The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-23
PAID TIE PENALTY OF DEATH,
Halter Johnson Hanged in Petersburg Tor
a Brutal Crime.
PERFECTLY SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION.
He Thinks God and the Sergeant and Warns
Young Men From Following HIS LIZ
ampie-S Of the crime

tho hanging to-day OF the hesi" ''
son. who on the 18th day Of September ias'
in tho county Of Nottoway committed q crliul-
nal assault on Mrs. Elizabeth Majors hiShiy
respectable lady of that county.
Johnson obtained a change Of ven nc IRON
the County Court of Nottoway 70 We NleuIss
Court of Petersburg, and on the Irse Gay S Ua
mas convicted of the crime OF when ne was
cbarged and was therefore sentenced Dy
Judge Hancock to be hanged on me zzo usy
of NAV. 1891. in the Jall-yard OF TINS cl'5. n'
nreviouslv stated in this correspondence,
johnson has made frequent contradictory
statements AS 10 his guilt. but on yesterday ai-
ternoon he made full confession 10 heV, -
M Brawley, ID. d., pastor of the FIRST bapllsV
church on Harrison street
SLEPT WE'LL.
johnson slept very we'll last night and this
morning he arose early and was furnishes
with n good breakfast. consisting OF PORK
steak. herring, biscuit and cup OF cohee'
which ne paTtook of with apparently much
relish. at O'Clock he was visited IN ms cen
by Rev. Mr.. Brawley, Rev. 7. X; Berry He C
IL w. Dickerson. Rev. Orvls Coles, heV, =. =;
Lane. Rev John Merritt. Rev. ). W. Cerrol
and Messrs Spencer Green, John Mitchell OF
fbei Richmond Planet; w. J.. Hamlin. editor
of the Virginia Lancet. and Scott WOOD col
tor of the Herald These prayed and sang
with johnson until IL o'clock.
FAREWELL! THANK GOD.
During the services Johnson, with his face
beaming with smiles. would walk up ana
down the cell in his shirt-sleeves and shoeieSSS;
cIappinc his hands and shouting, Farewell.
Thank God | was not happy until this
morning. Thank God; / have confessed l
could not stand it any longer About hal-
past Il O'Clock Deputy-Sherif Parham went
into Johnsons cell and placed handouts on
him after which the march to the scafold
was begun.
The scaffold stood in the northeast corner
Of the jail-yard Johnson walked TO the gal
lows between Deputy Sheriff Parham and
Rev Mr.. Brawley. lie was attred IN biack
suit of clothes While going from the cell 10
the scaTold johnson would now and then cry
out Thank God" and just,as he reached the
platform of tho scafold he IN loud tones sald;
''Thank Jesus The rope was placed around
his neck by Deputy Sheriff Parham;;
while Johnson remarked, Thank Jesus"
THANK God" On the scahOld were CITY
Sergeant George w. Eanes, DepUty-Sherlh
John T. Parham. Rev. f. NJ. Brawley, Rev.
H. w. Dickerson. and Rev. 4. 1. Lane
PREPARED TO GO.
johnson stated that he had nothing to say
EXCEPT that he was prepared 10 meet his God.
Rev. Mr. Brawley stated that he had been re-
ouested by johnson TO give out the hymn
selected by himself The first line Of the
HYMN read: why should we start and
fear 10 die ?" This hymn was sung by the
the hymn Johnson would keep time with his
feet while his forehead was wet with great
beads of perspration Now and then John
SOD would, in low tones, JON the singing.
After the singing of the hymn Rev Mr.. Draw
lev read a selection from the Scriptures,
which was followed with prayer by Rev.
H. w DickersOn. During the prayer John
son looked down and closed his eyes, but
would occasionally open them.
After the prayer was over Rev. Mr.; Brawley
o.,,ft hot ba hoH fara
quested by Johnson to warn all young men
to beware of his fate, and also TO thank the
city sergeant and all the other officials of the
Jail for their kind treatment 10 him during
his imprisonment. Johnson asked City-Ser-
geant Eanes who stood az his side, to turn in
front Of him. Sergeant Eanes complied with
the request and johnson thanked him for his
kind treatment.
THE TRAP SPRUNG.
The black cap was then placed over the
condemned mans head and face, and at a
signal given by Sergeant Eanes the trap, at
fourteen minutes to o'clock this afternoon,
was sprung and johnson WAS launched into
eternity His fall was about four feet and
death was caused by the neck being broken.
After the body had been left hanging about
twenty-five minutes it was cut down and pre-
pared for burial. II will be sent up to John
sons former home in Amelia county. on the
midnight train tonight. His execution
was very successful one. The
persons admitted into the jail-yard TO witness
the hanging were twelve citizens summoned
as jurors, the officers of the Jail, members of
tho police corps and representatives of the
pre,s On Courthouse Square, Just outside of
The ]al. there were fully five hundred people,
white and colored anxious 10 catch glimpse
of the hanging, while out IN an adjoining
field there was another large crowd. The
trees and the east wall of the jail were filed
with 81 ectators craning their necks to see the
execution.
HISTORY OF TIE CRIME.
The fl following is a sketch OF the crime
On the 18th of September, 1890, Johnson,
who was roaming through the country in
search of work. met his victim at a spring
about two hundred yards distant from her
curing if she knew him and being an-
swered in the negative. he seized Mrs.
Majors, threw her TO the ground, bound
her hands gagged her with leaves
assault. Frightened by the sound of APP
preaching voices he fed, leaving his victim
bound. BY great effort Mrs. Majors cleared
her mouth Of the leaves, and by screams at
tracted the attention of her little brother,
who unbound her Terribly frightened and
injured. she made her way home and informed
her husband, giving the best description she
could of her assallant.
JOHNSON sCsPICIONED.
Suspicion was at once directed 10 Johnson,
who had been frequently seen in the neigh
borhood. Search was made for him by special
constables and citizens, and he was first seen
in Didwiddie county, but lodged and es-
capped his pursuers He was afterward
traced to the locks near this city. where
he was arrested by Officers Moody and
Eanes. and was subsequently, identified
by Constable Hammer, of NottOway. At
that time he stoutly denied his'guilt. The
next day he was taken TO Wilson's depot for
identification by Mrs. Majors, but when
brought into the presence of herself and her
husband she did not positively identify him.
fearing that her husband would Garry out his
threat 10 kill him on the spot if he should
prove be the guilty person. johnson was then
released. Before. heileft Wilson's station Mr.
A. G.. Butterworth. who believed he was the
party sought, questioned and pushed him so
closely that Johnson made full confession
giving the details of the crime and alleging
that be had an accomplish John jefferson.
negro. Mr.. Butterworth then arrested him
and the nextiday he was brought to this city,
VIII hQ x-as Tod M aap naan 10 h..