side OF the south wing and his cell
| is shared by two other prisoners, and both OF
| them are intelligent, well-behaved men, who
realize the position Shaw Is in and do what they
can to keep him in a cheerful mood Shaw spends
much OF his time In reading, rejecting and con-
verslng on his religious books, and as far as
| Appearances show he Is preparing himself for
death, following the precepts and directions of
Rev. Father Hurley. OF St Augustine's church,
whom he selected as his spiritual adviser several
| months ago.
INTERESTING TO CIGAR MANUFACrURERS.-A case
was tried In the Criminal Court yesterday un,m-
pOrtant seemingly in itself, but OF great interest to
all manufacturers OF cigars by reason OF the radi-
cal principles upon which the defense was ground
eu, ana upon which an acQuitt0l was secured The