The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-21
NOTES By THE WAY.

Several times lately I have read state
ments like this: with record OF feio-
NOUS killings which Is startling. King
county has yet to witness its nrst legal
execution" Now, this sounds very well
but Ii Is not true. To be sure far too
many persons guilty OF murder have es-
capped paying the penalty for their
crimes through legal teehnicalittes. fall
ure OF jurors TO do their duty. reversals
By the supreme court and other causes.
but this does not alter the fact that the
legal execution of at least one murderer
has taken place in King county.
During the year 1871 while Judge J. r.
Lewis, the terror OF evil doors. was on
the bench in this district, a man named
Thompson was brought down from the
Newcastle coal mines charged with the
crime OF murder. II seems that Thomp-
son and another man had engaged In q
hght. in which Thompson had got the
worst OF 1t. He went to the cook house.
got knife and returned TO continue the
fight with his late antagonist A third
party stepped in TO stop the row and re-
ceiyed for his pains a death blow from
Thonpson's knife.
Court was in session at the time, and
the matter was at once laid before the
grand jury, and an Indictment returned
charging Thompson with murder in the
first degree. The prisoner secured able
counsel namely. our present Federal
Judge, the Hon. C. II. Hanford. and our
fellow townsman William R Andrews.
Within very few days after the indict-
ment was found, the case was set for
trial. The trial lasted some time. every
point being fought inch by inch. The
jury. after receiving the judges charge.
retired. but soon returned with a verdict
OF guilty as charged The case was APP
pealed. The following week the supreme
court met at Olympia, sustained the ac-
ton of the court below, and Thompson
was sentenced to be hanged. Long and
strong petitions were sent to Gov. Ferry
urging executive clemency, but the gov
ernor refused to interfere, and Thompson
paid the penalty of his crime on scat
fold which was erected in the old county
jail yard. about where tho little flower
garden in front OF police headquarters
II now located. The late L. v. Wyckoff
was sheriff and performed the duty Inn
posed upon him by the law.
Subscriptions TO the Angelina monu-
ment fund continue to come in. / would
like TO see every child in Seattle con-
tributor TO that fund. and 1t Is because
Adill lu5 SlHCTcn represented tnlt the
opportunity is being left open to them
could go out among the old settlers and
In one day raise enough money TO do the
entire work. but that would not accom-
plish the object sought. If the children
put up the money, IL will be their monu-
ment. they viii be personally interested
in Angeline's grave, and will see that it
is not neglected or forgotten.
-
One day early IN the spring of 1887, Mr..
l.. s. J. Hunt then owner of the Post-In-
telligencer, came into my room, followed
by stranger. and turning to me. said:
Il wish you would set this young man to
work, and departed. I asked the strang-
er to be seated. He was apparently about
30 years OF age, well proportioned, with
dark brown eyes and black hair He was
unshaven, his hair was long, and his garb
was that OF a sailor. He wore heavy
boots, much the worse for wear, blue
trousers. covered with patches, a WOODEN
shirt. no vest and an ili-fitting old black
coat. His trousers were stuffed into his
boot legs and his hat was full OF holes
In fact, he was a sorry looking specimen
OF humanity. and what to do with him I
did not know. / asked him a number Of
questions and found him very reticent.
But during the conversation I learned
that his name was W. r. Heneage. and
that he had recently arrived from Austria
liza on sailing vessel. He did not know
the names OF the streets, had never had
any newspaper experience in this country,
but had written a few articles for some
OF the London papers years before.
Finally, in order to see what he could
do, gave him a rowing commission along
the water 'front.' telling him TO go down
TO the wharves and II he saw anything
that interested him to write Il up and
hand In his copy. The first evening, after
being out all day, he came into my room
and said: We'll, Mr.. City Editor. / have
been all along the water front from
Smiths cove to the brewery at the head of
the bay and have not seen anything TO
interest me-" 'Ar right" replied. TRY
II again tomorrow" The next evening
he came In with the same result made
the same statement, and received the
same reply.
In the meantime Mr.. Hunt had fitted
him out with a full suit OF clothing and
he presented quite a respectable appear
ance. The following evening he came in
looking quite happy. "I have written
something, said he. that / trust will
please YOU 1t Is not exactly local news,
but IL is on a local subject" / looked
over the manuscript and found that he
had written some beautiful verses.
sent the author and his manuscript M TO
Mr.. F. ]. Grants room. and on Sunday.
March Is. 1887. Mr.. w. r. Heneage's poem
appeared in the Post-Intelligencer. IL Is
worthy OF repetition, and I will take tha
liberty of reprinting IL here
SEATTLE.
sscf1refy IA 81