The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-28
THE TWO MEN EXECUTED
wBJTD AND EOBTNsON FAR THE
PENALTY OF THEiH CRIME.
The Negroes Hanged at Manassas-Few
Psrsoas Present and Little interest
lEauifssted-Both yerv Calm.
MANASSAS. VA. April Especial

Jim Robinson and Ben. Wnit
the young negroes who az
saulted Mrs. Heffiin and Mt
Elliott near here on the 18th Of las
January, were hanged here at 1850 I'M
morning. The execution was a perfectly
ARRANGED yindication OF the majesty o
the law. There wa little, II any, excite
mcnt about II. and. contrary to genera
expectation. very few persons came me
town.
The condemned men spent their las
night on earth quietly, praying a sooo
part OF the time and sleeping when MOI
engaged in prayer. They had hoped tof
n repricve. a new trial. or a comihu'a.
ton Of the fearful penalty OF oeath u"ui
late Yesterday afternoon. when Governor
O'Ferrall and their counsel telegrapned
that their hope was vain. Then they
appeared 10 fully realize for the first
time that they must die on the scanoid'
and to-day. They were not unnerVed'
and calmly prepared 10 make the most
of their few remaining hours by almost
unceasing appeals 10 God for mercy and
forgiveness.
The W condemned men were closely
confined after they were brought from
AIcNdUOII0 on NfGNtrlfJ llEIA III Vh'
OF the steel cages within the jail. and
were kept under watch. The Jail last
night was guarded by forty-tive armed
men. At C:3D o'clock this morning Sheriff
j. L. Leachman proceeded to the jail,
where his deputies were awaiting hin.
Robinson and White declined TO tale
breakfast. and the sheriff and his as
sistants commenced at once to complete
arrangements to perform their disagrea-
BILE duty. and at 100 o'clock the condemn
cd men were taken from the steel cage.
their hands were pinioned. and the silent
procession started on it's march TO the
g~allows. which was in the jail yard. en-
closed by a board fence about twenty feet
high.
VIEWED n GALLONS WITH CoMpoSCRE.
The condemned men viewed the gallows
with apparent composure. and both walk
ed up the steps 10 the platform and on
the trap with n firm and steady tread.
The sheriff. his deputies, and the Rev.
l.. S. A. Hcavener were on the platform
with the condemned men, and a short
prayer was made by the minister. after
which White and Robinson's legs were
tied, and ropes, which were dangling
from a beam above the trap. were placed
around their necka and black caps were
pulled down over their eyes 10y the
sheriff and his deputy. The sheriff de-
scended from the platform, and as he
stepped upon the ground a deputy who
was standing near with a handkerchief
I'm his hand. gave 1t a wave. and as quick
as a flash the trap was sprung at 7:2O
o'clock. and White and Robinson dropped.
There were present seven physicians.
They stated that White and Robinson
suffered death almost instantly. Their
bodies were. however. left hanging for
twenty minutes, after which they were
taken dow and delivered to their rela-
tives.
The crowd in attendance was very
small. owing to the fact. no doubt, that
IL was generally understood that the law
would be vindicated by the prompt execu-
ton of the condemned men who had COM
mitted "a horrible crime on two defence
less women.
RoBINsoN's CONFESSION.
There seemed TO be some excitement
yesterday evening, owing TO the fact
that jim. Robinson in making a con-
fession 10 Mr.. George c. Round and the
Rev. ". s. A. Heavener. stated that he
had not committed the offence criminally.
This was soon known on the streets. and
by some IL was thought that. perhaps
a mistake had been mad The cooler
u'ibsr HOntFtfs WHO ndQ cDnslueTe0 Inc
case In all its phases, concluded that
Robinson had made a false statement.
which proved TO be correct. as he his
morning, a very short while before exc
cution. told the sheriff that no such thing
ever occurred.
THE CRIME.
The crime for the commission of which
Robinson and White to-day died was
tonFni.fs1 IN fha nivhf nf thu 18th Of
last January. about two miles south
Of this place. The assaulted women
were Mrs. Elizabeth Heflin and her sis
ter-in-law. Mrs. Elliott. the former being
a widow and the latter a young and
attractive married woman. On the night
of the assault Mrs. Heflin's father and
Mr.. Elliott were absent from home.
Robinson. n worthless character. learned
OF this and persuaded White. who appears
TO have been a rather decent fellow. to
accompany him to the house. They
reached the house. a very humble affair.
about midnight, and they found the two
women alone with Mrs. Hefiiin's two little
children. White, who was of a very light
color. knocked at the door. At first the
women did not answer. but the continued
knocks of the fellow at length aroused
them. To their inquiry. White replied
that two friends OF theirs from another
county wished 10 cOInt IN. Inc women,
not recognizing the voice. became alarm
ed and refused to open the door. They
were then told that If they did not open
II 1t would be broken.
At length the women were forced 10
open the door and White entered. They
did not suppose that he was a negro.
and imagining that he merely contem-
plated robbery. assured him that they
had nothing. Up to this time Robinson
had remained unseen and unheard. but
he quickly followed White into the house.
exclaiming. with an oath. "You know
what we want"
Too frightened to scream, the defence
less women beseeched the young negroes
TO spare them. and resisted with all their
strength the advances OF the scoundrels.
White. however. drew a pistol and COM
PEELED the women TO submit. he assaultlng
Mrs. Elliott and Robinson Mrs. Heniin.
The affair created great excitement, and
the negroes had 10 be removed TO Alex
andria to prevent lynching.
A Negro Murderer Hanged.
WASHINGTON. d. c., April 27.-Thomas
Crumpton, the negro convicted of the
murder OF another negro in a drunken
quarrel, was hanged in the district tail
dis morning. The drop fell at HIP.