The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1886-07-17
A DOUBLE EXECUTION.


A DOUBLE EXECUTION.
Sampson Roland and Geo. Solomon
Hanged for Murder.
| At half-past - o'clock P. M. yesterday
Sampson Roland and George Solomon.
| both colored men, we're hanged in the
| courthouse yard at Donaldsonyille for the
crime of murder.
SAMPSON ROLAND,
medium sized black man, % years of
age, with small moustache and slight
growth of beard, shot and killed Benjamin
Gersdorf on the Mount Houmas plantation,
Sunday, February II, 1884. Gersdorff was
white man, employed rs section boss
on the Mississippi Valley railway, and bore
a good reputation. He and Roland had
met on the railroad track that morning
and had some sharp words, bat the cause
of the quarrel is not positively known,
though it has been suspected that there
was a woman mixed up in it. Gersdorf
went to the Lane store and became intoxi-
cated-so much so that couple of the
laborers in his section gang had to take
him in charge. While they were going
down the public road toward Mount Houmas
gate Roland met them and he and Gersdorf
resumed their mornings quarrel, cursing
each other freely. Roland went to his
house in the quarters of the plantation and
armed himself with a revolver, intercepted
the party as they were passing along the
plantation road through the quarters and
deliberately fred at Gersdorff at point
blank range, the ball entering the latter's
head Immediately above the right eye, find
ing an exit above the right ear. Gersdorff
broke away from his companions and fell
to the ground insensible. He was taken to
the New Orleans Charity Hospital the fol-
lowing morning and died there On the
ensuing Wednesday,.
Roland fled and remained at large until
the Goth of March, 1885, when be was cap
tured in the parish of Pointe Coupee end
brought back to Ascension. He had been
indicted for murder on the 10Th Of Septem-
Der, 1854, six months prior to his arrest.
He was tried Sept. %, 1855, convicted and
sentenced to death the same day His
counsel, G. A. Gondran, Esq. fled a mo-
ton for new trial, which was overruled,
then took an appeal to the Supreme Court,
which was decided adversely to the pris-
oner on the 14th of December. On Jan
uary IL of the present year the Governor
issued a death warrant ordering Roland's
execution February IS. On the 18th of
that month, however, respite was
granted to allow the friends of the con-
demned to apply to the Board of Pardons
for communication of sentence. This
movement was unsuccessful, and on the
18th of June second death warrant issued,
the Sheriff of this parish to |
hang the prisoner on the 18th of July, be-
tween the hours of noon and 2p.M NJ.
GEORGE SOLOMON
was also black, smooth-faced, about the
height and color of Roland, but of heavier
build. He stabbed and killed Henry Smith |!
on the 18th of January, 1886, in the seventh
ward Is of this parish, back of the Mount
Houmas place. Smith was the godfather
of Amy Hill, young woman with whom |
Solomon had been living two years. The |
pair had violent quarrel the day of the |
and after shooting at the woman |
several times without effect, Solomon pur-
sued her with Butchers knife to the house
Of Henry Baptiste, where he was inter
cepted and disarmed by some of the neigh |
bors. Amy subsequently went to the house
Of her godfather, where she was shortly
followed by Solomon, who was denied ad-
mittance and ordered off the premises by
Smith. As the intruder refused to leave,
Smith picked up hoe handle with which
to intimidate him. Nathan Hill here in
terfered, inducing Solomon to go out
through the gate and Smith to relinauish
The hoe handle. No sooner had this been
lone than Solomon ran swiftly back and
plunged knife into Smiths left breast,
Give got your and then run
hing away into the woods. Smith staggered
back to the house, fell across the doorway
md died in a few minutes, the knife hav-
ng penetrated his heart. The fugitive was
pursued by posse of neighbors, who cap
ured him the same evening and secured
lis confinement in the parish Jail.
He was indicted May for willfnl murder
ried and CONVICTED on the 11th and SEN
enced to death ON the 22d of the same
month. The death warrant was signed June
|, and Friday, July 16, designated as the
late of execution.
PREPARING FOR DEATH.
Both the prisoners conducted them
elves in IL quiet, exemplary manner during
heir confinement. expressing contrition
or their crimes and seeking With apparent