The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-09
sTAUNToN's BRUTE HUNG.
The Assault and Murder of Lot
tie Rowe Avenged.

Ter, colored, was hanged at s:25 o'clock
here this morning for the murder OF
Lottie Rowe, fragile young girl about
l6 years old. on the night Of April 2s.
Death seemed instantaneous, resulting
from broken neck. At Gao o'clock
this morning the folio wing breakfast, as
ordered by Spiller last night, was served:
Five fried eggs, cup OF coffee, a glass
OF milk, whole bread roll, batter cakes,
piece OF nicely fried spring chicken
and piece Of fresh fish. Spiller also
requested some fried oysters, but when
he was informed that they could not be
obtained at this season OF the year he
requested fresh fish.
The condemned man ate heartily and
seemed TO enjoy his early breakfast
There was only q small crowd in town
and about fifty persons inside the en-
closure where the execution took place.
At 1890 6. m. the newspaper reporters
visited Spiiler in his cell. A number OF
colored ministers were in the room sing.
ing. Spiller sat in his cell dressed in a
light striped negligee shirt and dark
trousers. He sat with his arms folded
on his breast wearing glasses, and
looked as bright and as fresh as If 1t
were wedding instead of q hanging.
He laughed and talked very pleasantly
to the newspaper mon and said smil.
ingly that he was perfectly reconciled.
The magnificent physical proportions OF
the man never showed better.
After short talk his colored friends
said there was half hour yet, and they
sang, II Have Message From the
Lord" The singing was followed with
prayer. AT STA the officers appeared
with Spiller walking bareheaded and
handcrtfed, attended by three of his
colored friends. He walked coolly and
unsupported up the twenty-four scaffold
steps and bowed pleasantly to everyone
right and left. On the scaffold he shook
hands with the officers and his friends,
Tho hymn, 81 Will Sing You Song of
the Beautiful Land" was sung. Soon
after reaching tho scaffold Spiller re-
moved his glasses. and stood coolly and
calmly surveying the crowd OF some
nifty or more persons in the enclosure
he coolly examined the overhead fix
lures and the trap.
At sag Mnssrs Dawson and Watts
began to adjust he black robe, while
the ministers begAn to sing "There Is a
Fountain Filled With Blood" Ats:24
cap placed over his head. At S:25 Sher.
Ill Watts, tying the knot with one hand,
waved his handkerchief with the other.
Ropes leading from the bolt into the
jail Strengthened. There was a grating
sound and the black form shot through
the trap until IL seemed TO touch the
ground. The head dropped to one side
and the body slowly swung around for a
moment or two and then came to a rest.
Death seemed to be instantaneous.
Sheriff Watts was overcome afterwards
and had to be supported into the jail
Inc hanging was perftcs success.
The body was examined by the attend
ing physicians. They reported that the
neck was broken Respiration ceased
entirely and the heart ceased to beat in
nine minutes. The body was lowered
re-exAmined and placed in the coffin for
shipment to West Virginia
Spiller made full confession Nav
to one OF his counsel and his former
employer. In IL he admitted killing tho
girl and that while taking her across
corn field lightning flashed, and she
looked up in his face and said: II know
you"
He said he knew he would have to
kill her then. He threw her, after
choking her, across barbed wire fence
and then assaulted her. He took her
down to the railroad, killed her with
her neck on the rail and struck her on
the head three times with stone. To
quote his own language: when l hit
her you could have heard her snore, l
thought, for fifty yards l could hear
that girl snore by my bed every night
since have been in this cell just as she
did when hit her on the head with that
rock