Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-25
HE WILLHANG TODAY
GOYefnOr Declines to Commute NlchO-
lass Sentence or Grant a Respite.
THE PRISONER CAST DOWN.
lie Rallies After n Little While md
Furnishes the Press Written
stntcment-iIow He spent the Day
Execution Details.

spite from the Governor-to which he has
so perslstently chung since the adverse
decision rendered by the Supreme Court
last week. has been taken from him. and
he will be executed ere the sun reaches
it's meridian to-day.
At noon yesterday Sheriff Solomon re-
ceived the following telegram from Cow
ernor O'Ferrall, which was dated at Al
leghany Springs:
81 have declined TO commute the sem
tence Of Philip Norman Nicholas. or TO
grant respite The law must take It's
course"
This was at once read to the condemned
man by the Sheriff, and IL had the effect
of almost stunning him. lie had been
buoyed up by hope. and had confidently
believed that the Governor would at least
grant him a few days longer and was
therefore totally unprepared for the re-
fusal. He listened attentively TO the
reading of the telegram, his eyes the while
| filling with tears, and when the Sheriff
| concluded the condemned man dropped
! his head on his bosom and commenced
| pacing 10 and fro in his cell. He rapidly
! grew more and more excited as the day
wore on, and seemed unable TO converse
! intelligently. He talked incoherenty
when addressed, and seemed more bag
! gard and cast down than at any time du-
! ring his incarceration.
TELEGRAM TO COUNSEL.
Prior 10 the receipt by the Sheriff Of
! Governor O'Ferralrs message the fol-
| lowing telegram from his Excellency
addressed to Hon. u. G. Richardson, was
! received:
! Il have carefully examined the record
! and other papers enclosed by you in the
case Of Philip y. Nicholas. and ! can
find nothing 10 justify executive clemeh-
/ cy. While ever anxious to save human
| life, the evidence in this case has led
me- as il did the jury and the circuit
and appellate judges, irresstibly TO the
! conclusion that the prisoner IS guilty OF
a double murder. The additional afhda-
Wits mentioned in the petition II pre-
scented would not affect my judgment
| cannot commute. and, knowing no
reason for delay l must decline 10 re-
To this Mr.. II. NJ. Smith. Jr.. associate
| counsel in the case, replied:
I'VE urgently request executive re-
| spite for one month in the Nicholas case.
I II is only a few days now since the SUI
preme Court passed on it. Please recon
! slider richardson Is out Of town.
No answer being received to this, Mr..
| smith who was forced to go TO New
! York last night on urgent business. wired
again, urglng the Governor TO reconsider
/ and grant Nicholas a few days longer.
TALKS ABOUT TESTIMONY.
Nicholas was visited by Dispatch man
shortly after the Governors refusal had
becn communicated to him, and at first
4 HlFaIFa
tho following statement written ont foi
publication. and this he gave TO the re-
porter. with the statement that that was
all ne had TO say:
Il think there are many things that the
people ought to know about my case anu
/ want them 20 know them AT once.
have been falsely testified against, ana
/ want to give you the names OF those
who so testified Squire Riggs testimo-
ny was false from beginning TO end
there was not a word Of truth in It, and
am sure It was done 10 prejudice
against me. There was not q word Of
truth in the testimony Of Mrs. Wilkinson.
What | was most surprised at was the
testimony OF II. \. Taylor. Of GOochland
county. That boy has been prejudiced
against me for q long time, and / never
did anything 20 him. Those negr0es-
Charlotte Green. Axle Mallory. and Miles
Fleming-were all guilty of the rankest
periurv. and there was a man named
Brown who nut I'm an AFFIDAVIT against
me / don't know him. and never saw
him before In my life that ! know Of.
"AIr Kerse. too did me great wrong.
lie e9il that h. heard me talking 10
friend at the city Jail. and thought that
| was abiding 10 my case. but | was
talking Of something entirely different.
Sergeant Hall made one serious mis-
take in his testimony he said that ne
saw me coming out Of the room before h.
opened the door. but h. could not have
seen me: II was impossible. Mr.. Hall
thought he saw me. l don't doubt. but
he was mistaken. and he has done an
innocent man grcvOus wrong.
"rVythe BOwles. who gave damaging
testimony against me, was prejudiced.
We fell out about a matter two years ago.
and he has hated me ever since. Mr..
Sinclair made a statement about what
h heard Mr. Montague state i had said.
when he knew Mr.. Montague was joking.
| know why he did that. | had trouble
with his son when l was manager for +.
&. Saunders at Boscobel farm in 1889. !
gave his son orders to leave the place.
and that was why he tried TO do me all
the harm he could.
"There are many others who made nm
truthful statements. and IL "A stay can be
gotten from the Governor. many dark
points Will he Illuminated. AS God Is
my Judge. every word of this is the
truth"
SAYS HE Is READY.
Later in the day Nicholas consented
to discuss his condition, and for "a few
minutes seemed more composed. He said
that naturally. he dreaded death, as
would any one else In like situation.
hut he was not afraid 10 go. Said he:
Il have felt that my soul was safe for
the last twelve months. and / do not
fear 10 meet my God. When / ascend the
scaffold tomorrow ] shall experience the
happlest moments Of my life, as L shall
then stand face 10 face with eternity,
and will soon meet my Saviour"
He was asked what led him. having
been raised a Baptist. 10 embrace the
Catholic faith, and replied that he had
long had tendencies toward that religion
and become a Catholic through choice.
lie had studied and inquired carefully into
a number OF the leading faiths. and be-
lievlng the Catholic religion the best,
ne had finally adopted IL. He says he
viii ascend the scafsod like man, and
will not break down. He Is still unde-
cided as TO whether or not he will say
ANYTHING from the platform. and SAYS
he will not make up his mind until this
morning.
EVERY DETAIL ARRANGED.
The arrangements for the hanging are
all complete The rope has been tested.
and is sufficiently strong. The drop Will
be four feet, and the trap viii be sprung
from the inside OF the courthouse by
sheriff Solomon.
Nicholas is now being guarded by a
--.t.o, ,ybo a seated Immediately out