Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-02-10
FORBES DEATH WARRANT.
April 3rd the Day ofHis Execution
The Warrant Read to Him This
Morning.


Morning
The death warrant Of Ernest Forbes.
the colored criminal. appointing Friday.
April srd. 1891. on or before O'Clock, as
tie day Of his execution, was read to him
rthlsTmorning at FIVE minutes past ten
o'clocGsby Sheriff Armiger, in the pres
ence OF Eessrs. E. S. Riley, ofthe Amsri-
can and HsAald. Baltimore, Thos. /. Tay-
ly, of the sEn, and F. E. wathen. OF the
Baltimore EOsning Meas and W. NJ and
j. Z. Abbott. OF the EVENING CAPIrAL,
and the two guards.
Forbes was reclining on his couch in
corner in his cell when the sheriff and the
party entered. Sheriff Armiger approach
ed TO the front Of his couch, and holding
the legal document in his hand. said in
clear and distinct manner. FORBES,
it is my unpleasant duty 10 read to you
your death warrant, which have receiv-
this morning from the Governor of the
State. designating the day of your exc
culion.p The Sheriff then proceeded TO
read to him the mission of death as fol
lows:
Whereas Ernest Forbes, colored, was
convicted in the Criminal Court of Balti-
more upon removal from the ircuit
Court for Anne Arundel County at Janu-
airy term, in The year one thousand eight
hundred and ninety-one of the crime of
rape, committed in the county of Anne
Arundel Aforesaid. And whereas, the
said Criminal Court of Baltimore has
sentenced him the said Earnest Forbes
10 be hung by the neck until he is dead.
Now therefore, these are 10 " i'll and re-
quire, as also 10 charge and command
you, that at or before the hour of two
p. m. on Friday the third day of April
next, 1891. you take him, the said Ernest
Forbes, colored, from your prison and
him safely convey to the gallows in
the county aforesaid, the place of the ex-
ecution of malefactors, and then and
there, the said Ernest Forbes, colored.
hang by the neck until he Is dead. For
all which this shall be your sufficient
warrant and authority"
Forbes still reclined on one arm, and
looked the Sheriff full in the face during
the reading of the warrant, and did not
appear in the least affected When the
Sheriff finished reading the document,
his only reply was yes, SIR with u
half hearted smile, and then fen back on
his couch. He was asked by the repor
ter if he had any brothers or sisters,
and replied, Eyes, sir. six sisters and one
brother" He said his mother was in
Baltimore, and had been there since he
was taken to that city for t'ial. He was
apparently unconcerned and did not
seem to pealize his fate.
The first warrant that the Governor
signed was for Friday, March 9th, but
that day being Good Friday, his attention
was called to the fact before it had left
the Executive chamber, and another war
rant was made out fixing April 3rd the
day of execution giving the condemned
man four days longer lease of life.
Mr.. j. G. Bannon. called Sheriff Armi-
gers attention to the fact shortly after
he had read it in the CAPITAL last even
& ing, and the Sheriff and Mr. Bannon
proceeded together to the Executive
Chamber to inform the Governor that he
had selected Good Friday as the day of
execution, and when they entered the
Executive Chamber they found the Gov
ernor in the act of making a new war
rant The Governor had not given the
matter a thought at Lrst, but when his
attention was called to the fact he at
once corrected it.
Forbes to-day was made to don an en-
tire new ougtit. which was purchased for
him by Sheriff ,Armiger. Warden Gray
was directed by the Sheriff to give the
condemned man whatever he asked for,
and when the Warden asked him what he
would like for his dinner he replied:
"Mr Gray, will you pleaSe get me some
ground nuts-that's all, and pint OF
oysters for my supper. His request was
gratified, and he eat them with relish
From now until the day of his execution
he will be served with whatever his ape
tite Graves. He INDUCES in smoking lis
pipe, and is an inveterate chewer. He
has selected as his spiritual advisers, the
Revs. A Dennis OF Asbury NJ. Z. Church
and Rev. L. J. Montague, of the colored
Baptist Church, both Of which have visi-
ted him and read the scriptures and talk
ed with him.