The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-01-23
A DOUBLE EXECUTION.
uURDxgrRs HANGED IN DASyILLE
James hncs and Margaret Lashiey ray tho
Pes.lty OF Death on the 1aiio"s'
virginia Affairs.

ton TO-DAY was the irsl hanging ia WIG wv
during a period Of thirty-iive years Inc
principals IN the tragedy were James Lyies'
negro. twenty-five years old. and Margaret
Iaahlev also colored. aged twenty-three'
The crime for which they paid tho eA'ie'ho
oenaltv Of the law was the murder OF DeoiSe
Iasblev. husband OF tie woman. by hyleS'
Lilo uarcaret Lashley figured as an accom-
plice. ,,-.,.-s
Thu condemned rested peacefully through
the night. rising this morning al Gay ~
heartv breakfast and Lvles smCk Ken thIeo
cigars At lO.40 o'clock Deputy Serse"h'S9
Wrmack and Cook went IN tne cells ~
placed the handouts on the PlIso9ne'.o.
Policemen we're stationed all the
necessory points 20 keep back the suIElnE
,nasso ~ humanity which filled every avenue
LEADING toward the Jail. The execution "1'
,,r;ve.e being witnessed by only thoso ~
lowed bv law. numbering about twsnlyi hno
osllovs was surrounded by hiEh ehV,o9ulo'
which Ob~truct"d the VIC" eve" '
io a, Io.r6 the prisoners walked steadily up
the steps OF the scallold. displaying not " SON
llance of weakness and took their places uu,
der the noOses. Then came the PlaSc' "is
sono service which lasted thirty minutes. DOth
principals rendering IN strong hSrilohlouS
yoices the hvrans selected for the occasion.
AZ 1I.Q1 the drop fell. and in twelve minutes
18th were declared dead. their necks beng
brnLen They remained firm 70 the last and
disclosed no further particulars OF tne AH"i-
der than have been made puDAc.
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
br;ef synopsis Of a story Of illicit love, &c.
which caused this legal tragedy Is not out
OF place here.
1;eoroe and Margaret Lashley. supposed TO
ba man aud wife. came 20 DanVlle from
Mecklenburg county in May. 1899. Ihey
lived In this city iew weeks ana theh hoHeu
IN North Danvllle. The woman secured q
situation with Mr.. j. f.. Brown az COOK ana
general hOuse-wOman OF the family, ana WAS
assigned to quarters on Mr. Browns prem
ises George Iashley. her husband. got Joo
a. laborer on tho Atlantic and DanylAe ran
way. The two lived happily together. as nap
nilv a. negroes usually do until James lyles;
. fine-lookinc and artful colOred man crossed
n il the old. old story. too often enacted IN
the higher walks of HE. and need not Do re-
heated here IL Is SUFFICIENT 10 know tiat
Iyles and Margaret lashley became ihiatu-
ated with each other. and became too inti-,
nate a state OF affairs made possible by the
almost constant absence from home OF Lash
Lev who as before stated. was working on
the railroad and came home only about once
month go 900, 81, -
what the darkes call pay party al the
house of Martha Keen. near New Design;
Invitatiops had been sent TO all the colored
bellies and beauX III all the region rouhd
about. including North Danyille; Margaret
Lashley. the wife of George Lashley. James
Lyles. Mary Darkns ana Charles watson
formed North Danyliie quartette VINO al
tended the party
IL was said that the reports of the improper
intimacy between Margaret and Lyles had
reached George Lashleys ears, and lie had
said some hard things about Jim. l-yles
n. in of
that if Lashley ever crossed his path he
would shoot him
This Saturday afternoon George Lashley
came home. ana after he had eaten his supper
bis wife. Margaret, and Mary Darkins went
out of the house. saying they were gong 70
deliver clothes they mad washed. They de-
hyered the washing and they went to a point
ON Man street, where they were Joined by
James Lyles and Charles Watson and the
four went TO Martha heen's near New De-
sign. and were prominent participants N the
frOlic.
The frolc was rather boisterous. and sew
eral fights blurred the record of the festivities,
which closed about o'clock. lylos, Watson,
and the two women named then came on
home.
They reached the gate of Mr. Browns yard
between 2 and 3 o'clock. where Watson b0ue
the party good night and lett for his
home. Mary Darhns went IN the
house where Lashley lay asleep. while
Iyles and Margaret laShley paused
at the gate and chatted few moments. Then
Margaret Lashey came in the house and some
words passed between her and her husband,
and they walked out in the yard together.
They had scarcely left the house when pis-
toll was fired. Iashley reeled staggered in the
house. foil across t. chair and died in II few
moments his last words being Jim Lyles
has killed me-
Margaret lashloy said her husband quarrel
ed with her for remaining out so late. and
ord cred her 10 follow him 10 the yard. she
did So and as they walked around the corner
some one she knew not who shot her hus-
band
She stuck to this story to her dying mo-
ment and if it was false she died with lie on
her lips.
Mary Darkins testified that Margaret when
ehe reached the house. walked her husband,
asked him 10 step out into the yard. which he
did, and was shot by Jim Lyles, she (Darkins)
seeing the murderer plainly when he fred the
fatal shot.
The testimony Of Mary Dorkins. with that
of corrOborating testimony. made up the
theory that the murder of Lashley was the
result of plot between Lyles and the faith
less wife. ana on tins theory ana testimony
they we're convicted AT the March term OF the
hustings court of this city.
Judge Aiken sentenced them TO be hanged
on the 18th Of May, 1891. Their case WAS
taken TO the Supreme Court Of Appeals
which sustained the lower court, and at the
December term OF the hustlngs court Lyles
and Iashley were resentenced by Judge
Aiken TO be hanged to-day.