Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-01-13
BY TELEGRAPH.
AOuadruple Execution.

Quadruple Execution.
C4EsTERTowN, Md, Jan. 13.-Chas'
Brooks, aged twcnty-seven years, Moses
Brown. twenty-eight, Fletcher WIZ
liams. twenty-four, and Frisby Come
rvs. seventeen years, were hanged in
Il o Jail yard at this place at 1880 O'Clock
to-day for the murder of DR.. James II, !.
Hill near Millington, on the 2Srd Oh
last April.
Armed men patrolled the streets all
last night and until the execution LOOK
place Business during this morning
was almost entirely suspended. The
room in which the men were tried was
crowded with men summoned to defend
the Jail should an attempt be made to
lynch the four prisoners, but no such
attempt was made. Repeated efforts
were made during the night to secure
c lnfessions from the four negroes, but
each man stuck to his story and abso-
lutely denied all knowledge of the
crime.
A sensation was caused by deputy
warden, one of the death watcn, VINO
had been drinking heavily. He in
sisted on the prisoners singing all the
time. After this had continued a while
he suggested that they dance a little.
Sheriff Hummer then appeared on the
scene and ordered the deputy out OF
the building. Rev. A. A. Murphy who
had passed the night in the Jail, began
his religious attentions to the prisoners
at ! o'clock. The preacher began to
pray and sing with the prisoners, CIV
ing out the hymns line by line. Come
gy's prayer was most affecting. 1t was
an agonized cry for help and succor,
delivered in the peculiar sing song IN
donation of the plantation negro and ITS
burden was, 80 Jesus, save my soul.
A hearty breakfast was served to the
prisoners. They apparently relished
and enjoyed their last meal on earth.
The members of the posse who were
inside the Jail, the reporters and the
twenty witnesses allowed by law
crowded into the corridors, where
they were admonished by the Sher-
if to get ready. Waterman Storks
opened the four doors and two
deputies entered each cell and
handcutled and pinioned its occupant.
The sheriff ordered the crowd in the
corridor to stand back and the short
march to the scaiiord commenced.
Brooks led with Comegys next, follow
cd by Williams and Moses Brown. The
sheriff was waiting on the scallold for
the men and he silently motioned each
of them to his position. The heavy,
awkward looking cotton nooscs were
soon arranged about the necks Of the
four men after the black caps had been
pulled over their faces and their legs
bound the sheriff took a last look at
the beam, the ropes, the traps, and
finally at the men themselves. The
people waiting in the yard below could
see nothing, so effectively was the gal
lows boarded up. At 1890 o'clock the
bar controlling the triggers slipped,
there was crash as the eight trap
doors fell to the ground and four black
bodies shot through the holes.
The story OF the crime is as follows:
Brooks, Williams and probably Brown
formed conspiracy to kill DR.. Hill.
As lie passed along road they seized
his horses bride, and while Comegys
held the horse Brooks struck DR.. Hill
on the head with stone. knocking him
senseless into the bottom of his cart.
plunged knife into the vic
tim neck and Brown hacked the doc
tor with knife. The horse was then
started homeward, and at dawn the
next morning Mrs. Hill found the cart
with her husbands body at the front
door. He was carried into the house
and died that evening.