The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-08
that slocum had threatened the life of bis


wife several times
After Eve hours talk the Jurors found him
| guilty of the crime IA charged. Slocum was
sentenced TO die in the week commencing
| Monday May 3, 1880. Through the laws
! DELAY Slocum ~ <xecution was deferred He
was resentenced. and q short time before he
was TO be put % death his counsel again in
yoked the aid of the law and secured another
stay. Slocum was the first upon whom SEN
tence 10 death by electricity was pronounced
in the Court of General Sessions. On the
second of last month Slocum was brought
down from Sing Sing and arraigned before
! the general term of the Supreme Court for
sentence for the third time.
Counsel claimed before the general term
that as SlOcum was defended on hls trial by
man who was not a lawyer he was entitled to
a stay of proceedings and new trial. Other
technical objections were also made by his
| counsel. but they were overruled and Slocum
| heard himself sentenced for the third time 10
| die by electricity.
JOSEPH WOOD.
Joseph Wood colored, killed Charles Ruffn.
also colored in grocery store in a shanty
near shaft 2i on the line of the new aqueduct.
on Sunday, May 10. 1889. Wood and Rutfin
were laborers employed on the aqueduct.
Wood worked regularly, while Ruffin was not
steadily employed. Wood was in the State
only three months when he shot Rufhn,
having come here direct from Ohio.
Woods home Is IN Amherst county. Vir-
ginia, where his parents now live. Ruffn
was the leader of the Mulligan gang. which
committed depredRtiOns upon the labnrers
and residents along the aqueduct nightly
He was a desperate character and always
went armed. On the Saturday before the
murder Ruffin and Wood quarreled in Han
mons saloon at TarrytOwn over a game of
cards at the close OF which Ruffn threatened
Woods life. On the day of the murder
Wood met Rufhn In the Italian shanty
grocery. which was really a saloon. Rutfin
accosted Wood. but the latter refused to
speak 10 him. A fight ensued. during which
Wood shot Ruffn with pistol which he had
bought some weeks before for seventy-fye
cents from another negro. Rufhn died two
days later.
Wood was eleven months in the Tombs be-
fore he was brought to trial. After his con-
vction and sentence the case was, of course
brought to the Court of Appeals. The juds-
ment and sentence wero affirmed.
His lawyer then applied for a writ OF ha-
beas corpus in the United States Circuit Court
on the ground that there were no colored men
on the grand or petty jury that disposed of
Woods case. Counsel claimed that men Of
Woods race were dscrminated against in the
preparation of the case. This plea proved in
odectual
Wood. ike Slocum, through the efforts of
his counsel, succeeded in having the execu-
ton Of the sentence of death deferred on two
OCCASIONS. i1e WAS Drought lIom DlHB OluB
last month with Slocum and sentenced for the
third time.
HARRI s A. sMILER
Smiler on April g. 1889. murdered Maggie
Draney one of his three wives, at 2S4 Seventh
avenue. Seven years before he had married
Margaret Weiss. who was very young. he
subsequently, married Lizzie Gates. Smiier
in turn deserted Lizzie and two children Of
whom he was the father. going t. live with
I~of fLft.n hox ant x<tefh
the form of a marriage ceremony.
Smiier got drunk reluenty and abused
Maggie. When she LETT him he procured q
pistol, and swearing that he would 'fxo her,
searched several days for her. He finally
found her living with Mrs. Wilson at 2S4
Seventh avenue, and shot her dead without
any warning.
He had practically no defense to offer aud
was sentenced to be electrocuted during the
week commencing August 1. 1890
His counsel took an appeal. which had the
effect OF staying the proceedings until after
the time fixed for the sentence &c g into
effect. The Court of Appeals sustained the
conviction and judgment and on January 10th
last Smller was resentenced 10 die during the
week commencing March 18th, the same
week in which SlOcum was 20 be electrocuted.
Smiler's LAWYERS gave up his case. but r. j.
Hslnzemann, who then pretended that he
had been admitted 10 the bar. was assigned
to defend the case.
subsequently when ii was ascertained TINT
HeinZemann was not qualified to act as his
counsel tant-DistTict-Att0rney Am
brose II. Purdy was assigned 10 the case. Mr.
purdy waited until day or two before the
death penalty was to be imposed, and then
applied for n writ of habeas corpus 10 tho
United States Circuit Court, alleging that
Smiler not having had the benefit of qualified
counsel. had not been tried by due process OF
law. The application was denied, and MI
Purdy appealed at once 20 the Supreme Court
which appeal had the effect OF staying Smllers
electrOcutIOn.
The second date set for Smiler to pay the
penalty Of his crime p!ssed, and after more
brought 10 New York from Sing Sing TO be re-
sentenced. Roger NJ. sherman argued that
as Smiler did not have the benefit of qualified
counsel, sentence should not he pronounced
The fact however. that Smiler had been rep
resented by other counsel. seemed to the
general term TO be sufficient to dispose Of
Dir. Shermans objections.
Sentence for the third time was accordingly
pronounced on Smiler.
The latter first became known in New York
as a lieutenant Of the Salvation Army. 1t was
understood. however. that Smiler didn't JOIN
the Salvation Army for the good Of the Saliva
tionists, but for his own benefit and enjoy
ment.
sCHIHIcK JUGIGO
JuglgO was cOuVcteu on DeCeuDeTo, l1'J oI
numbering a fellow Japanese sailor named
Nura Commi in boarding house at So James
street Commi and juggo had been staying
at the board ng-house on the lookout for a
ship TO take them home TO Japan.
Commi secured II berth and JugigO who
was not SO successful, conceived enmity
TO COmmi on that account Commi was uu-
married while Jugigo had family in Japan
whom he was anxious 10 return TO- He asked
Commi to give him his berth. remarking that
as he was a married man he ought to show
him that consideration.
Commi refused and aquarre ensued. Com
mi left the boarding house 20 attend 10 some
business and while he was absent Jugigo Sc
cured a carving knife and lay in wait for him.
When his countryman appeared Jugigo. who
was hidden in the hallway of the house,
jumped forth and stabbed the other sailor
through the heart.
He withdrew the blade and plunged it into
his abdomen. the knife on this occasion pene-
trating the unfortunate mans body through |
and through. After Jugigo's conviction and |
sentence rumOrs were circulated. as they were |
in Kemmler's case that the Westinghouse Com
pany was furnishing means for bis defense |
IL a. 1t 10 atafa 10