Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-10
pesi. Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

WHICH Is NOT GENERALLY BELIEvED-AN-
OTHER WOMAN N THE CASE
Special Correspondents Of The Evening Star.
PoRT TOBACCO, Mo-, August Q. 1891.
John Marshall Rye, who is held in Jail on a
charge Of murder, came nearer being lynched
Wednesday night than he has any time since,
although the feeling against him throughout
the county il strong and the sheriff has taken
extra precaution, which, however. could not
possibly prevent a dozen able-bodied men from
breaking open the Jail and banging the pris-
oner. Last night Sheriff Adams son. who is q
deputy, remained on guard all night to make
what resistance ne could in the event of a visit
of the lynchera He was the only person in
Jail except the prisoner and he remained in an
adjoining room.
The prisoner slept soundiy all night except at
times, when he would be heard talking to him
self At other times he snored loudly, although
he was restless, as is he anticipated trouble be-
fore morning.
The night passed on and everything that
made noise about the jail attracted his atten-
ton
During the night and early in the morning
before daybreak the dogs in the village made a
great to do, and this a sort of warning,
some OF the superstItious colored folks thought,
but there was no trouble. When the bright
sunlight bsamed in through the iron bars there
was > heavy load lifted from the prisoners
MIND, and as the days pass and the excited ones
have time TO reflect the fear Of lynch law lessons
and the jalor feels greatly relieved, even though
the prisoner seems more badly frightened.
THE OLD COUNTY JAIL
Soon after sunrise this morning The Stars
correspondent visited the prisoner in the Jail
and held 81 extended conversation with him.
Like all other buildings in Port Tobacco the
jsil-and it is the only one in the county
would not DO credit to any community. 1t is a
small brick structure with three cells on the
second floor and rooms on the lower floor,
which are used in cases of emergency, although
an emergency seldom arises, as there has not
been more than eight prisoners in the Jail at
any one time for number of years. The
building is about fifty feet in the rear of the
old court building that has been the scene of
many trials during the past century. This is
also dilapidated building. and the large
cracks in its walls make it appear as though it
would be but q short time before it tumbles to
the ground.
THE OLD GALLONS FOUND.
Sheriff Adams has the old gallows ready for
use, but as his term of Office expires soon he
wouii not ofhciate at an execution, even though
the verdict of the jury and the sentence of the
court required the performance of such an I'M
pleasant task in Rye's case. 1t was not until
after the killing of Wheeler by Rye that the
sheriff knew where the gallows was kept. The
large trap door, which was used in the last exc
cutiou in the county nearly fifteen years ago.
has occupied a position in the court house
where hundreds of trials have been conducted
but very few persons ever had any idea what it
was 1t is made of heavy pine boards, strongly
put together, and has the iron hinges and APP
pliances such as are used In all parts of the
county.
1t is large enough to accommodate four or
i've persons at q time. and every time there is
thorough cleaning of the court house this
trap door gets coat of whitewash. The up
rights and cross beams are beneath the steps
and platform on the side of the court room
where the grand jury assemblies to make its re-
ports to the court. ard should it be required
for use at any time the steps will have to be
removed and the court room temporarily dis
figured
THE LAST EXECUTION.
The scaffold was last used in 1877 when two
negroes, Martin Simpson and Charles Henry
Hendricks, were hanged for one of the most
cold-blooded murders ever committed within
the borders of the state. They murdered a
storekeeper named Everett, who was in business
between Port Tobacco and Marshall Hall not
far from Mattswoman swamp. The murder
was committed on a bright moonlight night
and not long after the merchant had closed his
store and retired DIR. Compton, who still
lives near the place, was seated on his front
porch with his family, while the negroes were
secreted or the side of the road not far from
A1s ~ was Dut u snort distance from
the doctors house to the store. and the two
negroes could tell when the light went out that
Everett; had retired They were where the
conversation at the doctors house could be
heard by them, and there they laid ON
the green grass and drank whisky
until the moon rose over the trees and made
their position risky one. Then theymoyea
nearer the store and about the time the mer-
chant had got fast asleep they got in the rear
Of the store and beat him to death with a club
fer hat rebk e1 H.
and other things they could and departed. 4
reward OF S2,5O0 was offered for their arrest
which was brought about in a singular way
Ihe assessors were going through the county at
that time and when one Of them called at the
house OF colored woman he doubted that
she had told him the entire truth and when he
spoke to her about il she invited him inside
Incidentally the woman remarked that she had
got q letter from an old friend which she
showed me assessor, and upon inspecting
It he discovered that the two men
were near Silver Spring in Montgomery
county Thinking he could effect their
capture he was made deputy sheriff
and be at once started for Silver Spring
Upon reaching there he learned that Hendricks
AND SIMPSON were IN the neighborhOod and
That they wsre getting ready to leave. Two
decoy letters were written and put in the post
once. which was then in a country store and
the deputy stationed himself in the store to
await their arrival A colored boy in the
neigkborhood had been sent to notify them
that the letters were there, and in short time
one OF the murderers appeared At the point of
eplstol he was compelled to undergo a search
and vas then handcuffed and detained in the
store until along came his companion who was
Treated In u similar manner.
They were brought back here and each made
confession charging his companion with hay-
ing committed the actual murder. Their trial
lasted some days and they were executed. il
being the first legal execution in the county
since 1876 member Of DIR. Compton's family
was the first TO discover that there was some
thing wrong. and the doctor was the first one
to enter the place and discover Eyerett's dead
body
old MAN RYE"
When TIE STARS correspondent reached the
Jail early this morning the prisoner-or ..old
man Rye" as he is now spoken of-vas
stretched upon mattress on the floor and ON
one leg wss q heavy iron shackle. such as IL
seen only in country prisons where the prison.
keeper does not always remain at night. A
heavy iron chain holding the circnlar'shaped
Iron bracelet was fastened in the center OF the
wooden floor, and about which fastening were
charred boards These boards had been set ON
IRE by crazy man, who attempted to burn
his way out of confinement The iunatic had
Also Dnllal the master and hrfeE.