Evening journal., 1896-12-31
WRIGHT IN READINESS.
Young Man Willing to Swing
Into Eternity.
COMMUNION IN HIS CELL TODAY

FOUR MINISTER'S RECEIVE THE
DOOMED MAN INTO THE
CHURCH AND ADMINISTER THE
SACRAMENTO SPIRIT OF DEEP
CoNTRITION. 4EAl.
AS there is no hope Of executive
clemency. Edward Wright, the young
and neat-looking colored murderer,
will be hanged I'm New Castle Jail
somewhere between 10 and 2 o'clock
tomorrow. Everything Is ready to-
day for the awful event, Captain Rid
ing having completed the construction
OF the scaffold this morning.
Even the doomed man himself is now
ready TO be put to death-not by the
sheriff. not by the courts nor the gov
ernOr but. as he acknowledges. by
/ the strong arm OF the law, which he
/ has grossly violated He seems to be
fully cognizant of his impending fate,
/ but, through the two spiritual advisers
OF his own race, he has come into pos
session OF a peaceful state of mind.
! The two ministers-Revs. Samuel Am
brose and G. A. Hal-will probably re-
main beside him until the end on the
scaffold.
OF the structure upon which Wright
must be put TO death, little can he said
ether than that II is practically the
same scaffod used by Sheriff Simmons
! In the execution of Shakespeare
Reeves in 1891. Some OF the old wood
has been removed, and the scaffold has
been materially strengthened The
platform rs 6xS feet and the trap is
about 2x4. 1t stands just north of the
whipping post.
plain, but neat, coffin has been or
cred from G. H. Clewell and arrange
ments have been made for burial in
the almshouse grounds No intimatiOn
has been received that any relatives
viii be here to care for the remains
and Wright urged that his mother in
Virginia be net apprised of his fate
but that Sheriff Finn himself take
care of the body.
There has been but little In Wright'l
case to merit any executive clemency
The atrCcOus murder In cold blood OF
an innocent and intelligent young col
ored woman so tempered public opin.
ion against the prisoner that II woult
have been difficult to have secured
. signers to any petition for reprieve
, other than those who have conscien
! tious scruples against capital punish
3 ment
!; On April i6. 1856. when Charles Rob
inson was hanged. a petition signed b.
, nearly all the principal business an
professional men OF Wilmington. wa
forwarded to Secretary of State Causey
with strong personal letters from Chic
Justice COmegys and Walter Bacor
the prisoners counsel, and Sheri
FrIf .aI I..I. 3 h..
n cution until nearly O'Clock, hopin
for a reprieve from Governor Stocklel
However. the following message came
+ Walter Bacon.
II Having considered all the circum
Pr stances in this case, the governor doe
Is not feel justified in interfering with Oh
u sentence. w. +. CAUSEY,
d, Secretary OF State"
u Rev. Samuel Ambrose. together wit
Rev j. II. Harman, of Wilmington
n Revs G. A. Hall and J. y. Smith. n
e A., Of New Castle, formed a party I
n visit Wright In his cell at 3 o'cloc
b this afternoon, TO hold services, form
n ally receive his name into the churcl
and administer the sacrament Of III
II Lords supper.
u Mr. Ambrose says he has no doul
* OF the mans absolute conversion. an
10 declares that he never saw such
change In man. From a demeant
OF stolid Indifference, Wright has d,
velop a spirit of deep contrition. Il
N claims TO have found pardon and pea
IN at 10 o'clock on Christmas morning
A. The kodak man was around tO-da
d. and before the Jail authorities WEI
IN aware they had taken snaps Of q
W scaffold, Jail yard and Wright's cell.