The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-26

DAvvILLE. Va, January 2j.-At
Yanceyville, the county seat OF Caswell
county. North Carolina, sixteen miles
from this city, John Yancey (colored),
was hanged to-day for the murder OF
Bob Oliver, another colored man. me
murder was committed last April, and
Yancey was convicted and sentenced at
the November term of the supreme
Court
rHE STORY or THE CRIME
is briefly told Bob Oliver and John
Yancev two big black buck negroes
were both enamOrcd Of the charms OF
Julia Jackson, a dusky maiden OF loose
habits and easy virtue, whose home, as
well as those Of her two lovers, was IN the
southern part of Caswell county
Yancey and Oliver had been friends,
and both were married men and the
fathers of children, but the smiles oil the
CAV but dusky Julia had estranged them.
The story goes that Oliver had declared
his intention Of administering a dose of
cold poison 90 Nancey should favOra-
bic opportunity present itself, and in
turn Eancev had vowed vengeance
against Bob Oliver On dark Saturday
night i'm April last John Yancey fortified
himself with Dutch courage in the
shape of a pint or more of cheap whisky
and then arming himself with an i'm
mense hickory stick, he went out gum
ming. so 10 speak, for Oliver lie knew
well the path Oliver usually Travelled on
his way 10 the frail Julia Jackson S
house. and concealing himself contiguous
thereto, he awaited the coming oil MS
victim
Ere long Bob Oliver came that way,
and Yancev rushing ont, made vigor-
ous attack upon him with the bludgeon
He struck Oliver several blows over the
head. which split his skull and LETT MN
bleeding and dying on the ground. an
cev then jumped upon his victim ana
choked him until he was sure that lie
was extinct.
Yancey then
HID THE BODY
I'm the undorhrush and went on his way
rejoicing. Yes, rejoicing, for in his writ
ten confession be says he went along
singing very loud The Monday fol-
lowing the body was found and Yancey
attended the cOrOners inquest, which, as
usual. shed no light upon the dark ana
bloody deed Later Iancey was
ARRESTED oN BARE SUSPICION,
indicted and convicted on circumstantial
evidence. after which he made a full con
fession. He was deacon in good stand,
ing in a country cOl0red church, ana
hence a confession of religion in Jail was
unnecessary in his case. but all the same
he made d vigorous repentance OF his
sin declared his soul spotless and freely
EXPRESSED the belief that Immediately az
ter the drop should fall he would start
ON a sort of Sunday-schoOl excursion
ebovOnd the smiling and the weeping
Having fortified himself with this mon
strous belief born of negro superstition,
n is no wonder be died game. The gal
lows was erected IN q grove about one
mile from the quiet village Of lancey-
vile. and though the sentence on ne
court said the culprit should SWING Oe-
tween the hours of 10 and 2, a great
crowd had assembled as early as 4. NJ
anxious to crafty morbid curiosity.
Neproes Of all sizes, ages and sexes came
in from every part of Caswell and seve.-
raj adjoining counties, and the cake deal
ers and cider venders reaped rich haf-
vest. Hundreds of white men were also
present
THE RIDE 10 DEATH
A drizzling rain did not deter the
crowd from witnessing the execution.
I AT / o'clock the sheriff and deputies
entered the jail and put the white shroud
ON the prisoner and adjusted the rope
. The prisoner was put in a wagon and
carried mile and a half TO the gallows
followed by an excited crowd numbering
two thousand Az the gallCws white
minister spoke The prisoner in short
address confessed his guilt, and said his
doom was Just, but he had cause to hope
that his soul would be saved. \ coloreeo
minister then prayed, after when in. D.
sheriff sprung he trigger, and at 2lO I
NJ the drop fell His neck was broken
and Yancey died ia ten minutes lh'
body was turned over 10 friends.
Yancey was q stout negro, weighing
hundred and seventy-tye pounds, anG
aged forty.one years. He leaves VIE
H.. d af4ff.IraF