Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-02-02
HE MADE NO CONFESSION
But Went to Death Protesting His
Innocence Of the Murder.
HIS CLOSING HOURS ON EARTH
Singing Hymns With Minis
ters and Friends.
THE EXECUTION OCCURRED AT 1888


Ministers and His Fricnds--A service of |
Song in the Prisoners Cell.
peciaiCorrespondei,ce Of Gazette ana journal
ELKToE Mp Jan. 27.-Alfred Stout, the
colored murderer was hanged here at l2.3S
this afternoon. The execution passed off
quietly.
THE PRIsoNERs LAST NIGHT.
ELKTos, Mn, Jan. 27.--Thc execution of
Alfred Stout, colored. the murderer of
George Ditmore, the old German farmer
took place promptly to-day.
The prisoner spent the night in good
sound sleep, retiring ut II o'clock last
night and awakening at 6 O'Clock this
morning.
Deputy Sheriff Harvey Mackey stayed
with the prisoner from early in the even
Ing till 2.30 o'clock this morning, when he
was relieved by Sheriff George u. Nc
Kinny. who remained with the prisoner
till o, when Stout awoke, after a refresh
ing sleep. He saluted the sheriff and his
son, Slater Mckinny, in cheerful man
ner.
Stout was provided with breakfast of
ham and eggs. bread and butter, fried po'
tatoes. jelly and coffee, of which he par
took freely and seemed TO enjoy it.
At $50 o'clock this morning Stout was
visited in his cell by the Rev. ]. i. Wood
pastor of the ElktOn Methodist Church
one of his spiritual advisers. He had
him the necessity Of making aconfession
Of his crime, as his time to be called away
from this world wns fast approaching,
REFUSES TO CONFESS.
Stout in his usual manner, declined to
say little IL anything in regard to the
crime, and in a composed manner. which
he had exhibited from tho very first, re.
marked that he had expressed himself
quite we'll enough already, and that lie
was innocent of the charge, and that was
all he had to say. If it was the Lords Will,
he was willing and ready to 90.
Last evening Stout was visited for the
last time BY his step-father. Joseph Stout,
and his sister Emma, and he delivered to
them his clothing and dishes.
At O'Clock this morning, Stout was
visited by Grace Wallace of North East,
and by Willie Shippers, Mary Bailey and
Ellsmore Brown, all colored, the latter
prisoner They were summoned at his re-
quest. The other II prisoners were locked
iii their cells.
The visitors remained with the prisoner
until II o'clock and sang some touching
HYMNS such as Nearer, My God, to
Thee, "Sweet Bye and Bye" and others,
in which representatives Of the press, who
had began to collect at 80 o'clock, took
part The singing seemed to be much en-
ioyed by the prisoner, and several requests
were made BY him to sing certain hymns
of his own selection.
At the conclusion of some hymns Stout
began TO appear nervous and asked at
10.i0 o'clock, in an audible tone, what
time 1t was
AT l0.45 o'clock the scafrold was tested
by the builder, assisted by Captain w. T..
Purnell, the rope being also tested rs to its
carrying capacity.
At 1850 the prisoner was called upon by
the Rev. ]. H. Wooten, the pastor of the
Chesapeake City colored church, who has
visited him for the last three days. To him
Stout
MAINTAINED his INNOCENCE.
Stouts mother who was excluded from
theexecntion, il was said broke down from
grief and was not present.
At li.l5 the prisoner was visited by the
Rev. Il. W. Scott of the Elkton ColOred
Church, and Robert G. Thackery and
Charles C. Crothers, his counsel. All eX-
cept Scott were locked in the cell with the
prisoner.
PREPARING FOR THE END.
At II o'clock, singing by the quartet
ceased. Brown was locked in his cell, and
the fair sex retired from the Jail Then
some half,dozen prisoners were taken
from their cells on the south side of the
Jail and locked in cells of the opposite side
from the scene of the execution.
At ll.45 O'Clock the counsel for Stout
entered the cell and talked with him, but
he still maintained his innocence to them.
hllGT lnty NllInG OuI lllt htNs AleShfs
WoOtcn and Scott entered the cell and had
talk with the prisoner.
In the meantime telegram signed
webb" from Tuckerton, y. j., came t.
Stout, reading Accept my prayers reat
J.. Psalm, 10Th verse, and 10th chapter ol
Romans, 18th verse"
The Rev. Mr.. Scott did so,and continued
tothe end of each Of the chapters men
toned, and then sang and prayed.
At l2.@l sharp, Sheriff Mckinney ant
Deputy Sheriff Mickey entered his cell,
PiSIoNED THE PRISONERS ARMS,
and handGuffed him. At 1881 he was Lee
from his cell to the corridor below, where
al the entrance he bade all of the oilicia
goodbye, and hastily and coUlly walked Il
the scalold, accompanied by the two min
isters the sheriff and deputy. lie wa
then safely strapped about the feet aIt
moved out to the edge of the trap door
Mr.. Wooten and Mr.. Scott prayed witt
him and at the conclusion of the las
prayer he was asked by the sheriff VIVA
he had to say. He said Nothing
The sheriff was in the act of placing tn
black cap over his head, when Stout ex
claimed, Hold on, and gave to the min
lister two rings, which he wore OH eithe
hand, to be given to his sister and a col
Ored woman friend of his.
THE LAST ATT.
The black cap was then adjusted an
the rope placed around the neck Of tn
prisoner and at 12.3S O'Clock the rope wa
coolly and calmly cut By the sheriff. Stou
DROPPED FIvE-ANp-A-HALF FEET
almost without trenur. At 1857 he wa
pronounced dead by Drs. lamar House
keeper and RittenhOuse, and was cut dow
al 1888.
His body was placed in charge of Under
taker Bell of ElktOn, and taken to tn
Cherry Hill almshouse burying grounds.
Death was pronounced to he frol
strangulation.
The deputies in charge were w. II
George +. King and George A. Brown. \
the gate surrounding the front Of the ia
was Alexander Buskirk of ChegRpeak
City, who kept back crowd Of about q
persons of both colors who had collected
Those present at the execution WEI
Capt. George w, Purnell, Calvin MERIT
the builder of the scafIold. Elmer Iiynsor
his helper, Nj. Halks of the Baltmol
Necs, Mr.. Coyle of the Baltimore Hcrdi
Mr.. Seabrooks of the Baltimore ImcriedI
Mr.. Curry of the Morning Ne'rS III.
McCabe Of the Baltimore World Charl,
r. Maxwell of EVERY EVENING and Ne
York World, Victor NJ 'rorbett of the Gee
Wing. j. II. Greenwood one Of Il
deputy sheriffs of Kent county wi
took part in the hanging of the Iii
murderers in Cnestertown; J. Polk Scot
Taylor Mckinney, j. II. Terrell of ii
Times; Slater Mckinney, Drs. 7. 5. Hous
keeper and Il. Il. Anderson. Frank Bat
man of Hartford county, DIR. Rittenhous
W. L. Boulder. J. A. Peoples of Lancaste
Pa. John t. White ". +. Harper, Georl
+. King. Daniel liratton Edward VIII