Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-03
THE COLBERT RESPITE.
1t Is the Subject of Unfavorable Com
ment-The Murderer's Goodness.

The action of the President in granting a
further respite till May IL in the case Of Nelson
Colbert, colored, the convicted murderer who
was to have been executed for his crime be-
tween the hours of noon and o'clock to-day.
! has caused some feeling and unfavorable COM
ment in this community, particularly among
the citizens Of northeast Washington. where
the victim of the murderer, Philip VENTED. an
aged man and good citizen, lived, and was
highly respected until cruelty stricken down.
Colberts counsel and friends worked hard to
save his neck from the rope. Yesterday morn
ing, when 1t was only about thirty hours before
the time set for the execution. his friends were
almost without hope. but his counsel-Messrs.
smell and Prince and DR.. Loomis, of Monticello
were confident of favorable action bv the Pres
ident, and when they called upon Attorney.
General Miller that official did not hesitate
minute to ask the President for a further re-
spite.
coLBERT's SPIRITUAL ADVISER.
Rev. John Roberts, the condemned mans
spiritual adviser, called at the White House
yesterday to see the President in behalf of the
prisoner. He was taken for an office-seeker
and was told to wait. but when he informed
the doOrkeeper that he was trying to save a
mans life he was permitted to ascend the steps
leading to the Presidents Office. While he was
waiting to see the President a messenger ar
the papers granting the respite were made out
and sent to the Jail. The messenger was ac-
companied to the Jail by Mr.. Roberts. who en-
| tered Colberts cell and broke the news to him.
GOODNESS OF THE PRISONER.
"The President has granted you two weeks
longer" said Mr.. Roberts. lis that so?" asked
the condemned man, who was not at all
excited by the receipt of the news, or at
least exhibited no emotion whatever, but ex-
pressed himself as grateful to his friends for
the interest they had manifested in his case.
He added. however. that he was prepared to
enter Heaven and was willing to die.
The Jail officials had begun preparations yes
| terday for the execution and soon everything
would have been ready. During the morning
one of the prisoners, who was confined in a
cell in sight of the scaffold. became nervous
and called for assistance. When guard reached
the cell the prisoner informed him that he de-
sired quarters on the other side of the build
ing, where there was no such Objectionable
| structure to obstruct his view. The structure
he complained of was the scaffold He knew
that the time set for the execution was drawing
near and he was badly scared at the idea OF wit
Messing such sight.
THE UNDERWRITERS SERVICES NOT NEEDED.
Yesterday morning, before Colbert's spiritual
adviser arrived and before the President had
granted a respite, Colbert's father visited the
jail. There was a colored undertaken with
him who was to prepare the body for the burial
after the execution. The undertaken had deli
cacy enough not to measure the condemned
man with tape-line. but walked through The
corridor and stopped at the cell door to take
bird s-eye view of the person who it was then
supposed would soon require his services. Col
bert recognized the undertaken but did not
seem the least bit disturbed by his presence