Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-25
LAST HOURS ON EARTH
The Murderer Crumpton About to Atone
for His Crime.
He Has Been Converted in jail and
Now Processes q Ptous Preparation
for Fridays Ordeal.

1
Friday next, Thomas Crumpton will be
hanged In the District jail for shooting
David Shanklin on Delaware avenue, South
Washir gton. in June last. A short lease of
life was asked for the condemned by his
counsel yesterday afternoon. but the Presi-
dent refused to reprieve him. explaining
that 1t would be cruel to further prolong
the mans agony.
| In anticipation of the Presidents action
the preliminary arrangements for the man s
execution on Friday have been made and
the scaffold and it's horrible pararhernalia
await the hour when the dreadful penalty
Of the law shall be imposed. Crumpton is a
mulatto. forty-three years of age and a
man above the ordinary intelligence.
His victim was also a negro. The trial
OF Crumpton. upon an indictment charg-
ing him with murder. occurred November
| last, and verdict of guilty as indicted
was promptly returned. Crumpton was
| thereupon sentenced to die Friday next.
| A motion for new trial having been made
and withdrawn, the warrant for his execu-
| ton was issued on the 9th of February.
Later a plea was filed with the President
| for a Communication OF the death sentence,
| and quite an effort was made to induce
| the President to send the man to prison
| instead of to the scaffold. Last week,
| however. as reported In The Star at the
time, the President decided that the kill
| ing of Shanklin was clear case OF pre-
meditated and malicious murder, and de-
clared that the sentence of the law should
| be carried out. Crumpton, at all times a
very docIle prisoner, has. since his con-
| viction, protested religion, being visited
often by the members of the colored Y.
! NJ c. A., and by several colored ministers.
Sunday last the condemned man was bap-
ttzed.
A Visit to the Condemned.
The scaffold upon which Crumpton will
be hanged stands in the northeast corridor
of the Jail, and is the same one upon which
Guiteau and those hanged here since he
died have been executed. The execution
of Crumpton will probably take place about
IL am. 1t will be witnessed by much
smaller number than usual. Warden Leon
ard being determined to restrict the num-
Der to that authorized by law The invita-
lions were issued today, and the warden
desires II to be known that no more will
be issued. They read as follows: WAR
den's Office. U. s. Jail, Washington. D. c.
Mr.. -: You are respectfully invited to
witness the execution Of Thomas Crump-
ton at this Jail Friday. April p. 1894. be-
| tween the hours of am. and II M
Through the courtesy Of Warden Leonard
reporter of The Star was permitted TO
see Crumpton this morning. The condemn
ed man occupies cell No. 4, on the west
tier of the first floor of the south wing of
the prison. The door of the cell was open
1
The man mad received a basket of delica-
| cies. left by one of his friends. As the re-
porter stepped to the cell door he placed
the basket on his cot and warmly shook
| the hand of his visitor. In answer to an In
quiry as to his health, Crumpton replied: 81
am, thank God. sir. feeling as well as a
man In my place can. And the fact, sir
| that i am feeling so well now tells me more
| than anything else that the good Lord has
forgiven me. and Is going to bless me-"
| Crumpton's manner evidenced the fac,
that while he fully realized his unfortunate
! position and the dreadful ordeal he is soon
to undergo. he had prepared himself &c
meet his fate.
| "A man. you know, SIR" he explained, as
calmly as If he was discussing the ordinary
affairs of life, has to die some time. He
can't help himself as to that, and as long
as the Lord has said that l must die Fri
day, and on the scaffold why, It isn't fol
me- sir. to say 'gainst IT. But. thank God
| sir, / know that when / go from this world
I'll so with the Lords forgiveness, and II
go, too, sir', forgtving all myself"
| The doomed man has wife and four lit.
tie children, and as he spoke Of them his
| eyes filled with tears and his words came
| huskily and brokenly.
| 'All seems WELL sir, with ne until
| think of going out Of the world and leav-
ing them behind. The Oldest one of the
| children isn't but seven years old, and the
youngest is only little baby, bout eigh.
teen months old. What will become OF
them God only knows, sir. But He has
| said that He'll protect the widow and care
| for the fatherless. / know that He'll do il
some way or other. But it's mighty hard
to leave them, sir; mighty bard. SIR
| And the prisoner bowed his head, and
| while the tears flowed fast down his cheeks
| he grasped the bars of the cell door for
| support. The storm within him soon pass
ed away. and then he explained that there
remained for him but one thing to do.
| "Of course" he said, there are always
| two sides to story, sir. The witnesses
| I ha IL
| to know mine The Lord has prompted
me to tell mine. and If He is willing, sir
/ am going to tell it on he scalfold.
| don't want anybody to think. though thai
I've got any hard feelings 'gainst anybody
| for l haven't, sir. The good Lord will he a,
| me witness to that, sir. But l does want
| the people to hear me. What / says will
| be the truth, sir, for isn't going to saw q
| lie just when l am a-looking the Almighty
right in the face and asking Him to for
| give. No, sir; am going to tell nothing
| but what's So"
Peculiar Religious Ideas.
Crumpton said that until he stood upon
the scaffod he would decline to say any.
thing. But he added, after a moments
reflection, lit was the will of God all
through this 1t was Him who said tina,
the man killed should die. and it was Him
who made it out that must kill him. The
| man had to go that way, and I've got to &c
my way. It's hard, sir, but, bless the Lord
1t is all right"
| The prisoner said that he was born forty
three years ago in Montgomery county Nd
! just above Rockville. He came to this city
with his parents, both now dead, in 1861
| About ten years later he enlisted in the
| navy, serving on the Fortune and Sup
ply" under the name of Morris. While he
! can read and write, he stated that he had
never attended school but three days in his
| life. He has been twice married, his first
wife bearing him no children. He stated
that the officers of the Jail had been very
kind to him, and declared that he felt very
| grateful to them. He also requested the
reporter to say for him that he was very
| grateful to the many kind friends who
visited him and sent him little delicaces.
| of course" he explained, as the reporter
| left him, "a man in my place don't feel
verv much like eating, but L do enjoy a
smoke, and If you come again to see me i
would thank you very much for cigar
sir Goodby, sir. God bless you"
And as calmly as If he was free man
with only the blue sky above him, and
the whole world open before him, the con-
demned murderer, with less than forty
eight hours of life remaining to him, re-
turned to his interrupted inspection Of the
| basket of delicacies.