Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-31
his LAST SABBATH
Morris Hopkins. the M"r"e''''
uut Three Days To Live


~, .,,or AZ the ward OF Messrs. HOOKER
" u,.'',,rs in the West End, just beyond
I" "a ,nr,,orate limits, and on ths fh OF
-, iSQs he got into an alteration WIN
a.. Henry Parsons. manager or the yaiu'
.''aeorning q sum of money clalmed py
/ C'''' -, 10 be due him The result OF
.tt. Is that while Mr.. ParsoDs's at
,a,,ion was directed elsewhere Morris
crcn, I'D behind Elm and with heavy
o,kcn stick struck him behind the ear
and foled him to the ground. He then
got upon the PROSTATE manager ana
stamped him. The skull was very badly
shattered. and conclusion OF the brain
r-sultcd. Mr. Parsons fingered until the
18Th Of the same month. when an opera
ton was performed on him, and the next
day he died.
A warrant was then sworn out for the
arrest OF Morris. charging him with the
murder of Parsons. but he fed, and all
trace OF him was lost The search for
him was abandoned, and the case was al
most forgotten, when one morning, about
four months after the murder the ac-
cused. accompanied by his father. ap-
peared at the county jail. and surrendered
hms IL to Deputy Sheriff Russell. re-
ward OF 500 had been offered for his
capture, and the father claimed the re-
ward, but. for some reason, It was never
paid. The prisoner remained In the jail
until April 18th OF the next year, when
he was brougn up for trial before the
County Court. Mr.. Parsons was a menu
Der Of the order ~ Red Men, and they
took an active part in prosecuting his
murderer. They employed Mr.. III. Nj.
Smith. Jr.. TO assist in the prosecution.
SOME TINE TO AGREE.
Morris was represented by Messrs. w.
II. Justis. Hay T. Garnett, q. w.
Thomas, and Henry A. Atkinson. n. The
trial lasted three days and for SOME time
the jury was divided. An agreement was
finally reached on the afternoon Of the
third day after the jury had been locked
up for almost twcnty-fOur hours, and
the verdict of murder in the first degree
was rendered.
Some time afterwards the negro was
sentenced to be hung by Judge Wick
ham. but a stay of execution was granted
by Judge Wexford in the Circuit Court.
while ne considered an appeal for writ
Of error, which he ultimately declined
TO grant, The case was then certified
back to the County Court and Judge
/ Wickham resentenced Morris to be hang
od on Wednesday next. lie has been in
JAN under a death watch ever since and
has conducted himself with stole indif-
7 ference both to his situation and sur
/ rOUndings. His counsel have been espe-
! c.ally energetic in his behalf and every
means possible for securing an ameliora-
/ ton of sentence has been tried. The
! Governor was appealed 10 as Il last re-
sort. but be declined 70 interfere and
Morris must now eXpiate his crime on the
/ gallows
THE DEATH TRAP READY.
The scaffod has been completed and II
s. grim looking structure. II stands
! about twenty feet in height and the
/ platform IL raised on n framework OF
props to a height Of ten feet. 1t has al
area OF eight feet square. and in its centre
IS trap three feet square swinging from
hinges of iron. This will be supported
when closed by an upright post resting
/ ia a CroOved block. and a pull Of the rope
/ attached 10 IL will cause that TO fan
from under and the doomed man viii be
precipitated through for q distance OF
! about eight feet. The structure is Of light
pine. and The platform Is guarded by q
rail Of the same material Leading W
10 this is a flight OF fifteen steps protected
{ by a hand-rsil on the right side. The
whole structure is very strong. The
, space in which this death machine stands
/ t. probably about 100 by 30 feet in area
and on either end IS boarded up to a
height of 30 feet.
Morris will be given n new suit oil
black clothes in which to dress for tn
hanging The execution will probably
occur about Il O'Clock. He will be con
Quoted from his cell to the gallows by
Sheriff Solomon. and the hanging will
be gotten through with as speedily a.
possible. Two negro preachers will be
on the platform with the prisoner. anC
thpN Will offer for. 1ic CpIIl anl
tax with him for a few moments. Nor
ris will make a speech. which Sheriff Solo
| mon proposes shall be as brief as possible
and the black cap and moose VIII then b,
adjusted. After this has been concluded
one of the preachers will Cffer another
prayer when the handkerchief Will be
| dropped by the Sheriff and enc Of hi:
deputies who will be concealed in a room
| under the court house. will pull the ROPE
releasing the trap, and Morris will be
hurled into eternity.
THE CLUVEKICS EXECUTION
This will be the first hanging that has
taken place In this city since the memo
rable Cluverius execution. That case prob
| ably attracted more attention than any
! that has occurred in Virginia since the
| war The murderer Of his cousin was exc
| Cutcd in the yard Of the city Jail at los II
! i. NJ. on the 18th OF January, 1881 lie
| was conducted to the scaifOld by cry
| Sergeant Smith. and walked through the
yard and ascendcd the steps TO the death
| trap with a firm tread. calmly surveying
! the crowd after he had reached the plat
! form. He walked on the trap himself
| and stood In the centre of it, After the
| reading Of the death warrant by Mr.
| Smith and prayer by Rev. Or. Hatcher
who ministorel 10 the prisoner during the
| whole term of his confinement IN the jail
| the black cap was placed on his head ans
| ;hc moose adjusted around his neck. one
of the deputies. who was stationed or
| the sCafiol1 gave a signal for the eXecu
tiol by lowering a handk erchlef, and an
! other deputy. tho was hid from view II
| a Cround-hoOr cell. a little to the rear
| ana some feet below the scafO.d, drew
the cord which released the trap and IL
a few moments Thomas Judson Cluveriu!
was no more.
! BARBARA MILLER HANGED.
The last hanging In the county &C
CURED some time before this. when Bar
hara Miller. the murderer Of her husband
Daniel Miller was executed. This wa
the l4th OF September, 1855. and on tn
81 Of August, Only a few weeks prio
thereto. her accomplice, Charles Hcnr,
Lee was hanged. The crime for whcl
their lives were taken was most helnoI
one. The two were in love. and wante
- marry. but In order 10 do so Bar
bara's husband had 10 be gotten out O
the way. This was done by Barbara
| Draining him with an axe while he slept
| after WHEN Lee took his body to Tn
| railroad, placed 1t on the track. wher
| shortly afterwards IT was run over an
| horribly mutilated by train. Bdr6ar
| was game TO the last. and on the scafol
| wore a white msulin dress. elaboratel
| fioUnced and trimmed in lace On he
| breast she had a huge bouquet Of flowers
| She was escorted to the scaffold by fOu
| negro preachers. chanting hymn, an
| occasionally she would join in with them
! She showed but little sign of fear, an
| Just as the trap was sprung shoute
| loudly, Farewell" While the scaffol'
was being built for her execution sh
| sat at a window. and looked at the work
| When one Of the workmen's VS. be
came rusty she threw down a piece o
meat with which 10 grease II. He
bravado was very much similar 10 tina
now being exhibited by Morris Hopkins
both being firmly imbued with the belle
that Heaven is only a step beyond tn
gallows.
MADE A SPEECH.
Lee made a speech from the gallow
and advised all who were in the sound Of
bie Voice 10 take warning from him an