Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-09-15
A WOMAN HUNG.
Mrs. Miller Pays the Penalty of
Her Crime.
Farewell, Farewell to You AP-Going
to Glory and the Angels
Above - Death From
Strangulation.

RICHMOND, Va, September l4.-Barbara
Miller (colored) was hanged here to-day
| for completely in the murder of her hus'
band, in February last. Charles Henry
Lee, her accomplice, was hanged on the
third of last month She died from stran-
gu'ation. Several thousand persons were
in the vicinity of the Jail. Everything was
orderly.
Last night prayer meeting was held in
tbe condemned wOmau's cell. Rev. Mr..
Boswell, co.Ored, conducted the services,
which were prolonged until this morning.
Toe minister then departed, and Mrs.
Miller was LETT with several colored women
friends. She and her companions slept
soundly for several hours. At about nine
o'clock Mrs. Miller eat a hearty breakfast,
and later several ministers and a number
of negroes gathered in her cell, where
prayer after PRAYER was offered, followed in
every instance by thoseIhy INNS characteris-
Ic Of cOlOred people. Tne excitement pro-
Guctd by the hymns was intense. The
doomed woman stood in the midst of the
'hrong with arms uplitted, swaying her
Eody TO and fro, while the crowd chanted
Barbara is nearing her home" and
she Joined in the refrain, and now and
then shouted in full voice some exclsms-
tion indicative of intense excitement.
The exercises were kept up until
the hour OF execution had arrived, when,
preceded by her negro lailer and the sheriff
and followed by four colored ministers,
she marched out from the cell down into
The Jail yard and up the seatfold steps, the
ministers singing hymn. As Barbara
mounted the steps she attempted TO join
in the refrain. She went up slowly, but it
was evident her excitement was the result
more of what she had passed through than
the realization of her fate. In accordance
with her request Barbara was attired in
neat fitting white muslin dress She had
bunch of artificial lilacs and orange BIOS
SONS on her bosom and broad white rib
bon around her head. On reaching the
platform she was seated in a chair while
Sheriff Southwark read the death warrant
Being asked if she had anything to say,
she stood up, and, in droning, chanting
tone, bade all farewell. She warned her
hearers TO take lesson from her fate, and
said she was going to glory and the angels
above. A long prayer by one of the ministers
followed, and then all but the Sheriff aud
jailor descended from the scatfold. Her
legs and arms were piniOned and the black
cap put over her head. Just then she was
nearQ 10 say, rdEeWtll, ldleHeI W JOu
all" The next instant the Sheriff gave
the signal by dropping handkerchief, and
tie tap was sprung. The fall was over
seven feet, but failed to dislocate the necks
She struggled considerably for several min
u'es. Death resulted from strangulation.
After hanging twenty-five minutes the
body was cut down and place d
in coffin. Barbara's mlther
who had been with her before the exeiu-
tioD, circulated through the crowd and 30.
licited cen ri utons to pay for her daugh-
t.r's burial. she collected considerable
money. The body will be taken to Henry
Comfy, near her late home, for intermsnt.
Last mig ht the 81 or Il at Mrs. Miller's di-
rection wrote out smother confession,
which she signed and turned over to h.m
TO be made public after her death. In IT
she says she and Lee had talked of killing
her husband in September last, but moth
ing was done.