The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-05-28
POUNDED CLASS,

This was undoubtedly interdad as a last re-
sort to cheat the galtOwS, if no better means
of red, After his old cloth were taken from
Inn he begged p1teouSly thai trey be retL Lrned
especially his pants. He did not .OW that the
Sheriff had found the pounded glass. He ii 50
repeatedly asked To be allowed TO return TO his
old cell. This was denied him by the Sheriff
who VS. determined the sentence of the law
sh, uld not be defeated.
About O'Clock this morning Revs. Jackson
and Kemp, colured, visited Rhodes ana spent
some time with him singing and praying
Rh1deS did no5 enter toto the service WITH any
degree OF enthusiasm, for in the midst of the
prayers he sent down for some of his things
which he claimed he left in the bathroom, and
then he again'rt quested the She iff to How
nm to visit the old cell. 1t is bell we'd h. had
Search viii be made for t., During the morn
ing a let. er from Governor ireland was read to
Rhodes. in which the executive declined TO
interfere.
THE EXECUTION.
At IL o'c'ock the prisoner was led from the
cell and ascended the ladder leading to ii e
SC fold, which wa III the d tic over tR9 ma n
building OF the jail. hole hid be, ut
leading to the second floor. THIS gave the
vic i'm drop of eight feet. ii TOOK his p ace
on the trap with firm step. Viii he stood
IN this position The death warrant was read t.
him by the sheriff. He was then asked + he
had anything to say, and rtpli d.
II want my relatives and friends
from bad places. He then shook hands Win
his two brothers, and bid them good-hye. lie
was remarkably cool to the last Just as the
Sheriff Was placing the black cap over hls ne lu
he drew a heavy gold ring from his finger and
nanded lG to the Sheriff with the remark
"Giye this to MOTHER
At II IA the trap was sprung, aud the body
OF the murderer shot down the trap with great
violence. breaking his neck most effectsIally
In twenty-five minutes he was pronounced
dead, and the body was removed to the main
hallway of the jail, where 1t was put in its
coffin. Several Thousand people, mostly col
| orcd, viewed the remains. In all, about fifty
people witnessed the execution, but on the out.
SIDE OF the jail there was gathered about two
tn uSand people from. an early hour, who
stood III the not sun patiently awaiting the
'1gnal that the brutal murderer was dead.
dis crime w&s The Ii est blood thirsty and
unparalleled butchery ever committed o th.s
island.
THE MuRDsR OF HIS WIFE.
The crime for which Jasper Rhodes was pri
yate y executed i'll the county iail to-day, wa:
the u.der OF his wife, Mary Rhodes, w!,ici
occurred In this city Oil the night of October
list, 1884, 1t was one Of The most bruta
| 'rlmes that has stained ;iia annals of this
| county. RhodcS was q light mulatto abou
| 80 years old, and we5 somewhat OF deSperat,
character, generally feared Iy people of hi
| race. He was cons antly engaged in broilS
| and was under bonds at the time of til,
murder for seriously siab3mg white man OF
| the wharf. Mary Rhodes his wife and victim
was bright lOokin. muatto woman, t. enty
| SEVEN years Old a d was married to Rhodes il
l wy pstIG vi ApT'l 1851. 1neJf 1ndI1ltl
| life was rendered exceedingly unpleasant b!
the brutal and inttmperate conduct OF Rhodes
| which forced his wife to separate frOm him
md again enter the service of Mr.. Richard Il
| Ile'Eans family, residing On the corner !,
| 18th st. eet and Broadway, where she was EN-
| ployed as a domestid pr or to her marriag
and by whom she was highly este med
| Rhodes made repeated attempts to get hi
| wife t. return to him but without avatl. A
| about haff past7 o'c;Ock on the evening o
| October 2lst, Rhodes, In company with SaI
N 1ISnn vic tnA fInn r1sAtN.
| OF Mr.. Tlernan during that gentlemans al
Sence and gained access to the re ar ard by
side gate.
| SCENE OF THE MURDER.
Rhodes remaining in the background. sen
| Wilson forward to induce his wife to come int
the yard, on the plea thai he (WilSOn) Wante
to I'd k to her. The unSuSpectipg wife steppe
out into the yard TO hear what Wilson had t
say, and when she goG into The shadow of til
building she Was instantly confronted b
Rhodes. A few exciting wOrds passed betwee
them, when Rhodes, quick as "a flash, drew h
pistol and lodged a bul in the brain OF h
wife, and then quickly jumped aStrIde of hi
IproStrate body with a knit; and Inflicted
hori ible sh in her throat. In the meal
upstairs and informed Mrs Tierna
that Jasper Rhodes was in the yard viii
a pistol, and she feared he intended to kill Ii,
sister. Mrs. Herman, apprehenslve of trOubl
seized her husbands pistol lying on a dresse
hurried down the rear stairs, and had scar ce
| reached Gne yaru Ot1Ore Sne was STAR T. ed |
| the report and fash of Il pistol anG saw h
fat hful servant ia to the ground with moa
| She sprang forward to her deftnse, pist
drawn. but was SO bOrrited with what she sa
| that she for moment lost her self-possesSiU
| aud =. uld not fire her pistol. Rhodes haviI
| completed his helli'h deed, sprang from Il
| body of his victim. and with a brutal thre
iourished his pistol in the face If Mrs. Tie
az, ard with his accomphye escaped 10 Il
darkness.
THREATS OF LYNCHING.
Tn C ty was hcrrified; the excitement W
intense, aud lyuchin< was strongly talked
| while every ayenre OF escape w
closely watched. Wilson was appreherd
the next morn nng ard lodged in jail. +
four days the city Was closely Searcn ed I
the murderer. On tn morning OF the 25th
October Rhodes was discovered concealed II
der house in the East End, and was TAX
into cuSf Ody and speedily carried to Jail.
thelNovember term Of the Criminal Court
secured a continuance. Wilson, his ai.co]
G plice, Was tried aid acquitted. At the ia
, uary term Rhodes was tried, found guilty al
sentenced to death. The case W
Appealed to the Court of Appeals Uhi
affirmed the findings of the lower court. al
the Grim nal was sentenced in March last
Judge Cook, to be privately hanged on Nav
: | which sentence was duly executed in tn.. i;
: building to-day. This makes the fifth les
{ | eXecs ton since the county was organized
1898. There Were several military excutio
: here during the war, and lynchinG prior
during, aud after the war.