The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-12
THE DEATH PENALTY.
EXECUTION OF JOHN JARVIS AT PRfN-
CESS ANNE COURTHOUSE
YESTERDAY.
Bidding Farewell to His Family-His SYM
PATTY for His Victims wIdow-Coolness on
the scaffeld-Death without struggle
History OF the Crime.
Especial telegram to the Dispatch

i
| Especial telegram to the Dispatch.l
NORFOLK, Va, january 1.-THE execu
ton OF the white man John Jarvis for thu
murder OF Claudius W. Bonney, OF this city
at London Bridge last September, tool
place at Princess Anne Courthouse thi'
afternoon at half-past o'clock. TIT
gallows was erected In the iail-yard ant
the execution was a private one, being
witnessed by only about thirty persons, In
GLIDING the reporters, but on the outside
OF the Jail about a thousand people had as
sembled. A. guard Of twelve armed mer
surrounded the scsffold.
FAREWELL TO HIS FAMILY.
The wife OF Jarvis took her final leave Of
him Wednesday last, and his brother bad,
him goodbye to-day. He slept well las
night, and was this morning calm and col
lccted, and partook OF moderate break
fast and smoked cigar. His voice ant
motions expressed feebleness. Toward
noon Captain w. w. Old, counsel for the
accused. paid the condemned man visit
and informed him Of the refusal OF the
Governor to interfere any further in hi.
behalf. Jarvis in talking to those around
him exhibited great contrition: confessed
| his sorrow for the deed he had committed,
and said that 1T the time OF the murder he
felt an uncomfortable desire TO kill Bonney
which he could not resist.
sYMPATHIzING WITH HIS VICTIMS WIDOW
He expressed great sympathy for the
widow and children OF his victim. He
1 IL. II -. hi -s.,I
ment he had received while In Jail, and
said he would die at peace with all the
world that he was willing to die il 1t was
Gods will that he should do so. He had
tried to make peace with his Maker, he de-
cared. hut no minister OF any church had
been near him to administer religious con-
solutions.
! DRESSING FOR THE sCAFFOLD.
Towards 1 O'Clock Sheriff G.. W. Leg
gett, who conducted the execution, told
the prisoner to prepare, and Jarvis dressed
| himself in q new suit OF checkered gray
and clean Undertaking. such as he de-
sired to be buried in. After he had finished
dressing. Jailer Robert Murden and the
sheriff placed him between them and pro-
ceeded to the scaffold. Jarvis walked with
great firmness, and coolly and deliberately
assembled the scaffold. His bearing was
| remarkably composed throughout the ter
ribe ordeal, and though his face was
banched he neither groaned or Quivered.
READING THE SENTENCE.
The sheriff read aloud the sentence OF
death, and after pinioning his hands and
feet asked the condemned il he had any,
thing to say. Jarvis replied "No," / be-
lieve, but asked Mr.. John L. Brown to offer
up prayer for him, which was done with
great iervency by that gentleman. There
was no minister Of the gospel IN attend
ance, though several had promised and
were expected 10 be on hand. At the con-
clusion of the prayer all shook hands with
the doomed man and babe him farewell
Jarvis then shrieked out I: Farewell. my
friends; farewell forevermore. hope we
will meet in Heaven"
THE DEATH FALL.
The black cap and moose were then ad
juSted, and the sheriff, slipping quickly TO
the ground, sprung the trap. The body
fell eight feet, with the toes touching the
ground. Jarvis's neck was broken by the
fall, and he died without the movement Of
a muscle. Drs. r. e. Perkins, Il. j. Fen
tress, James =. Wright, and George II.
Snead were in attendance, and after the
body had been hanging twenty-three min
utes life was pronounced extinct. 1t was
cut down. and the remains were placed in
n rough board coffin and turned over 10
Peter Jarvis, brother OF the deceased, for
interment.
None OF the relatives witnessed the exc
cution.
JARVIS was the first white man ever exc
cuted in Princess Anne county.
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
The killing OF Mr.. Claudius w. Bonney,
OF this city, by Jarvis, took place near
London Bridge, Princess Anne county,
on the 18th Of last September. and was one
Of the most cold-blooded and brutal MUIR
ders that ever occurred in the county.
Bonney had bought a small farm known
as the Spencer tract. near London Bridge,
which Jarvis had been compelled to reln-
quish because he could not make the paw
ments on it. At the time OF the resale
Jarvis readily agreed to everything, and
was paid back all the money he ever paid
on the farm. 1t seems that he was not
satisfied, however. and was constantly
u.tering unintelligible threats to the
neighbOrs about "going to kill somebody"
Early in September Mr.. Bonney COM
menced to erect frame house on his land,
in which to move his family on their leav-
Ing Norfolk. He was assisted in his labors
by two co lored: men. On Tuesday after
noon, the 18th of September. Jarvis went
to the building where BOnney was at
work. carrying double barrelled shot
gun.
ASKED BONNEY TO TAKE A DRINK.
He commenced conversation with
Bonney. and represented that he had been
squirrel-hunting. Bonney sald "Weli,
what game did YOU get?" 80, got
some, he replied" drawing whiskey-bot-
tie out OF his bird-bag "Won't you try
some Of it!" 81 don't care il do" said
Bonney, as he reached for the bottle and
put it to his mouth. AS Bonney did so
Jarvis stepped back and cooked his gun.
"Look out, Mr.. Jarvis, and be more care
full how you handle that gun, or you'll! shoot
somebody !" exclaimed one Of the negro
workmen, who was alarmed at the reckless
manner in which the gun was made to bear
on surrounding objects. AT this eiacula
ton Mr.. Bonney turned towards Jarvis
and said: =" Why, look here, Jarvis, you
must mean to shoot somebody" Mdo,"
replied Jarvis,
'IMEAN TO KILL YOU";
and as he said it he raised the gun and
fired, the full charge Of buckshot striking
Bonney in the side and heart, killing him
instantly. Jarvis then cOolly walked off to
his house, near by, got something to eat,
and departed with his gun on his shoulder.
The negroes promptly gave the alarm, and
the neighbors started in pursuit OF the
murderer. Jarvis, in the mean time, had
taken the road to the courthouse, which
he reached in q couple Of hours, and deliv-
cred himself to Judge Keeling, and was
committed to Jail.
THE TRIAL.
At the November term Of Princess Anne