The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-14
FOUR ON ONE SCAFF0LD.
DIR. Hills MURDERERS HANGED
IN CHEsTERTOWN, MD.
One Died Hard and Was Cursed by the
Spectators While In His Dying Tbroes.
The Lynchers Did Not Appear.

| CHESTERTOWN, Jan. i3.-Four OF the
convicted murderers Of DR.. j. II. Hill
paid the penalty for their crime in the
Jail yard here shortly after noon to-day
The trap fell at 1880 o'clock and in less
than an hour the four negroes were dead
and buried. The men were Fletcher Will
liams. Charles W. Brooks, Moses Brown
and Frisby Comegys.
Contrary to what was generally ex-
pected. everybody In Chestertown outside
Of the jail precincts passed a quiet. un-
oventful night. The streets of the little
city were almost entirsly deserted. ex
cept by the posse summoned a couple Of
days ago by Sheriff Plummer. These
| guards. in twos and threes. armed with
| guns, rifles and pistols. dating from flint
locks used in the Revolution to modern
| self-acting revolvers. patrolled the streets
nearly all night long and until the execu-
| tion took place Business during the
| morning was almost entirely suspended,
| but the streets were crowded with sleighs
and other vehicles, filed with merry
| couples, who did not seem to have any
| thought for four miserable wretches con-
| fined in the damp basement cells OF the
| jail.
But nevertheless the shadow OF the gall
lows seemed TO hang over all, and gaiety
| was of the forced character. Very few
| negroes could be seen on the streets.
| Not single arrest was made by the men,
who walked the streets of the town all
night. and not a single disturbance oc-
| Cured
| The scene in the county courthouse
| however, was quite different from that
! on the streets. The rooms in which the
eight men were tried, condemned and
| sentenced, were crowded with young and
old men, armed with all kinds of weapons.
They had been summoned to defend the
jail. should an attempt be made TO lynch
the four prisoners but no such attempt
was made. and the posse contented itself
with emptying sundry bottles and telling
what it would do II the mob should APP
pear.
Shortly after II O'Clock the members
Of the posse inside the Jail, reporters and
twenty witnesses. allowed by law, crowd
ed into the corridor, where they were told
by the sheriff TO get ready. Then the
short march TO the scaffold began. with
Brooks first and Comegys next, followed
by Williams and Moses Brown. On reach
ing the scaffold the men were placed in
position, nooses were arranged about their
necks, black caps were pulled over their
faces and their legs bound at the ankles.
At 1890 the bar controlling the triggers
slipped easily along the creased surface.
There was a crash as the light, battened
trap-doors fell to the ground, and four
black bodies shot through the holes. Four
OF the murderers of Or. Hill had expi-
tiated their crime on the gallows.
Fletcher Williams and Moses Brown
died almost without a struggle. their
necks being broken. Brooks and Comegys
went through the most appalling contor-
tions. The latter died from strangula-
ton and the formers death was due TO
the dislocation OF his neck. Comegys, the
youngest Of the quartette, was conscious
for at least five minutes while dangling
from the rope. He twisted his legs, strug
gled with the hand-cuffs and drew his
knees to his neck. Brooks went through
similar movements. He died hard. His
frame swayed several minutes, and when
the crowd thought him dead he started
the most desperate contortions. His body
wriggled within the straps about him
and his determined efforts to get the hand
cuffs off pleased the crowd immensely.
Tee old farmers who gathered about the
dying men laughed. and some even cursed
the negroes. The men died in from ten
to eighteen minutes The heart of VIII |
lams beat for seventeen minutes. al
though he acted as though he died first. |
The men were examined by Drs. w. |
Frank Hines. Horton Kelly. Charles w. |
Whaland and John l.. Wetherd the latter |
of Philadelphia
At 2:l5 the bodies were cut down, placed |
in pine collins at once, and two express |
wagons conveyed them to the potter's |
field. After the execution the people |
quietly dispersed.
The streets around the jail were crowd
ed early in the forenoon by a mob of
men bowling for admlttance within the
~ ba a
were swarming on top of the high board
fence and trees in the vicinity. 4 dis
graceful riot ansued Some members Of |
the posse comitatus were foremost in
violating Sheriff Plummer's and Com
mander Crews orders The latter made
an earnest appeal 10 his men to preserve
order. and a rush was made to protect
the fences. which had meanwhile been
partially demolished. Swords and sabres
were drawn. but the weapons We're
quickly dragged from the grasp of the
I osse by the intruders. Several tugs of
war were engaged in for the possession
OF muskets and rifles. but 10 serious in
jury resulted TO the contestants. II was
very cold, and the guards and spectators
grew impatient as the hour of l2.30 ap-
1 reached. Bring them OUT" they yelled.
IF you don't hurry up and hang them
we will" Here they come" goes up
with a joyous shout from the crowd, as
the poor wretches falteringly scrambled
TO their places on the &c lffold. In an
instant later the trap was sprung and
an intense yell Of exultation went up
from hundreds of thrOats. DR.. Hill, their
friend, had been avenged.
Then came murmurs OF regret that four
II the eight traps were unoccupied. Gov
.rnor Brown was roundly abused for COM
nuting on Wednesday last the sentences
II the other four men implicated in the
murder. AT 1:30 o'clock this morning
samuel +. Hill and Walter 5. Hill, the
ather and brother OF DIR. J. II. Hill, the
man, were admitted 70 the jail.
rhe elder Mr.. Hill expressed a wish to
ak alone with the condemned prisoners,
With the view OF forcing a confession
rom them. The colored ministers and
,ther visitors were requested 10 leave
he cell room, and the two gentlemen
ntered the room and were locked UP
With the prisoners and watchman. The :
wo gentlemen remained In the cell room !
or fifty minutes, and then left the jail, !
fter announcing that their visit had been T
ntirely unsuccessful. While the two gem I
lemen were in the Jail number Of the 1
osse came to the door and sought ad- Z
mission under the impression that the
anging was TO take place Immediately.
hey were turned away. and then every
hing auieted down and all retired save
light deputies and the reporters. Re
eated efforts were made during the night
D secure confessions from the negroes,
ut each man stuck TO his story and alb
olutely denied all knowledge OF the crime.
sensation was caused by deputy | :