The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-15

Precisely at noon Sheriff Southwark
moved Barbara from the cell down the
steps and into the iail-yard. The sheriff
and the negro iailer OF the county walked
near Barbara in front, and she was fol-
lowed by four negro preachers, chanting a
hymn. Barbara faltered q little when she
reached the foot OF the steps. and moved
slowly up. holding TO the railing for sup
port. Occasionally as she ascended she
tried TO Join in the droning words OF the
hymn. but her voice was faint and was not
heard far When the scar'old was reached
she took a chair. The sheriff then read
the sentence OF the court condemn
ing her 10 death. He asked her
IL she wished to say anything before the
sentence was executed, and in reply she
came forward and. stretching wide both
arms, sang, rather than spoke, something
like the following, which she repeated
again and again: "Thank God. bid you
all goodbye. Farewell, farewell TO YOU
all. Thank God I'm going TO my long
home. / want you all TO get 4 lesson from
Barbara. Farewell" She seemed cool,
but evidently was dumbioundcd with
fright, and hardly conscious OF what was
happening. Her composure was like that
VI lht ldbDlt hiI't a. lf- iilifuA VI SvIhi'J
jumps it from its bed and wells after il in
pursuit. The rabbit always stops in its
flight and permits capture. 1t is fright,
not courage, which produces this effect
RATE JAILER AND MINISTER.
Another hymn was sung, and a prayer
followed. During the delivery Of this
prayer the only people on the scafTold were
Sheriff Southward, the negro iailer, and
four negro ministers. The iailer turned
his back to Barbara and the others, and
pulled vigorously at the very short stump
Of a cigar which he had taken to the seal
fold. While doing this he eyed sayagely
some dozen or more people who had
climbed to the top OF the iail-yard walls
and were sitting high above him. These
people at one time began 10 make dis
turbance. when the iailor, in voice louder
than that Of the minister who Was
praying, shouted "Silence.' The min
lister is named George II. Boswell, and
is a man OF nervous temper and loud
voice. He knew where the disturbance
was, and, catching the spirit OF the negro
iailer, he fired a shot at the bad boys by
saving in his prayer: "Oh. Lord, bless
those people on the wall, and let them I'M
derstand that while they are on the walls
that every one OF them could be sent TO
hell" After he concluded his prayer The
Rev. Boswell took further occasion TO de-
liver in loud voice frctful reprimand to
the crowd on the walls. He then shook
hands with Barbara delivered himself OF
some prayerful abiurgationS, and abruptly
descended the scaiiold steps. holding tight
to the railing with one hand and his UNI
brella with the other.
The sheriff next adjusted the moose,
pinioned BaIbara's arms and feet, placed
the black cap over her head, and stood
ready to give the signal for the springinS
of the trap. Just rs he was about 10 drop
the handkerchief Barbara said.
"FAREwELL TO ALL"
and aS the last word came from her lips the
deputy sheriff pulled the rope to the trap
door.and the body fell Death came slowly
the body writhed and twisted, and was
dreadfully convul>ed. The neck could not
have been broken. and death, no doubt,
was produced by stran@ulation. In about
twenty minutes Drs. W. ID. Burfoot and
j. Knox pronounced life extinct, and the
body was cut down, placed in poplar
coffin, and turned over to friends for iLt II
ment in Henrico county.
PUTTING IT oN THE MAN.
Some time last week Barbara dictated a
confession, differing from anything, in
some respects. that appeared either in her
previous confession or the evidence adj
duced at the trial. 1t reads:
"This is my last statement about the
death OF my husband. Daniel Miller. The
first talk had with Lee about the killing
OF Miller was last September. At that time
objected to it. In November, | think,
Charles bought some poison, and made
some ginger-tca, and Charles put the poi
son in it and gave it to MIR. Miller himself.
| knew all about il though. 1t did not
Kill him: il seemed 10 cure his pain in the
side. and he got much better afterwards.
Charlie, told me when left 10 20 TO Rich
mond that he intended TO kill Daniel that
night. and | expected TO find him dead
when | got home chat night. The first
time | ever consented for Charles to Kill
Daniel was on the 18th day OF Febrt-
arv. and he killed him on the llth. As
we both agreed to II, ] never talked
TO Charles about the killing after ! consent
ed TO il until he killed him. When Charles
left the house that morning | knew il was
to kill my husband. rs Charles and myself
had talked the matter over the night be-
fore. and Charles acted with my consent
when he killed my husband. When he
rot back to the house he had blood on his
coat, vest. and pants. | washed all his
clothes afterwards. III Charles and myself
had not been arrested we would have been
married between that time and Christmas.
Charles worried me to let him kill my hus-
band until | consented to let him do it.
He killed him at my suggestion. was
not present when he killed him. | am
willing to die for my guilt, as know |
am Going 10 Heaven. her
BARBARA = MILLER.