The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-03-06
ley, stearllng Yearsley ana Thomas A.

ley, stearling Yearsley ana Thomas A.
Lynch.
The evidence OF Oracle Clark, the
victim, was heard, and she testified to
the facts as already stated, and said
that no threatened to kill her II she
said anything about 1t unta she was
10 years old.
Mr.. Conrad had poor case from the
first but did everything possible to
protect his client. The case against
him wac conducted by Attorney
General Blggs and Deputy Attorney
General Davis, both of whom did
everything In their power to secure a
conviction. The trial was concluded
on the 18th, and after a very fair and
impartial charge by the CHIEF Justice
the jury retired at 12.l0 o'clock. When
Court reoonvened at $50 o'clock in the
afternoon they came In and rendered a
verdict OF guilty as In manner and
form indicted.
When the verdict was rendered the
stoicism which had seemed to sustain
the prisoner during the trial deserted
him, and he, realizing his fate, turned
almost white.
After he was taken to a cell In the
basement he was seen by reporter of
the REPUBLfcAE, to whom he denied
his guilt. He said that he thought too
much of the child to injure her, and
that she had hurt herself by climbing
over fence.
On Monday, December /, he was
again brought in court, and sentenced
by the Chief Justice to he hanged on
Friday, March 8, 1891.
SINCE HE HAS BEEN IN JAIL.
His conduct since he has been in
Jail has been everything that could be
desired. Some two weeks ago he pro-
fessed conversion, and since then has
been In Il happy frame Of mind.
A few days since he was visited by a
reporter, 10 whom he granted an inter
view, and talked for nearly half an
hour. He said that he was as happy
as he had ever been in his life, and felt
like different man to what he was
before his conversion. He protested
to be ready TO die, and said that he
spent the greater part OF his time in
prayer and communion with God. He
did not seem TO think that he had a
fail trial, as he was convicted on the
unsupported testimony of child, but
said that he would rather d Q than be
tried over again. He felt confident
that he was fully saved, and that he
could go through the execution with
out faltering. In fact, he seemed
anxious for the fatal day to come, as
he would then be at rest. He said that
while he had never been member of
any church, he now felt that he be-
longed to God.
He gave Sheriff Simmons and War
den Tucker great praise for the man.
ner In which they have treated him,
and said that no one could have been
more considerable for his comfort.
He was visited by his aged mother
last week, who, after an affecting in
terylew babe him final and last far
well. For the last four weeks, he has
spent the greater portion of his time
in payer, and sometimes became SO
demunstrutlSe that he disturbed the
other prisoners. As general thing he
has refused to see any visitors except
his spiritual advisers, who have been
very attentive to him since his eonvic-
ton.
SOMETHING ABOUT HIS LIFE.
Reeves was native of Rappahan-
mock, Va, and was born in May, 1859,
consequently il he had lived until next
May, he would have been 32 years old.
His mother still resides at Kappa
hammock, and he has two brothers and
two sisters. Both OF the sisters are
married, and one lives at Ruppahan-
mock and the other at Atlantic City.
| He came to Delaware several years
ago, and after working at several
places finally secured a position with
Mr. Clark. Last summer Mr.. Clark
learned to his surprise that he was
affected with loathsome disease, and
had him sent to the almshouse for
treatment. When he recovered about
| 1.
mltted, he came back and MIR. Clark
again took him in his employ. At the
time the outrage was committed Mr..
Clark was away from home, butswhen
he returned and learned the particulars
he made an effort to shoot Reeves, but
from some cause the gun did not ex-
plode.
How HE SPENT YESTERDAY.
Reeves spent tho greater part OF
yesterday on his knees, engaged In
prayer. He was visited at O'Clock in
the afternoon by his counsel, Henry
Z. Conrad, Esq, who spont some
twenty minutes in his cell. Shortly
after he left a photographer arrived
and took several negatives OF Reeves
He was measured for new suit of
clothes yesterday, which were deliver,
cd this morning, and in which he was
hanged.
THE uALIowf.
The frames of the old gallows were
brought up from the jail cellar at an
early hour yesterday morning, and
erected by Captain Israel Rulings and
Contractors Ilance and Wise. Ii is the
same that has done duty for many
years.
The work Of putting IL up was com
pleted shortly after dinner, when the
rope that holds the trap in place was
tested. The rope with which lie was
hung was sent to Sheriff Simmons BY
Mayor Filter, of Philadelphia, and i
the best ever used for this purpose ii
! Delaware. 1t is composed of Russian
hemp, inch in circumference, and the
knot that holds the fatal moose was
tied by machinery.
The last man hanged at New Castl,
was Henry Riedel, the German, who
killed his wife and child. He wa,
executed by Sheriff Lainbson about
three years ago.
Clothing to Order.
-Ail-woal ltlnpIt shnritt -,,a.,,i, ms,