The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-04-21
A TERRIBLE ARRAIGNMENT
In tho Judges Review of the Case
Quick Justice, the Crime, the Trial
and the Sentence all Taking
Place In Two Weeks Time,
pt,pateh 70 he Inte!ligneer.

During the proceedings johnson
sat with his little sister, aged about foul
years, on his knee until the time can't
when he was asked If he had any rea
son to give why sentence Of death should
not be pronounced upon him. He an
swered mo-" Judge Snyder proceeded
to pass sentence as tollowa:
"0n the evening ofthe 7th ultimo thii
community was shocked to hear that
rape had been committed almost within
the suburbs OF this city. As the Circum'
stances attending the commission OF the
crime were discussed and 1t became
known that this victim was young
white girl, Just verginginto womanhood
and that the assailant was negro man
or boy, young in years, but Of stalwart
form and person, public excitement ran
high and interference with the course ol
Justice seemed threatening and immt'
nent. On the 9Th day Of April you, Sim
johnson, were indicted for this oHense,
by the grand Jury OF this county, then in
session, and on the same day brought
into court and your trial set for the fol-
lowing Friday. Upon your statement
made in open court that you were with
out means with which to employ conn-
sci, the court, from among its sworn Off
GERS, assigned two intelligent and capa'
ble attorneys to conduct your defense.
On April 10 a jury was empanelled, and
after hearing the evidence in the case,
returned into court on Saturday with o
verdict sgainst you Of guilty as charged
in the Indictment
"That your trial was fair one cannot
be questioned. Not single exception
to the rulings Of the Court was taken
during the hearing OF the case. That
your case was ably aud fairly presented
10 the Court and jury by your counsel
it Ia the pleasure OF this Court TO certify.
THE EVIDENCE.
1.-THE evidence in this case was that on
Tuesday afternoon, the 7th Of this month,
about 5 o'clock, Alice Bailey, young
white girl, had started from Charleston
TO her home on Davis creek, and that
while going along the road bed OF her
home she was overtaken by you, accost,
ed with an indecent proposal, which she
and asked you to let her go
home with medicine she had for her sick
sister. You seized hold OF her and drag
Hed her over the embankment towards
the river and there accomplished your
hellisEf purpose by the use OF force and
violence, armed with and exhibiting at
the time deadly weapon.
"The ground on the track and over
which you passed, bore evidence ot the
struggle. Not content with once graft
flying your lust, you were endeavoring
to precipitate second outrage when in
and prevented from doing 30.
When first seen by another person other
than the girl assaulted, you had your
left knee on your victims breast, your
left hand clutched her throat, your right
hand raised in attitude Of striking with
a murderous looking knife opened and
grasped therein.
From her throat and lips came gurg.
ling sound as OF person in the throes
of strangnlation. This strangliDg and
Curgling sound, as the witness testified,
had attracted his attention while walk
ing along the railroad track some forty
or fifty yards distant. When told to let
the girl alone, your reply was an oath
and a threat, accompanied by a dropping
of the knife and a motion as though To
draw a pistol. Your victim struggled
with you, and in the very presence OF the
witness, struck her with your clenched
fist three times in the face, and when
she gave evidence in the case she bore
upon her person, the marks OF the blows
and punishment you had inflicted.
AN AWFUL CRIME
ain all the evidence in the case not
one single mitigating circumstance ap.
peared, but from the beginning to the
end the whole occurrence was marked
with a brutality which has seldom char
acterizsd crimes even Of this character.
"Thc young girl whom you assaulted
is not yet fifteen years old. She
is Comely in person and modest
in behavior, and while wOlking in
the humber paths OF lie, abe has been
respected by those who knew her best,
her neighbors and acquaintances, for her
good character and stainless virtue. II
Il ia possible to do go by force, you have
robbed her OF her virtue, the brightest
level Of her womauhood. From this
time on you have placed upon her q
mark that can only be hidden in the
grave. For this crime the law torieita
your life. The court has no discretion
10 the premises. Here the statute was
auoted.l Young in years, you are to be
cut of on the very threshold OF your
manhood. In this case your punish
ment Is not for reformation, but it endE
your existence and should be warning
10 evil doeTs who may live alter you.
Your conduct has shown that thus taI
In life you have been carelets and in
different as 10 the consequence OF yonE
acts and utterly regardless OF the rights
and feelings Of others. :,
"TheFe Ia one person, however, In oil
the world to whom your lie is preGtous
For her who brought you into life, and
who sat beside you In the dock during
this trial and showed that love and de
Votion which only o mother can feel fol
an erring and wayward son, this cour
has the proioundest sympathy. ] car
but express the hope. that she may havt
consolation in the knowledge that shC
has tried TO bring you up In the riRh
way,
pINTBNcE OF DEATn.
"Johnson, your time on earth ig short
You will soon atone for the crime yol
have committed against the laws OF man
and will stand at the judgment bar 0
God to answer for the great hereafter
Employ the time to elapSe from this da!
until the day fixed Tor your execution
in making your peace With your Creator
AZ before stated, under the verdict rem
ideyed by the Jury, no discretion as =
your puhlshmsnt Is left 10 the court, bn
the penalty imposed 10 death. 1t onl
remains for me to say that IN aceordsnc
with the verdict OF the jury and u
laws Of this State, the judgment Of thi
court ts that you be taken by the sheri
OF this county to 6ome convenient plac
within this county, on Friday, the lat
| day Of June, 1891, between the hours
4 10 O'Clock q. m. and o'clock p. m, an
there hanged until you are dead, an
may God haye mercy on ypur sou"
| is soon as Judge Snyder had soE
cluded, johnson dropped bis little sistl
!, anI nts.laI NoSu0R1 kha JudRa In "A III