Democratic messenger., 1892-11-05
EIGHT TO Be HANGED.
JUDGE WICKES SENTENCE
DIR. HILLS MURDERS
TO DEATH.
THE CASE REVIEWED.
Governor Brown Will Name the
Day for the Execution.

CHEsTERTowN, MD., October, 3l.-The
eight colored prisoners who were CON
yicted OF the murder of DIR. James III.
Hill near Millington, Kent county. April
% last were to-day sentenced To he hang
ed. In the afternoon Judge Wickes direct
ed the sheriff 10 bring the prisoners into
the court. the grand jury having been
discharged Charles Brooks. Fletcher,
Williams and Moses Brown, the three
men. were stationed together IN the box
against tie wall aud Joshua Barnard,
Louis Benson, Henry HURT, Frisby Co
megys and Charles ;. Emory. who are
bows sat IN chairs in front of the elder
prisoners Each of the eight maintained
an expression of Indifference during the
impressive scene.
MIR Samuel Hill. the father of the muir
dered physician sat near the prisoners,
and the words OF The Judge frequently
brought tears 10 his eyes.
Judge Wickes, in pronouncing sen
tence, spoke in part rs follows: The
duty am called upon To perform Is a
very painful one. as the judgement OF the
court which | am about To pronounce
will send to the gallows eight human
beings 10 suffer death. Never before IN
the history OF this State has such scene
been Witnessed, and callous indeed must
he the heart which does not feel the
soIemnity of the occasion. But painful
and sad as that duty is. am constrained
by the knowledge that you, the prisoners
before me, have committed most afro
cious and brutal crime, and for that
crime YOU deserve To suffer the extreme
penalty OF the law.
Not having yourselves, engaged coun-
scl TO defend you the court assigned To
that duty two of the most experienced
members of this bar, and ii Is only pro-
per To say that in the conduct of your
defense they faithfully discharged their
whole duty. La the exercise of right
given To you by the constitution OF the
State YOU selected the court AS the tribu
nal by which you would be trled.
After patient hearing and most
careful consideration of the testimony the
unanimous impression of the judges was
that you had murdered DIR. Hill. and the
verdict of the court WAS that OF murder
in the first degree.
There Is no doubt that some time
prior To the 23d of April Chas. Brooks,
Fletcher Williams, and probably Moses
Brown, had formed a conspiracy 10 com
nit that fearful deed, and that you met
in Millngton ON the evening OF that day
To carry out your tiendish purpose. Ii
was then that you informed bradshaw,
Comegys and the others who joined you,
of that purpose. and invited them 10 20
with YOU. With alacrity they agreed 10
do So
Having heard in Millington that DIR.
Hill would leave the town in a short
time to visit II patient who resided on the
road from Millugton to Massey's, you
started, nine in number. ON your mission
of death. With songs and dancing IN
anticipation OF the feast oil blood which
you were soon 10 ENJOY, you proceeded
ut "a late hour of the night on that lonely
road until you had reached Fords Hill,
and there YOU awaited the coming OF
your victim DIR. Hill had left his young
wife and her infant child and started on
his errand oi kindness to relieve human
suffering, happy in the thought that he
would soon return 10 that peaceful home
which you had determined he should
never see again.
when he reached the spot where you
had assembled YOU scIzed the bridal of
his horse and arrested his progress. Be
coming aware Of your purpose 10 kill
him, he offered you his money 10 spare
his life, which you rejected lie then
begged for mercy, declaring that he had
never injured you, but had always been
your friend. OF the nine who there sur
rounded him not one protested against
the bloody deed which WIS about to he
enacted or made any effort Ia save the
live of the man who had been your friend
and benefactor Bradshaw and Comegys
were called upon 10 hold the horse. which
summons they promptly obeycd. Ii was
then that YOU, Charles Brooks, with saw
aye crneliy, struck DIR. Hill. defenselcss
and pleading for his life, the fatal blow
with the heavy stone which knocked hun
senseless To the earth. ! ou, Fletcher
Williams. not Ia lie uutdonc in that work
of blood. with The ferociiy ot tiger
sprang upon him the prosiratc body of
yonr victim and plunged into his throat
the knife you had for that purpose. You
Moses Brown and Louis Benson. Ia ap-
peasc in part your THIRST for blood. seIz
ed the dying man aud with iiendish giee
cut and hacked with your knives his
body rs ii lay bleeding before you
The motive winch induced YOU 10 en-
ter into plot 10 murder DIR. Hill is no
longer mystery Who that read the
testimony aud is acquainted with the
passions of the human heart or the Indi
cations of human feelings can Tor a mo-
ment hesitate 10 believe that for some