The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-08-03
THE HANGMAN'S WORK.
ALRCK BROWN OF BAsrR0P AND
HENRY MILLER OF DALLAS.
Both Executed Yesterday For Murder-Aleck
Brown Made Comics sion Of His Crime,
Giving Motive and Details.
Executions Well Manage


BAsTRoP, Tex, July 2S.-The town
was full of people today, and at
o'clock hundreds were collected around
the Jail, hoping to catch glimpse of
Alex Brown, who was hanged tor the
murder of Jane Wilkins. At 1'30 p.
IN. the doomed man was brought
from his cell and assembled the scat
fold in room in the Jail with but lit
tie assistance, When asked if he had
anything further to say to the people
he said he had not; Elder Cole would
talk for him; that his throat VA, :
ing him.
Cole said he had not discovered any
change in the prisoner, only that he
seemed anxious about his children,
and said tell them to serve the God he
had. Elder Cole then offered q short
and fervent prayer. He then asked
the prisoner if he thought he would
go to heaven, and he said: YES, for
l have prayed and believe with all my
heart in Jesus, though 1 have not ex-
perienced a change Of heart" He
then bid them all goodbye, maintain
ing cool exterior to the last.
The trap was sprung at /; 40 and the
body never showed any signs of life
after passing through the trap. Thus
ends the closing scene of coolly cal
culated murder.
A STATESMAN reporter visited the
cell of Aleck Brown This morning and
found him feeling Jolerably well. Yes
terday he attempted to take his life,
having made weapon out of his
drinking cup. He cut deep cash in
his throat, but was discovered in time
to prevent his bleeding to death.
He made full confession of his
crime, which was as follows: II went
on the night of the killing about 7.30.
Holidays boys went by while was at
the fence on the outside talking to
Jane. l didn't see Ben Holiday
that night. 1t must have been about
| 8 o'clock when | left there the first
time. Jane wanted me to give her
some money. told her that l didn't
have any, that l had given it to my
wife. In that conversation she called
me liar two or three times. didn't
go into the yard at all the first time.
| then started off to go down to Mr.
Sam Fowlers church. | stood on the
railroad and listened to him preach a
while. Then l started to go up when
l met Pierson Hill. | talked with him
while and he told me hadn't better
go up town for they were fussing up
there and l might get into trouble.
Then started home and met Jane.
She grabbed me by the collar and
said she had been looking for me. |
told her to go away and leave me
alone. She said l had been running
after other women. There we're so
many people in the other street near
there that didn't want to fuss with
her and we walked on up to her house,
she holding me by the collar all the
time. She said before | should have
any other woman she would kill me.
We went through gap in the fence
north of the gate. We went up on the
south side of the house by the step
when she reached down under the
house and grabbed the ak. AS soon
as she raised the ak l grabbed her and
| took the ak away from her and struck
her on the left side first and then
on the right. She didn't scream
but fell after the second
blow. l put my hand on her head to
see if l had cut her head and got blood
on my hand. 1t was so dark couldn't
see whether had struck her or not. /
then ran and jumped over the fence.
AS l did so l. dropped my hat and
picked it up with my right hand and
got some blood on it. This was about
$50.
Josh Gage lied. did not see him at
any time that night. / went home
and went to bed and dozed off to sleep,
and was awakened by my wife when
the alarm was given. knew what il
meant, but thought would go Up tc
deceive my wife. put on another
pair of pants, because thought
the pair | had on when
did the killing might
have bio I'd on them. When l came
home there was light burning and
saw little blood on my hat, and tried
to rub it off.
II killed her because / had tried to
get rid of her for several years. Il was
not mad nor excited, but when she
made the attack on me with the ak
thought it was as good time as any
to get rid of her.
"She would come to my house late in
the night and wake me up and j
would go off with her. My wife never
said anything to me about my con-
duct with Jane"
He expressed himself as well pleased
with the treatment he has received
from the officers. He said he had
prayed and had done all he could for
bis preparation for eternity, but he
had found no peace.
HENRY MILLER.
HH Il HIIRRIKD HHNCE WITH0IIT A