Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-01
READ AND CLEMENTS HANGING.
Where the Execution Took Place
Disposition of the bodies.
TAPPAHANNOCK, VA.
August y, lsS5.

Where the Execution Took Place
Disposition of the Bodies.
TAPPAHANNOCK. VA,
August y, lES5.
TO the Editor OF the Dispatch:
have just finished reading a communl-
cation from n correspondent who signs
himself "G c. W." published I'm the sun
days Dispatch. August 18th. Being an Old
Richmond boy myself. and knowing All
the circumstance connected with the case
so m,nutely described by your able corr
respondent, I beg leave 10 call his atten-
ton u a few mistakes which he has
made. and he VIII see that ! am right.
lie says tina; Pad anl Clements were
mot pirates" lie - right. They were
not. and / will all that they ought never
70 have been hung. | Was a boy III the
time. Ny father was an iodine Whls,'
but when Willard Fillmore (wh0 was the
Wing President AZ the tlme) refused 10
grant those two unfortunate m'n pardon
on an application ~ five thousand citizens
OF Richmond. Il made such an impression
on my youthful I'-d that ! have mated
the name OF Fiirlor- ever since
Your able correspondent Is badly mis-
taken concerning the place Of execution.
He says the galllws were erected near tne
old powder magazine ia Adams valley"
Tell your informant be IS wrong; that
the place where the execution took pace
rs fully two miles from the old powder
magazine" The exact spot can be pointed
out by myself 70 HIN cor any one eisD to-
day. II he wishes 10 see II. Tney were
executed At pace between the on
Academy HIT ana tae hiii opposite 20 the
same. then called "Ilrce.ls slash" The
farm OF the late Pete. Y. Daniel Is situated
an lt. on 81"
opposite Ill., ana the MalGow-Bridge road
runs over the sane. IN old q rman
named "Neldt" HAD a soap fact - stu
afeI about Il quarter q q bile from the
place. "Acad.my Eiill' h now called
Barton Heights" or the western l0r-
ton" Is. The ga.lows WAS built Ike the
frame OF a tW0-stOry frame house. and
the doors divided in the middle On
hinges, and he'd IN position by
an Iron catch. The Judge VINO
struck on the -four hundred dollars"
was a "level-headed man." for, ninety
dollars was its full value. After they
wcre pronounced dead the bodies were
cut down, placed in collins and gNen in
charge OF their friends. They were car
r.ei - the cOlorei peoples burylns-
ground, near the old powder-masaz.ne
in Adams Valley" whore two graves had
been dug. about - yards from the north
east corner Of tie Jewish burylng-
ground. and directly In front OF the old
sections house. ana were buried.
Several OF their sympath.zing friends
stood guard over the graves until y
o'clock that night. The bodies were
taken up and carried 10 my fathers
house. on Second street. and placed in u
house IN our back yard. Before the cOf-
fins were opened their friends permits
sion was asked by young man Gas
coming from two ladies' ard relatives OK
the two unfortunate mem for view OF
the bodies. And what took place when
the collins were opened IS as fresh In M
mind today as IL II Was yesterday. Their
grief and sOrrowing ordinations almost
caused the pulsat4Ons OF my heart 10
stop. ] have faced death on many
battlefield since, and have seen hum
creds die by shot and shell, but nothing
coming under nay lolice since has given
me such a feeling. The following night
the remains were taken from my fathers
house and carried 70 strawberry ilH,
about four miles from Richmond, TO the
farm then owned by Thomas u. Carter,
end buried. The fortunes OF war brought
me once more To strawberry Hlll," and
tried TO find the graves OF Read ard
Clements but failed TO locate them, as
1t was dark night when l saw them
buried. Although was hardened SOL
der at that time. yet the scene Of that
nlght and two heart-broken mothers or
sisters came before my vision. and
could not help crying To save my life.
When hear the name OF that b!g-hearted
Irishman. Mark Dow1ey. l always think
OF Read and Clements.
GEORGE l.. MEE\I.EY