National Republican., 1884-06-28
W WAITING FOR DEATH
now THE FIVE MURDERERs AT THE JAIL
BEHAVE THEMSELVES.
Brlcc Awaits His Doom, Not Two Weeks OF,
with Very Low Spirlts-Iiis Religious Lire
Frank Minor, Henrietta Carpenter, Christina
Taylor, and Frenchy Ross.


----------
lark caroled merrily overhead, and was
replied to by q canary in the wardehs ONCE eI
the jail yesterday. But there was no sign OF
merTiment, or even the average contentment
v,itb life. shown by the occupant of cell No. II,
a few doors south Of the traditional condemned
cell. Edward Brice, who will be hanged on
next Friday week, sat on the edge OF his truck
nod with his ewes cast down, his cell window
dorkened with an old newspaper, and relig-
ions book living open but face downward, be-
side him. No pictures or other ornaments
Frightened the walls, the only articles in the
narrow confines beside the bed and tin wash
b9sin being a small pile Of books in the win
dow, the Bible being conspicuous.
'Iie took TO the Bible rs soon as nc came
here" said Deputy Warden Russ, ana II mas
bcen his steady companion since. He appears
very low spirited now, and has been SO Tor
several days"
Rev. Dr. Roberts, colored preacher, has
been visiting Brice, who appeared to enjoy the
interviews very much, but the visits have
dropped off oflate, either owing to the supposed
attainment of full religious conviction by the
condemned man or because the PrcaGher mas
had other and more pressing calls upon his
time and attention. No other attention has
been shown Brice, except by his counsel, Mr.
Phelps, himself an ex.prcachor, who however,
has not taken so much interest 5s III MS client
since his sentence on April 20 last.
Brice was committed TO jail on FeD. ~ last,
for the murder of Peter Washington, fellow
employe of the restaurant at the Baltimore
and Potomac depot, whom ne q9arre,,ed , WIN WIN
over serving meal for some travellers, ana
attacked with n murderous looking knife
nearly three feet long. The evidence, was
very direct, and the only thing that could be
urged In defense was the previous good char-
doter of Brioe, who both before and since his
incarceration, has won the reputation OF Delng
quiet, inofensive fellow. lie Is below the
middle SIZE of dark brown skin, and wears
slight moustache and board. Eyer since ne
has been al the jail he has behaved himself
with unexoeptionable correctness, and on no
occasion has no manifested the slightest indi-
cation of even an irritable temper.
The hearing OF and exceptions taken 10 the
Judges ruling during the trial will be heard in
the court In banc Wednesday, but there is no
possibility Of the judgment being reversed
upon It, An effort has been made TO have me
sentence commuted, but no announcement
has been given TO the gentlemen who in
terested themselves in his behalf-the very
travellers over whose meal the quarrel TOOK
place.
place within the walls of the jail between the
hours of and 10 in the morning. The scatiold
is in the same place II occupied when Guiteau
was hanged, in the northeastern corner oi e the
Jail, adjoining the female1 corridor. II has
been the instrument of retributive Justice in
the case of five murderers already, the Inst one
being the boy, Charley Shaw hanged for the
scaffold that Stone was dropped through to the
ground, the rope retaining his head for mo-
ment In its embrace after its severance from
the body. The Hirth murderers also suffered
death upon the same substantial structure,
though then erected In a temporary jail yard.
No papers have yet been received by the
jail authorities in Brice's case, but they keep
a close watch upon the court proceedings so as
TO be ready when the necessary documents ar
rive. The court in general term is TO adjourn
on the 7th ultimo, and the sentence is that
Brice suffer death on the Friday following that
event.
Minor, in january, 1888, under circumstances
not unlike those attending Stone crime, occu-
pies q cell on the west front of the same corri.
dor, near that which Guiteau spent much oi
his period of imprisonment. He Is a lighter
colored negro, and his spirits have risen much
since the virtual respite granted In the post
ponement of his second trial until the fall.
The first trial resulted in q conviction but
the court in banc last March ordered new
one on account of error in the first proceed
ings in empanellng the Jury. He was sen
fenced to be hanged on March Z last under thu
first trial, and seemed fully resigned to go a
that time.
The last arrival in the capital class amonl
the women was Henrietta Carpenter, VIII,
came down about a month since charged OF
apparently conclusive EVIDENCE with havinl
killed her husband, George w. Carpenter, OIL
Or about Dec. 25.
She is a very moody prisoner, and gives tn
attendants the impression of being as cruel a
her alleged crime was. She has had but littl
to say TO any one since she has been down
and but little interest is manifested in he
case. The other prisoners view her with avei
sion, having become aware OF The brutal man
npT in which she is supposed to have kille
her husband. His remains were found unde
the house they had occupied in the northeas
section, covered up with dirt and rubbish
The murder had been committed by crushin
IL the unfortunate mans skull, which wa
unntilatqn
The crime of French r. Ross is too fresh
deed more than q passing mention In con
pleting the list of murderers awaiting trial Q
execution in the Jail. Yesterday was visitin
day, and this latest addition to the blood
crew was dressed in new suit of clothes wit
spotless linen, and his head all but shaved, l
approved hot weather style. He was receivin
party of admiring and hashily dressed girl
talking with them through the bars whic
separate the murderers' corridor from the n
tunda and seemed by no means depressed b
his surroundings. There will be no troubl
about his case, he says, as he has q first raj
The accounts Of his killing of poor, ino
fensive Isaac Tenney, printed at the time, IL
dicated that Ross case was about as hopelei
q one as has been on the criminal docket iC
"They seem to be going to let Christian
Taylor die on our hands" remarked Cap
Russ as the round of inspection was about col
cluded. mot that she IL ailing at all, but sll
must, in course of time, die Of old age, an
there does not seem any prospect of her bein
hanged. She was committed here over thre
years ago for the cruel murder of two whit
children named Fisher, in the county, trieC
and convicted, but she seems to have bee
forgotten"
mo" he continued, In response to que
ton, ~ don't think she is insane. She is veal
minded and very vicious when she is crossed
but she eats her rations, and cannot be got
say anything in the way of confessing HI
guilt; she persists in asserting that she did nj
kill the children and does not know who di,
In that respect she is strong-minded enough
or Gu mining perhaps, should say" =,
records, TO be awaiting new trial, tho fir
verdict having been set aside by Judge Wyli
because he became convinced that the o!
creature was crazy.
IN r,s. 1,a.I an .i.a n.is.i.,nl c,n.4 n,,. al