The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1883-05-31
The Spirit of Robert
Henderson goes GlIm
mering through the
misty Shadows of the
Unknown Future.
The Negro Wife-murderer tx
plates his Crime upon the
GaIIoWs at Oxford
TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE
ANXIOUS TO WITNESS
THE CHASTITY SPEC
TACLE, sc, &C.
A Warning to Evil Doors

Robert Henderson, colored, was
hanged at Oxford to-day. The crime
for which he paid the death penalty
was the murder of his wife last No
vember. At the last term of Granville
court, Judge Philips, presiding, 1t
was tried, convicted and sentenced
to be hung on Friday, June lst, 1883.
An account Of the murder and trial
having been given in these columns
at the time, we will not go into any
detailed account of the same now
A brief account of the execution
| will be all that is necessary. About
1915 the GOLD LEAF representative
arrived on the spot by special train
from Henderson; and shameful t.
relate, found the usually quiet little
| town of Oxford filled with an aEx
ious crowd, mostly negroes, who had
been attracted there by a morbid de-
sire to see a human being hung. But
! thanks to the good sense of the au-
| thOritieS, they were not gratlfied.
The execution was private. within
an enclosure Immediately in font OF
the Jail door. AT 1:l5 the condemn
ed man was brought from his cell.
He mounted the scaffold with firm
and steady tread, Sheriff BullOcA
following close at his side. Being
asked if he had anything to say, he
went through with the usual gal
lows speech about going to Heaven
and said he wanted to meet every
body else there. lie spoke for eight
minutes, in low but distinct voice
| No allusiOn was made to the crime
| for which he was then about to for
felt his life.
Rev. James Hunt, of the colored
Baptist church, then led in prayer,
kueeiing on the scaffold near where
the doomed man stood. The halter
was then adjusted, and the black cap
drawn. At precisely l:27 the drop
fell, and the spirit of Robert Hen
derson was launched into eternity.
The drop fell about five feet, the
neck was broken, and death was in
Simultaneous. With the exception OF
slight shrug of the shoulders time
or two and flint upheaving of the
breast, not a struggle was percepti-
Die. Drs. Booth, Williams and
Hunt Of Oxford, and DR.. Z. r. Har-
ris of Henderson, were present and
pronounced life extinct in seven
minutes af.er the drop fell. Four
teen minutes later the body wa
cut down and placed IN rude pine
coffin that had been prepared for it.
There was nc marked change OF
the countenance, no distorted eye
nor swollen tongue, and the corpse
: looked as natural as in death.
Robert Henderson, the victim,
was about 20 years old, dark CON-
plected, smooth face and of a very
youthful appearance. He was about
five feet six inches 10 height, rattle 1
thick set, and weighed something
like 100 pounds. The execution was
witnessed by about thir y five per.
sons, including the inside guard.
Everything was conducted nicely
and in order. The gallows did its
,, work perfectly, and while it was {
very disagreeble job, and the frs
time he had ofiiciated at hanging
-. Sheriff Bullock performed his duty
i well. At one time some one in IN,
crowd on the outside, numbering
upwards of two thousand, becam,
rather boisterous, but otherwis,
there was no excitement or unusua
:; demonstration.
The law being vindicated, lif
: having been given for a life, til,
II crowd dispersed, after learning
lesson, it is TO be hoped, from tn
scene just enacted, that will have
tendency to suppress crime through
out the community.
Friday, June lst.