Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-14
4 SHOCKING EXECUTION.
The Condemned Man Jokes with His IN'
ccuiioners-No Religious Services.


ST.. Ior1s. August -. Henry Henson.
wlfc.murderer. has eypiatcd his crime on
the scaifold. Considerable apprchens on
was felt of scene, which a one time
threatened 10 become n tragedy. Ahout
half an hour before the dcath-walk began
the entire crowd present u witness the
execution was admitted INTO the exercise
hail of the iall, into winch the doors oil
the prisoners cell omen. This rendered
Henson stubborn, for he has refused -
SEQ ANY one except the officials, and II was
found necessary to invite the crowd.
ncw-papcr-mcn included, T. retire, wh'rh
they did. Even then the hanging vas de-
layed half an hour.
Another factor that thre9tcn"t scene
WAS the fact that the murderer weighed
over three hundred pounds and had
larre mock and a small head. In spite 81
these facts the drop was i've feet. How
ever. no uutowari accident occurred.
Henson slept little last night. preierring
to talk with his lallers and smoke. Ills
conversation was of a cheerful character.
beinp lnter-persed with hearty laughter.
A. stated before, Henson would scc no
onc-not even "A clergyman. II. II. III,
| wards. rector Of II. James Episcopal
| church. was at the jail Of On early hour;
but the prisoner not only refused AL
| spiritual consolation. but did 50 IN "a bias
| but drank large glass of Whlskcy at D.
! o'clock. after which be smoked n cigar.
The condemned man refused to hear the
death warrant read, ana at o'clock the
march 10 the gailows begun.
The csllows was reached three minutes
| later. and after Henson had bld so 'd-by 10
| hls If ends present Ia u JOS lal manner hhi
talked and lokcd with the oAecutloners
! nInut the chance OF the execution beng \
I L., lfrgL pI I1I-ffI- Al
| Heusou's request no religious services
wer, read on the scaiiold. HE drop tell
| If I'll. the neck being broken and stretch
! cd out about u foot, provln- that the fears
| of an unt0ward occurrence Were not
! croundlcss t7.lJ death was announced.
| and fifteen minutes later the body Wa cut
down aud surrendered t. lbs friends.
Henry Henson was convicted OF tine
murder of his wife Ida. the murderer Il
stolid German Of middle are, had married
a widow with one child. They lived I'M
! Laupily together IN a hoarinS-housc
winch they conducted at 400 south second
street Henson being OF an ln~anelv loa.ouS
! disposition. On the evening oi February
,. 1889, Henson charged ms vile with re
ceivng the attentions of boarucr. y
nuarrrl ru-ucd and not words " = cN-
! CHANGED for more than ~ hour. II last,
| Henson took his revolver from "A dresser
drawer and started toward the woman.
Ihc lattrr's thirtccn-ycar-oid son inter
tered and Henson lett the room. \ little
later he returned. placed the muzzle OF ms
weapon against the side Of the un,uspect-
iur woman's head. and sent ball crashing
into her brain. As the rtcpson came from
a room a second bali gra2ed his form.
Atthe trial the defence Of accident Wa,
made. hut the jury found Henson guilty
after being out only thlrty-threc minutes.
The Supreme Court sustained the iiudn.
and set the execution for july "a. On the
evening Of the Isl, however. Governor
iraucls granted tho condemned murl rcr
a roprleve until to-day, when TIE law :
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