The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-02-27
SENT UP FOR LIFE.

1ho hhoi uiSpOoidoh VI TIC Sdbe Vi
Henry Alexander, who murdered
Lycurgus Thornton in the Mankato
House last summer, the details of which
are still fresh in the minds of our read
ers, was consummated on Saturday af-
ternoon last, resulting in his being sen.
fenced 10 State prison for life, to where
he was taken on Wednesday of this
week by Sheriff Monks.
The court convened in the forenoon,
at which time the prisoner was brought
up and examined by the attorneys on
both sides, full statement of his history
being brought out, which in chief points
he stated to be as follows:
He was born in slavery, in the State
of Georgia, being the offspring of illicit
love, the mother being colored woman
and his father white man of the medi-
cal profession. He remained in servile
life until he was about fifteen years old,
coming out of that condition and enter
ing the union army, and became the
servant of an officer, who was soon after
killed, and he then engaged in similar
capacity with another army official, with
whom he served until the close of the
war in 1865. He accompanied his master
to Iowa and engaged in work there,
learning to read and write at about the age
Of twenty-one. While at Des Moines,
Iowa, he married woman of his own
color and commenced the founding of a
home, which gave him every promise of
happiness, and he had by dint of con-
slant labor commenced the accumulation
of property, but the woman who pos
sessed his love and confidence proved
unfaithful, and he was compelled to sur
render his home and domestic felicity to
the treachery of fellow man. He at
tempted afterward to get divorce from
her, but was informed, that further pro-
cedure was unnecessary, for the woman
whom he had left, was married to an
other man, and he stated that she is still
living with him in the Territory of Mon
tana. He left that State after this mis-
fortune and subsequently found employ
ment in the Mankato House, where he
met the woman of white extraction, who
was the indirect cause Of the circum-
stances of the last few months which
have made him so conspicuous. He relat-
ed the circumstances Of his engagement
with Maggie Evans, and his subsequent
meeting of Thornton, which is about as
heretofore stated in the papers. He says
that he appraised Thornton of the nature
of his relation with the girl and had no
fears that he would so soon supplant his
affections. When the facts were known
to him, he says his feelings were Of
the most desperate character, which
he could not suppress. All his will
power was brought to bear, but his men,
tai agony was beyond control, and final.
ly drove him 10 the act he committed,
After q few words Of evidence by
Sheriff Monks, bearing upon the good
conduct Of the prisoner while incarcer.
ated in the county jail here, the court
adjourned until three o'clock in the af.
ternoon.
At that hour the Court House was well
filed with eager spectators, anxious to
hear the final words pronounced upon
the guilty man. After Alexander was
brought In and seated, County Attorney
Pau moved to have sentence pronounc.
ed, but the court decided that the evi,
denee rendered was of such nature al
to admit of argument, and then Mr.
Pfau on behalf Of the State spoke briefly
referring to the nature Of evidence AM
the degree Of guilt, and to the dis
cretionary provision in the act, making
death 9 penalty for murder in the frst
degree.
Hon. D. Buck, associate with Juds,