The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-29
IA WEEK FROM TO-DAY
Downing and Williams Doomed 10 Die
on Tuesday, the Fifth.
GOVERNOR o'FERRALl'S DEClsIoN
he VIII Not Interfere TO save Their
Nccks From the Inst Penalty Of
the Lnw-Ihe "BiII Dodd' In
Irons for Another Attempt tn
Commits Murder.
Executive once,
Richmond. Va. Dec. 20, 1896.
MIR John +. LAWYER. Sheriff Norfolk

The petition for communication OF the
death sentence of William Downing to
life Imprisonment has been carefully
considered.
/ can find no ground to justify Glenn
ency. The prisoners act was. in my
opinion. y wilful. deliberate and pre-
meditated attempt TO kill his enemy, re-
sulting in the killing of an unoffendinG
woman. Under the law the penalty is
the same as If the prisoner had executed
his purpose.
In the case of Charles Williams no
facts have been presented to me-only
n petition. which amounts to nothing
in itself.
l will not interfere with either SEN
tence.
CHARLES r. O'FERRALL.
Governor
The above telegram. received by
City Sergeant ]. l.. Lawler Sunday. puts
an end to the doubts and fears of the
two prisoners under sentence of death
in the city Jail. No further intervention
can avail II the Governor adheres to
the closing sentence of his dispatch.
An effort will be made. however, to-day
or tomorrow by Mr.. Hugh G. Miller,
attorney for Williams, who will present
an abstract of the evidence I'm his case
in hopes to secure executive clemency.
The abstract presented by Mr.. julius
L. saunders. council for Downing. on
which the Governor based his refusal
sentence. is as follows:
The prisoner and one Albert Patter-
son were living in different rooms In Il
house owned or leased by one Emma
Lane Patterson was living with Emma
Lane, while the prisoner was living
with Carrie Price. About II month
previous to the homicide. which was in
June last, the prisoner and Patterson
had difficulty, but no blows were
struck. The prisoner, according to the
testimony of Patterson, was ordered by
Emma Lane to leave the house and
warned not to return. According to the
testimony of the prisoner she advised
him to leave to avoid Patterson The
prisoner left the house, and as he left
according TO his statement. Patterson
threatened to kill him If he returned to
the house. Subsequently they met at
some other point and hot words passed
between them. Patterson was regarded
by the prisoner and another witness as
dangerous man.
On the night of the killing the pris-
oner went to the house and into the
room OF Carrie Price the woman with
wnom he had previously lived. and
asked her for some clothes he had left
TO be washed. Soon he overheard Pat
terSon. VINO was in the adjoining and
communicating room. say something
about the damned fellow being here
again" Directly the door between tho
\
prisoner fired. and Emma Lane, who
had opened the door. fell with a mortal
| wound ''''
| With this before him the Governor
gives the following reasons for his acc
ton:
/. The prisoner had malice towards
| Patterson
! ;. He armed himself with pistol and
Went To the house where he knew Pal
| terSon would be. in spite OF the lattcr'.;
| threat and the warning of the Irsscc M
Inc house. He had every reason To be-
iltVe mat he would come in contact
WIN Patterson His excuse for going
ia get some clothes. was a mere prctrvt
lie had made no effort to obtain Them
blrectlN after entering the house. hn
heard enough 10 satisfy him that his
/ presence was not agreeable To his
Vttts'nH' sun II" deiiantly remained
heii III" door between the rooms ya4
opened, without waiting for AN at;,,(,
!re", as ne thought, al Patterson Inn
instead the ball struck Emma lane
an uhphrnding woman. He said he 70.
satueG PATTERSON as dangerous char
d'tc'' ana ms COurS. In going 10 tho
house showed he was himself a n.s.
peEate MAI. II indicates II" was rcndy
ana eager To cope with his enemy !,
looks as though he was seeking pait,r
son Tor difficulty. and with The iuten.
llon OF killing him on tho slightest
the act Of the prisoner: no blow ,yn.
struck. no Selling of the person. M
hostlle demonstration; nothing but tht
words heard III the adjoining room
as Inc opening of the door sufficient
lnduccment TO shoot? If he had hoe,
some weak man and unarmed he migh,
nave had such fear But the prisn..,
was strong, robust man and armed
with a pistol. He was "A recklSssl,
couraSeouS man. as he had shown by
going 10 the house. and could mo-
nave been panic struck or deprived ~
his reason
In the case of Williams. who killa,
teofSe sess with n bar of iron on boar,
vessel in June last. the Governor ha,
ittle TO say. No facts were presrntnr
with the petition. and under those cir
cumstances. he could do nothing.
Mr.. julius T. Saunders in Comment
ing on the attempt to save Downinsr
HE. and Governor O'Farrelrs action
. said: Il have no criticism to pass upo,
Judge Hanckel ! think he has bee,
eminently fair and just. but ne and IN
: Governor do not stand in the same posi
ton TO the prisoner. What Judge Han
; excl could not have done the Governo
could. y new trial granted by the iudp
meant possible escape from all nun
ishment, which would not have hoe
, Just. ] think the Governor. howeve,
does not View the case correctly. as h
attributes malice to Downing Whe
really Patterson showed the malice an
Downing mere bravado In again 90
ing where he was forbidden by PattcI
son to go sentence for eighteen year