The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-02-13

(, f<<INto{lN% DOWN ON tine Tile ROOF dDONe
<helh and dashiug against their narrow
BARRED windows Jesse Proctor and
Fred Xenng, the two condemned
ttc<toes> who will suffer death on the |
>=4Ii0As this afternoon were pacing
their narrow coils, listening to the
Heep4toned bell on the town clock
.urross the green toiling out their last
Apnrs on earth.
Early In the morning. while the
whistle on Richmond's factory was
calling the working people to their
labor, there came mingled with this
noise, the raspinB OF a hand saw and
tine iat-tat-tat uf d hatchet from the
rear OF the Jail That must have con-
yeyed to the ears OF the doomed men,
the iirst certain knell of their impend-
ing fate. All day long this noise was
Kept up and all day long the victims
heard IL.
The scaiTold was erected MS predict
Cd by the REPUBLICAN, at the northern
end OF the Jail In the Is by 40 feet yard.
The structure stands against the build
ing at the eastern end of the yard, and
IS II feet long by . feet wide. A double
trap. each door swinging outward,
worked by bolt, will launch the men
1ato eternity, and they will have u
drop Of five feet.
As they stand on the scaffold they
can be seen by the thousands who will
gather On the old circus ground and i'll
the open iieids back OF tho jail. The
4 fence surrounding the yard Is about
seven feet high, and the platform is
about a foot higher than the fence,
and this view will he as open as pub
lcity Gun mako 1t.
Yesterday afternoon the REpUnIIcAN
K correspondent paid q farewell visit to
the men. Jesse Proctor came up smil-
ing to the grated door OF his cell when
HIS heavy wooden door was unlocked,
and IN reply TO the query as to how he
Iclt he replied: 'As happy as | can he.
was here"
tDo YOU think your nerve will hold
out, LESSER was asked
VI trust in the Lord" replied he
calmly, and / believe He will stand by
mo am praying ever hour that He
will not fail me-
On the cot, which was spread on the
hoor OF the cell lay Josse's open Bibla,
4 and beside il lay an open hymn book.
A wonderful change was noted in his
appearance even in the past week lie
has that peculiar cant that character
lzed him at first and is now as calm
q and collected as though he hud thor
onghly realized and accepted the in
ovitable.. There Is little doubt but that
his wonderful nerve will last him to
the end.
His last words as the reporter left
him were: If God gives me strength
VIII sing a hymn on the gallows
tuitie ye sinners poor and needy
lisa beautiful hymn" and then Jesse
shook hands with the correspondent in
n HAL farewell
The cell OF Fred Young was next
visited, and the change in him was as
fenarkahle rs that in Jesse. only il
was saddening to sec that in Ioung's
titst the change was for the worse 1t
was plain to be seen that he was break
ing up fast; Leaning against his
grated cell door he stood with his
bead down and only mona5yllabic an
fwers could be gotten from him, and
these only in broken whispers,
Are you afraidtu die, Fred" asked
the newspaper man.
.'Ies, l is sometimes said he, and
his Vote had that sound which de
motel that tears were very close.
well, come, you must not give way
head -
u can't do it" said the poor fellow
brokenly, and then he reached out his;
trembling hand for final good-bye.
IL Is hard to think OF this poor waif
sent 10 his final account, after life in
which every circumstance and sur.
rounding WIS calculated to rather de
velop what was Ind la his nature than
70 indicate anything that was good.
Born IN a stable OF dissoluta parents,
Wnlic yet q boy, he knew, IL seems.
q that his father was murderer and
MS own mother the victim. No rcia-
lions and no friends, the poor boy
tirikted where natural instincts led
him, and this was the gallows to-day.
Sprue one has said that man is nc,
countable 10 the extent of the talents
that have been given him. We'll, very
few talents were evidently allotted
TO poor Fred Yonng.
last hight pt 10 O'clock the co!oret
hand OF the town came up to the cor
ner OF Dover Green and played som,
OF their sweetest pieces. These were
Of course, waited into the cells of tia,
condemned men. What called til
band out l. rot kpQwn but that the,
ferhaps lighlened a little the burdel
the two victims were bearing in thei
dark cells is to be hoped.
Up tQ this morning Sheriff Cole hai
not given out tho exact hour at whic
he will carry out the sentence of tn
law, but he has said that he will no
hurry them OIL, and it is likely it wi
be late this afternoon, perhaps 4 o
clock, when the hanging Will tax
place.
In the meantime the town is bein
crowded already this morning. peopl
are coming in from ali directions.
ihere was little OF general interes
done Id either House yesterday. Til
main work done was the showing fol
ward of a number of bills to seoon
reading, so us to get them i'll the hand
OF the committees.
Both HOUSES passed Senator pilling'
joint resolution in relation to aecep
ing the Governments donation toDelt
ware College under the conditions in
posed by the act of Congress maxim
the appropriation, which makes it il
cumbent upon the college authoritic
TO provide some means whereby co
Ored students can realize Il portion {
the benefits accrulng from Uncle Sam
cash
The Senate joint resolution allowin
$500 as contingent fee to the Seer
tary OF States Office WIS concurrcd
by the House.
The Liberty Steam Fire Engine Con
pany's charter passed its first readiIl
In the house to-day.
The regular proceedings follow:
Dover, Feb, l2.-Senate met at 3.3
Read first time-House bill to inco
porate the j. Miller Thomas COmpan
Read and referred Senate b
changing time for holding Il
Orphans Court and Court of CHANGER
act to change the name OF kate Ewif
and Ida May Ewing; act to incorpora
Fairfax Lodge, No. g. 10. o. f.