The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-20
HOPKINS WILL HANG.
s,xrH FIXED AZ THE DAf~
' ron gnE EXECUTION
,,rder,r Received the knowledge o'
~, Fatcwi,h Remarkable oooi"ss'
History OF the Crime.


=. Henry 5. Parsons last june VIII
really executed on July Sth'
,,,s., Hopkins was brought out OF jail
DAY he was met by Mr. Hay 7. Gar
~ counsel for defence, who told him
~.. ne would try and do all he could for
q, The higher court but that II he
,,.accessful he must prepare to die.
c.-.c,t then babe his client good
40, '- me courtroom was reached Hop
Was. iven "a seat by Messrs. Thomas
A'' f.sts. two OF his counsel lie was
@...,re.a.cl by Deputy-Sherin Lew Fus-
SCI
THE SENTENCE.
--, prisoner was then told to stand up,
s Dee did and Judge Wickham in
l.s words sentenced him to death.
PRISONER ~ the bar, at the last term
,.p.s court you stood before 4 jury of
, couAt.ymen under On Indictment
-,urler IN the frs. degree-the high
-. crime known 20 the law. You were
,t~ael by able ard Jealous counsel ana
...tyri tnc benefit OF every safeguard
90, tho state throws around prisoner
.rhe jury after a careful and patient
A..-.rc u the evidence and the argu-
,..-, n counsel brought in a verdict OF
,-erfer IN the first degree. 1t becomes,
,..~.f.~a. the duty OF the Court. with
Vb.,ever pain and reluctance Il may be
r,-formei. 10 pass upon you the sentence
- The law. And the sentence of the
c.,-- is hat you be taken from this
courtroom to the jail Of said county by
ro sheriff. and that between the hours
~ 80 o'clock in the morning and 6
o'clock in the evening. on the day Of
r.lv e. 1924, either in the county jail
up In the courthouse yard o. the coun-
o. I'm some place hidden from public view
YOU De hanged by the neck until you he
dead. And may the Lord have mercy
Oh your soul"
The prisoner received the terrible SEN
,e-ce with the same imperturbable stol-
fitness that he has maintained ever since
his Incarceration. As Judge Wickham
concluded the death sentence HOPKINS
without displaying the least emotion
,~olinod his head slightly forward into
bow and So. down. His counsel Messrs
7.stls Garnett. and Thomas. submitted
motion for an arrest Of judgment. which
notion Judge Wickham overruled. They
fhen gave notice Of their intention to
file two bills Of exception. The attorneys
will make application as soon as posi-
lie 10 the Court Of Appeals for writ
Of error and superscdeas
Hopkins apparently has no proper ap-
urocsation Of his critical situation ana
expresses himself as being ready TO ac-
cent whatever may be in store for him.
lie saws he has religion and is satisfied
that II he has TO die ne Will so straight
70 Heaven
After the sentence he was taken back
n the county Jail and placed in his
cell where he will be confined until the
day set for the execution.
HISTORY or TIVE CRIME.
The murder was committed on Jun
I'm Of last year Mr. Parsons at tn
time Of the murder was employed as time
keeper at Hooker & Phillips brick-yard
which is located Just 10 the southwes
OF the city. Hopkins. who worked a
the brick-yard, was paid up about IN
1s- ~ June and discharged. The negro
returned 20 the yard on the Wednesda
following. June 9Th. and complained tina
Mr.. Parsons had failed TO allow him fo
two days work The time-keeper tolc
him that he had already been paid eight
cents more than was due him, and or
dered him off the premises. Hopkins left
but concealed himself near by and
little later on approached Mr.. Parsons
on the sly and struck him a powerful
blow on the head with a heavy stick
knocking him down and rendering hin
unconscious
Upon examination Or. Afoseiey FOUND
that the skull was badly fractured, an'
the case was p very serious one from
the beginning. The patient grew considera
bly, worse. and on Monday. June 25th
Drs. Taylor. Moseley and Mcclure per
formed an operation on the sufferer, re
moving portions Of his skull The pa
tent confined TO grow worse until deatf
relieved him Of his sufferinSs about
o'clock I'm the evening of June 9th,
his residence. 10. 1926 Ashland street.
A HIGHLY TsTTtMEp MAN.
Mr.. Parsons was a highly estimabl
man. and was greatly liked by all VIII
knew him. He was a man Of strict IN
taerltv. and enjoyed the confidence o
all with whom he held any business re
latlous. He was an earnest. consecrate'
Christian. and was member OF thf
Crove-Avenue baptist church. tie wa
native Of Nelson county where III
mother and several sisters and brotheH
still reside.
Mr.. Parsons was a member OF the
Odd-Fellows. the Red Men and Of th'
Junior order United American Mechanics
Hopkins made his escape. and was
very shrewd in keeping his whereabout
unknown. For some time the authofi
ties were hard at work IN their eiiort
- trace the murderer. Finally a re-
ward 81 800 was offered for the captur
and conviction Of the fugitive. Hopkins
father prevailed upon him TO return u
his home. and persuaded him TO 90 L
the Henrico County Courthouse. Nhel
the negro reached the courthouse he wa
Identified. and Jailer Russell arrested MN
and placed him IN custody. There wa
some misunderstanding as 10 who wouI'
receive the 800 reward, the father o
the murderer or the officer who mad
the arrest. The question has not yet
been decided.
TIE MUnDTRrE.
The negro who committed the bruta
crime rs about twenty or twenty-on'
years OF age. Eve feet eight inches II
helrht. weighs about 10 pounds, and ha
a gingerbread cast of countenancc. I'LL
expression IS that Of an underhanded
sleaking character and there is some
thing reoulsive about his general make
UP. He is said 10 have been a worthless
sort Of fellow, and 10 have been IN trou
bic before.
For months he languished In tan. an
his trial was postponed several tme'
lie secured as his counsel George "