Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-15

| death ensued from the conclusion Of the fall
Inc heart ceased to beat in 10 minutes and 80
seconds after the fall, but the body hung for so
| minutes before it was lowered into the coffin
The drop was sprung at S:56 o'clock. and the
body was lowered into the coffin at 9:26.
one OF the colored prisoners who was in q cell
| some distance from the scaffold witnessed the
execution by means of piece of lookingglass
Wnlcn he held out of the cell window.
LANGsTERs STRENGTH.
"Langster was one OF the most powerful men,
for his size, ever saw" said Robert Strong to q
STAR reporter. "HiS muscles were as hard as
iron, and his flesh as firm as if he had been
In trimming as an athlete Gen. Crocker said
than match for any single jail guard. On
being questioned about the prisoners sanity,
the general said there was no question that he
was perfectly sane, and that his fits, for which
ne secured some sympathy, were feigned.
why" continued he, "Langster would tell the
other prisoners that at such time he would
haye fit, and for them to get out of the way,
SO he wouldn't hurt them. His fits always came
as he predicted, and he usually selected occa-
would be in the Jail as visitors. The change in
the prisoner since Monday has been very
marked, and he has evidently realized that it
would not avail to continue the insanity trick"
A HAPPY OMEN.
Just before the warden entered the prisoners
cell to take him to the gallows sparrow which
had flown in through an open window made
several circles of the rotunda and then lighting
H.,
two or three times Those who were super.
stitious considered this incident a happy omen
that Langster had found forgiveness for his
crime.
was conducted by the physicians who had wit
messed the execution, and examination was
made with special reference to brain LESSONS, to
see If there was any indication of weakness or
insanity. Investigation revealed that the brain
was not of a low type. and no opacity of the
membranes of the brain was disclosed This
opacity is what was relied upon by those physi-
clans who believed in the insanity of Guiteau,
and when in the autopsy in his case it was
found in marked degree they We're confirmed
in their opinion that he was Irresponsible In
LangSters case there was nothing which would
point, in the most remote degree, to insanity
There was found a partial dislocation of the ver-
The muscles stood out firm and strong, and
there was no surplus fat surrounding them. In
anatomlst, as one OF the physicians remarked.
SKETCH OF LANGsTERS LIFE.
Langster was born in 1864, of parents who
came here during the war from Charles county,
Md, where they were slaves. They lived in
South Washington, in Pleasant alley, between
quite young the parents separated, the father
going up to Chew's alley, between 1st and I'd
and + and streets. Langster remained with
his mother. He said that his stepfather was
hard upon him, beat his mother and the
children, and frequently drove him from home
When still a child he went to a farmer near
Marlboro and lived there for over year, when
he became so bad that he was driven away.
When II years old he was arrested here and
TIL 1881. After being out for short time he
made his way to Pittsburg where he enlisted
in II. the 9th T. $: cavalry and was sent to Fort
BufOrd, in Montana. While there he made an
assault with deadly intent on a person. He
was tried by a military board of survey as
to his mental condition, and the board
having certified that he was insane. he was
brought here in 1888 and sent to st. Elizabeth's
asylum, Here he informed the physicians and
hGah dYal.
being sent to a military prison and had sue
ceeded. They. however, kept him for about a
sane discharged him. After being out for a
short time he was arrested for vagrancy, and
sent to the work house, where he soon became
known as very bad prisoner. After this term
was served out he ''beat" his way to Norfolk
where he remained some little time and then
went to Baltimore. He returned here last
spring. On the 1 1th of August he was again ar
rested as vagrant and sent down, and while
one of the chain gang he committed the crime
for which he to-day suffered the death penalty.
THE SCAFFOLD
on which Langster was hanged to-day is q sta
tionary piece OF furniture. located in the court
at the northeast corner of the Jail. It was built
for the execution of James Peyton, in 1879 but
Peytons sentence was commuted. James NJ.
Wife, was the first man hanged on this Scaffold
His execution took place April I'd, $780, and is
especially memorable because he was decap-
itated by the rope. 1t next served November
9th. 1880, at the execution of "Babe' Bedford
and Edward Queenan, convicted of the Hirth
Guiteau, the assassin of President Garfield on
June 3Oth. 1882, and was last used January
the murder of his sister, Susie Carter The
scaffold is a very substantial structure, being
made entirely of Georgia pine, of the best
quality, covered with drab paint.
Says Her Husband Drove Over Her.
SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST SALOON KEEPER
WRIGHT AND HIS FAIR FRIEND.
Nm inbf colo rot fl,ao
of 18th and H streets northwest, and Miss
Martha A. Gilmer, clerk in the QuartermaS-
ter generals office, living at 723 11th street.
were charged in the Police Court to-day by Mr..
Wright's wife with assault and battery. Their
collaterals of SO each were forfeited, and an
was deemed insufficient Mrs Wrights state
ment was to the effect that suspecting her hus-
band OF infdelity with Miss Gifmer. She yester-
day disguised herself and stood opposite the
young lady's residence on 11th street. About ,
o'clock her husband drove to the young lady's
house in a buggy. In a few minutes Miss Gill
mer came out and seated herself in the buggy
Then Mrs. Wright walked across the street
raised her veil, and requested the young lady to
tod to DO. ~" ''nN 'D'' '' ''' '0s ~0' reused
Mrs. Wright thereupon took her stand in
front of the horse and refused to move until her
husbands fair friend left. Miss Gilmer ordered
Wright to drive on He Obeyed, and started his
horse, and knocked his wife down. bruising her
warrants from Justice Hclmick, and the parties
were arrested and subsequently released on col
lateral, as stated.
Exciting Contest at Springfield.
JUDGE TREE ALMOST ELECTED THROUGH THE
ALLEGED TREiCHERY OF A REPUBLICAN.
After the adjournment of the joint assembly
of the Illinois legislature yesterday afternoon,
the democrats held a caucus, and it was ar
ranged to vote first tor the following men: Tree,
Black, Harrison, Altgeldt, Palmer, Allen Town
shend, Hayes, Judd, ]. L. Schofeld and NJ. A.
Fuller. The new member, Weaver, received
his certificate of election from the governor last
evening. At the evening joint session the first
vote for United States Senator resulted: Tree
81; Morrison, 5; Judd, 9: HoXie, /; Townshend
1. On the second ballot Judge Tree received
1O1 votes, and as Senator Ruger voted for John
a. Logan, it was within one Of electing Judge
Tree. There was great excitement in the house
when he announced his vote. After roll-call i'm
and announced that a man named Dunphey, Of
Chicago was in the house, and had attempted
to bribe Senator Ruger to vote for Logan, SO as
to make a quorum voting. 1t created q sensa-
ton, and it was nearly an hour before any busi-
ness was transacted. The third ballot resulted:
Tree, 100; Morrison, 1. AT 1905 the joint as
sembly took a recess till $50 am. today This
was done to prevent Weaver being sworn in.
After the democrats adjourned Weaver was
sworn in by Judge Gross.
The Trial Of Young Cluyerius.
THE PROSECUTION WEAVING A STRONG CHAIN
OF CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.
In the trial of Cluverius for the murder of
Miss Madison, in Richmond yesterday, after
the close of THE STARS report, Mr.. Dunstan
~. Il