Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-04
DOUBLE EXECUTION.
rwo urgRors HANGED IN GREEHxs-
yrLLH YESTERDAY.
Statements Of the Condemned Msn--A Quiet
Exscutien-fhs History Of
the Crimes
rccrrespcndspcs Of the Richmond Dispstcn-l
Hrcsxsropp. Va. MAY 3, 1889.


she Cont ia the cases OF Walter Hsrriss and |
Robert williams (ncgroese convicted oil
murder in the first degree-Hsrriss Tor tne
murder OF Anthony Parhsm on the 18Th OF !
November last, sad Williams for the murder
Of Emerson Mason on the 2ist OF February. |
when your correspondent entered the cell |
cf the condemned men this morning they |
were remarkably calm In view OF the TERRI /
bic fate so soon awaiting them, talked very |
cheerfully. said they felt all right ana hao |
no fear OF death. They had during tneir
imprisonment, however, been very tronole-
some prisoners, had several times freed |
themsejvs. from their chains, and bad given |
the Sheriff and his deputies great worry. |
sheriff lee. however. never lost patience |
with them snd never eDce treated them be-
vopd that firmness which O good officer al-
ways exercises.
STATEMENTS or THE MURDKREEs
Being asked by your correspondent IL
thew had ANYTHING 10 say relative 70 the /
crimes Of which they bad been convicted /
hath Of the men volunteered a statement
substantially the same previously made ny |
them.
UNTNTENTToNAL KILLING.
Harris. said that tho killing Of Psrham was /
unintentionsl and in self-defenee.
WILLIAMS tONfhrShs.
williams, {. he had previously done 70 |
his counsel. caHdldy confessed TO the wliiul /
murder Of bis victim, Emerson Mason. lie
,sId thst he had had grudge OF long stand
ing against Mason.
TIE EXECUTION.
At uuartsr-psst ~ O'Clock the SherIh
called all the witnesses 10 the execution M
side the enclosure, and few minutes istef
hrnfI hf
the iaii with their hands piniOned behind /
them. They held their beads upright ana
marched steadily up the steps 70 the plat /
form OF the sesfod. They stood erect WIN !
the ropes hanging by their side, and looked |
around about them without the least appa' |
rent evidence OF fear or trembling. Inc
sentence OF death was road 10 them by Mr.. !
T.. l.. Turner, the CLERK OF the county, AT
the request OF Sheriff Lee. When asked II
they had anything 10 say before the sentence
was carried into execution eaeh one re-
sponded that be had no I'll feelings toWsros
any person in the world and that be was
resdy 10 die. Their feet were then pinioned, !
and after 40 earnest and touching prayer by
Rev. n. J. Pruden the black caps were |
mt over their heads, and at twenty mln- !
,tes IN O'Clock the beam regulating /
the trap door was touched by sheriff Lee ana |
the two bodies fell side 10y side. i mere were |
a few minutes Of struggling and contractlons /
Of the bodies, but soon all Was over. Dr' /
Edward Mason, the physician III Attendance /
pronounced tue necks 10 have Oeen OIoseh !
snd desth the result in eight minutes. Ihe
bodies fell distance OF four feet, and pro
badly no execution by hsueing in recent /
wears psssed of in better order. At the end /
~ twenty minutes the bodies were cut down
and placed in plain cofiins aud buried nesr /
the town. Several hundred negroes were /
present on the courtgreen.
FORMER EXECUTIONS IN GEEENEsvILLE
This IS the third execution in Greenesvlie
since the formation OF the county. The brst
vsS that OF negro banged in the early part OF
inc century for rape. The second was that /
OF Mcclellan in 1871, as sn accessory TO the
murder OF Constable DrummOnd. Henry /
Moore WAS TO have been hung In lSS0 Tor /
murder. but he escaped from jail few days
before the day fixed FOR his execution. Ran
dali Watson, who was TO have been hanged
last wear, had his sentence deferred by the
Supreme Court
NO CLAIMnRfS FOR THE BODIES.
Strange 10 say there were no claimants
for the bodies OF these murderers. The
Sheriff applied 10 their relatives and friends
10 take charge Of the bodies after the execus
ton. but none of them responded. In &C.
cordance with the provisions OF the law IN
such cases the Sheriff then wrote to the au-
thoritie. OF the Medical College OF virginia
and Of the University, but they replied that /
il was too late in the season and they could |
not take them.
The mother OF Robert Williams lives in
Richmond.
HAIRLESS CRIME.
Walter Hsrriss, the murderer OF Albert
Psrbam. was not quite nineteen wears ola;
in fact. he and Robert Williams were about
the same age. Although young in years
both men were old in deprayiiy, and the
crimes for which they suffered the death
penalty were OF peculiarly actroclous
character, IIsrriss wss a native OF Sus-
sex county, and bad been living in
9reepesylle county for about year with
Albert Parham, who's had employed him at
the request Of the murderer's mother.
HARRIS took PaThaIn's life for the pur-
pose OF securing = sum OF money which his |
EMPLOYER was known to possess. There Is
little doubt OF the fact, although he denied I
this and conten ded that he struck Parham IN /
the course Of a quarrel; dealt him a " heavier /
lick" rs he testified, q" than he intended"
The murder was committed in November |
last. PRIbsm was seated at his table esting /
breakfast when Hsrriss struck him tre- /
mendous blow with an axe, nearly Severlng !
his beas from the body. Parham died |
where he fell, his mouth being full OK food !
when the body was discovered.
Before be began TO search for the money /.
for which be bad taken his employers life
Harriss went TO the door TO see II any per- /
son was IN sight OF the premises. Very
much to his surprise he saw negro ap>
proaching. In order To throw this man of
the scent and TO divert suspicion he went
u meet The visitor. and told him that "Uncle
AIbertv was very sick, desiring him at the
same time TO come 10 and see il he could not
do something for him. lie turned back and
went INTO the house with the visitor who,
seeing the mutilated body OF Parham, at
once gave the alarm and, with the assistance
Of some negroes wh wero working near
by, arrested Harriss 81 the murderer.
The trial came of at the January term OF
the County Court. IL was abuudantly proved
that Harriss had committed wilful, cruel,
aud deliberate murder, and the jury were
net long In fading verdict in accordance
with the evidence. Sentence OF death was
passed upon the murderer, and the date OF
the hanging was fixed for to-day. The muir
derer had been confined In the county Jail
ever since, aud proved himself 10 be very
desperate prisoner lie was implicated IN
daring attempt 10 secure his liberty By burn
ing the isl On more than one occasion the
Sheriff had 10 club him for insubordlnaton.
At nrst sight he appeared TO be 30 stupid as
TO Ne almost hali-wilted. 10 reality, how
ever, he was very shrewd, sharp fellow.
ROBERT WILLIAMS
Among those who attended the trial OF
Harriss was 4 young negro who seemed TO
be deeply absorbed in the history Of that
crime. THIS mans name was Robert Will
iiams, and few weeks later he was ar
raigned for trial In toe same court. charged
with q murder IS brutal and premediated as
that OF which H,rriss was accused. VIII.
ltams bad always been Of a waywSrd dispo-
sitieu, aud when quite young he ran away
from bis mother, who lived IN Petersburg.
He was stout fellow, exceedingly well
grown for bis age, which, as has been stated,
was about nineteen years. lie hsd been
living Ia the county little more than year
with his uncle, worthy eolored preacher,
the Rev. William Royals, who owned = small
store. ROYALS bad IA his employment ne
gro named Emerson Mason. Trustworthy
MAD, who attended to his business during