The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-02-14
JUSTICE INDICATED.
JESSE PROCTOR AND FREDERICK
YOUNG PAY THE PENALTY
OF Violated Law with their Lives-A
Large Crowd Present-They We're
Executed mt f.52 y. M, Yes
terday at Dover.

Jesse Proctor, aged 81 years, anc
Frederick Young, aged II years, werc
hanged in the rear of the old jail this
afternoon, for the murder of StepheI
Lindsay, aged 50 years, the drop fall
ing at 1.53 p. m.
Young's heart ceased beating in Il
minutes, and he was cut down in q
minutes. Proctors heart ceased beat
ing in 1877 minutes and he was cut
down in 26 minutes. Proctor died
from strangulation without II strug-
gle, but Young's neck was broken. In
two minutes after he fell he drew both
feet up about eight inches, but they
dropped again in a second or two.
The men We're then placed in rough
stained collins TO be taken away to be
buried in the Potters field, of Kent
County.
Both of the prisoners appeared to
sleep well last night and evidently en-
joyed the breakfast especially lyprovided
for them. Most of their friends and
their counsel bade them goodbye yes
terday and few persons saw them TO-
day while they remained in the jail.
They were, however, attended by two
colored ministers,
At LIS o'clock Sheriff Amos Cole, in
the presence OF few persons, read
the death warrants to the two men.
They heard their fate announced with
out quiver. Young, who had show
ed signs of breaking when reprieve
had been refused, was apparently the
stronger of the two.
In the meantime the sheriff had
sw orn in the following-named men as
jurors to witness the execution:
r. o. p. Wilson, Jacob Graham, JAS.
Porter G. II. Butter, w G. Shallcross,
DIR. w. X. Conaway, N. II. Hutchins,
Franklin Temple, James w. Wise, w.
i. Butler, Frank Richards, Charles l..
Ireidler, NJ. G. JacksoH J. d. Brown,
Solomon Brown, Charles Layton. W.
u. GrilIenberg, George w. Hanson, C..
fellow, DR.. T. G. Fraim. John b. Wor-
ton, J. l.. Thawley, George w. Hickey.
At 1.34 O'Clock, the Sheriff, his Jury
and the reporters left the county build
ing, wading through the mud to tho
adjacent lot on which the gnllows
were erected. The Sheriff then enter
ed the Jail and in a few minutes he and
his wardens emerged from the west
door with the prisoners.
The men had their hands handculfed
back OF them, and each one was ac-
companied by u negro minister. Proc
tor, who was II light mulatto, came
first. Ten feet back tof him came
Young, good specimen of the Afri-
can negro. without drop of white
blood in him. Both men stepped
quickly and erect, especially Young
Both men seemed oblivious to their
surroundings and their eyes never
wandered TO even scan the crowds who
stood gaping on every side. They
quickly passed inside The enclosure
and the gate WIS closed.
The men mounted tho scaifold, the
iloor of which wils eight feet from the
ground and stood Just back OF the
hinges of the trap wlHch was about
3x6 feet. Proctor stood to tha right
and Young to tho left. Proctor wore
an old suit of clothes and light cap.
Young had neat dark suit. Proctor
twitched neryously and several times
raised his eyes to survey the crowds
outside oi the enclosure. On tho plat
form We're: Sheriff Cple, Calvin G.
Cole, Joseph BOggs, Willard Cahall,
Captain Israel Ridings Or New Castle,
Sheriff Simmons Of New Castle County
and the two ministers.
At ~ O'clock the men stood wait
ing their awful doom. The Rev. ]. G..
Cole made Il brief prayer and the other
minister pronounced tile benetliction.
Proctor turned half around so ihnt The
Rev Mr.. Cole could take book from
side pocket OF his coat. The mems
arms We're tied with cords at the
elbows and straps We're huckled
around their ankles. The men then
stepprd on to the trap and Captain
lsraHl Rulings, who superintendent the
erection Of tho seatfold and the making
of all the mechanical arrangements,
adjusted the nooses over the mems
heads. Neither of the men moved "A
muscle and neither uttered word OF
II sound. The black caps were ad-
iusted.
Half minute later Sheriff Cole, who
stood six feet to the rear of the CON
delnned men, raised n llatchet and cnt
the rope, n heavy thud followed and
the two men were launched into cter-
nifty. When tho men fell disgrace
ful scene occurred. large number
of men aud boys were hanging to the
outside of the enclosure fence anxious
TO see the hunging. There was crash
and the fence began to topple over on
the crowd inside. A reporter of the
Morning News thus graphically des-
cribed 1t;
Men on the scailold and deputy sher-
IFS yelled to the men hanging on the
fence TO get down. but they refused.
A board fell off and "A mans hand
came through. A savage blow from
an umbrella made him let go. The
mob outside got excited and kept
crushing into the fence which seemed
doomed to be crushed down.
The deputy sherilfs threw themselves
against the fence and tried to beat
back the crowd. Those inside iumped
away from the point of danger. Sher-
III Cole and Sheriff Simmons left the
scatfold and attempted to push back
the crowd that tugged and pushed.
The deputy sherilfs gave ont and the
fence fell with crash. Then the mob
had u view of what was going on
Sheriff simmons WAS loft alotla, and
putting his hand behind him com
maudcd the crowd 70 stop, aud il did.
Iha crowd to the vest male dash
o get in the gate and Detective Van
degrift WAS compelled 10 push them
back. The old fence qdiyerel and
groaned, but did not fall The sittia-
tiun was a serious one for those in
side. \ wild rush from the outside
meant that some one would lie crushed
by the falling fence and perhaps others
trodden under foot in tho nire. The
danger however, was aYelted.
The crime for which Iraetor and
Young suffered Yas the murder OF an
old eol5red local Preacher ;;t,iu;,:a Sin-
phen Lindsay on August 18th last.
Lindsay who was 81 years old, was
fishing in hIurderkill Greek, near Cars
penter's Bridge, when the two muir
dererS sneaked up on him. Young
struck him three terrific blows, cutting
his skull open, and then Proctor,
cholied him. They robbed the body OF
q little money and n watch Both were