The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-11-16
SENTENCED TO DEATH.
JUDGE MORRIS Fixes THE TIME FOR
THE EXECUTION OF ED NICHOLS.
The Negro Rapist Will Pay the Penalty Of
His Awful Crime on Friday, Dec. 90.
Other Prisoners Sentenced Yestsr-
day for Various 0ffsnses.

The local in Yesterdays STATESMAN
announcing the fact that immedi-
ately on the opening of the court
Judge Morris would proceed to pass
sentence on Ed Nichols, the negro
rapist, caused to draw quite number
of people to the county courthouse and
at 8 O'Clock the district court room
was fairly we'll crowded. Along the
inside of the rail which cuts off the
space set aside for members of the bar
sat eight negroes waiting sentence
surrounded by Sheriff White and q
Gordon of deputy sheriffs. On these
men the eyes of all the spectators
were conferred. Few among the num-
Der, however, knew which one of the
eight men was the one upon whom
had fallen the awful mandate of the
law. Those few, however, soon com.
municated their knowledge to those
about them, and in q few minutes
nearly every man in the court room
knew that the big, burly, repulsive
looking negro occupying the seat on
the extreme end and next to the jury
box was Ed Nichols. He appeared
perfectly unconcerned. sitting with
his hands in his lap, on which rested
an old, dirty white SLOUGH hat, while
nf tNn nIn e..
words to the negro next to him.
| AS soon as court was opened the
men were called up and sentenced in
tie ordsr in which they sat, their
names, crimes and punishments be-
ing as follows:
Joe Sorrell, burglary; two years in
the penitentiary.
Albert McCraddock, burglary; four
years in the penitentiary.
Will McCraddock, burglary; two
years in the reformatory.
Perry Scott, assault to rape; seven
years in the penitentiary.
Richard Miller, burglary; three
years in the reformatory.
VIM. Wade, theft over 500 and burg
larry; two years in each case.
Chas. Robinson, theft over 500; two
years in the penitentiary.
To all of the above men the usual
question as to whether or not they
had any thing to say why sentence
should not be passed upon them was
put and they replied in the negative
with the exception Of Perry Scott, one
of the slickest negroes in Travis
county, and one whom the officers
are heartily glad to get rid of. In an
off hand, careless manner he init
mated that he had not had fair trial
for the reason that the state had more
witnesses than he had. The judge in
formed him that he could not take
cognizance of any such an objection
and at once proceeded to pass sentence.
MUST HANG UNTIL DEAD.
The last man called was Ed.
Nichols. He got up from his
seat, and with an awkward,
swinging gait approached the |
stand. When he reached the first |
step leading up to the platform he
stopped. There he stood, his left |
hand on the water cooler, while with
his right hand he swung back wards
and forwards his old, dirty white hat.
whether or not he had anything to
say, he shook his head in the negative
and replied: NAV cir"
His Honor then went on to say that
owing to the magnitude of
the crime and it's consequent
penalty it had been his effort !
to see that the prisoner had had
a fair and impartial trial; competent |
attorneys had been appointed to de-
fend him, and they had put forth their
utmost endeavors in his behalf; the |
judgment of the court had been af- |
firmed by the higher court, and it |
was therefore his duty to pass sen.
tence, which he proceeded to do as fol- |
lows:
at is the order of the court that the |
defendant, Ed ward Nichols, who has |
been adjudged to be guilty of rape, |
and whose punishment has been as
sessed by the verdict of the jury at
death, shall on Friday, the 22nd day |
of December, A. d. 1873, in Travis |
county Texas, be hung by the neck |
until he is dead, and that the clerk |
of this court issue death warrant In |
accordance with the sentence and di- |
rect and deliver the same to the sher- |
iff of said Travis county, Texas, who |
shall execute the same in accordance |
with the law in such cases provided
And the said defendant is remanded
to jail to await the execution of this
sentence"
On the conclusion of the sentence
Nichols at a nod from Sheriff White
returned to his seat but In few min
utes the whole bunch of sentenced
men were lined up between deputy
sheriffs and marched back to the jail.
All during the time he was In the
court room and during the passage to