The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-26
A CHECKERED CAREER.
VATMAN SUTTON TALhs OF HIS
pICIssITUDES.
He Had Determined to Die Before He Was
Taken After His Flight TO the Far
West-Another Confessed the Crime.

The hap1iest man VINO mas NVu NNo
streets Of Richmond for many day was
seen here yesterday.
IL was Wayman sutton, the man who,
on FIVE separate and distinct occasions
has been sentenced ito be hsrged by the
neck until dead"
II was shortly after o'clock yesterday
morning when the happy nam walked
out Of the gates which closed behind him
four long years ago-to remain until
death released. him.
To him tho world seemed brighter Big
ger. flirer. The day Was balmy and clear.
The birds huttered IN the treeo and
sang their sweetest notes Ia honor OF the
freedom Of an innocent man. Yes an
Innocent man. as the reader viii be con-
ynced.
The fun story OF the killing OF Peter
Harvel IN Wythe county nine years ago.
was printed IN yesterdays Times as was
also an account Of the arrest. trial, and
conviction of Wayman sutton his sem
tence 70 hang. and how his friends. indig-
nant at h.5 conviction upon the testimony
o. the wlfe and daughter Of the murder
el man. went TO the jan less than forty
eight hours before tho date set for his
execution. and released him. u reads Ike
n romance-his escape. pursuit recapture.
and subsequent happenings. He was
sentenced 20 death twice IN o1o week.
MR.. SUTTON TALKS.
When 5Ir. Sutton hrcothed tho AFR of
free man Yesterday he WIS met by a
gentleman I'm this CITY. who has been
his friend ever since his arrest and who
has becn stoadfaet fn his baUof that
Sutton was an innocent man. That gem
tloman was Mr.. William j. King ot
John J. King e Sons. on west Broad
street who took him 20 his residence.
whore he was given n sIit ~ clothes
and complete outfit Of underwear With
n standing collar. plain black tie stray
haf Mr.. Sutton made n very nice m
noarorco. and but for n nallil complexion
ana an expression of trouble since his
incarceration. me- one wo.h ever have
thought that the man who walked down
Grace sfroc- yr7ferdlv morning between
/ lO and il O'Clock in company with n Times
reporter, haf at ono time been ono OF tho
mo9t fallSed-0f MON IN Virginia.
Mr. Sutton was mot by a ran-osor,,-
/ tive ~ Tho Times ius. as he emo er,-,
-lF. hlngH residence Togafhor yva vail,
ed down ~ The Times office whore NJ.
sutton gave 9ome very interesting, fa-+c
connected With his case which have rovo~
pe-l w print. Mr. Sutton said.
"eil. slept little asst nicht- -r,,e.,h,.
RS much as half an hour. v,os ,oo
4NI OF JOY 70 seep. 7 am n happv man
About the rescue from ian9 About
/ O'Clock ON the morning OF Novor,he- s~.h
lsoN ! was awakened by noise and En-
I n rcw moments ] was hustled ont az ial
/ j went 10 the western part of the oor,nf,.
/ ana spent q few days. but want 10 saw
tnat did not go 20 tho house or "a gentle
man who has hocn friond % mine as
supposed. ] then boarded a train for
+ Washington. while ont there stuck
/ - the name ar R. T. Howard which
assumed whom signed the railroad tick
/ et az Rural Retreat.
PROSPECTS or SUCCESS.
81 went 20 sprasg. Lincoln county.
/ washington, and found employment in the
store OF Mr. j. W. Lttieaeld. O. grocery
and dry goods establishment. having
/ charge Of the business. 1 made great
many friend in spngg, and think 1
/ conducted myself Boo such a manner
as TO -lc,ft the friendship and esteem Of
/ the best people in The town.
"Soon after locating I'm spagg. I en-
+ listed in the First National Guard OF
/ Washington. "a local military organiza-
/ tion. the captain OF the company being
+ Nr. Guy Lindsay. most estimabls gem
/ tleman. Strange 10 say the night fol-
/ lowing the day or nay arrest. ! was 10
/ have been elected ID sergeant of the COM
panv. for chat was tho regular business
/ meeting 0f the company.
OF believe that God has watched over
me and protected me- in ON these years
/ OF trial 10 which I have been subjected.
J After getting % Sprleg, knowing that !
was an innocent man. I resolved 20 die
rather than come hack 20 Virginia and
/ DIE tho death OF n felon. / accordingly
armed myself with a forty-four calbre
4 Smith and Wesson gun and was prepared
for any emergency. The day or my
arres, when went 10 dinner. I took
/ both uVtols ont OF my pocket and put
th,n in nv trunk. After dinner 7 went
/ back % the store and went on waiting on
| customers I had been there less thaa
| half an hour when tho sheriff came IN
orf said 20 no. Consider yourself rny
nr,soncr. Nr. Howard I felt FOR mT
guns. 'ri ev wtre gone. and immediate
r. walked around and gave myself up
Confessed TO THE KILLING.
.Teu YOU something about the murder
- Iaryel2 No l dld not do the shoot
i-r and Of ray own know
iadre DO not know who d.i.
+ pr- since have been IN prls-
on man nauied poud."ton has con-
e-eod 10 hts two sons that he did me
tn,ing. In fact the confession was in.''s
~, several occasions. ana since that tine
perho-ton has-beon drowned IN snane
-,y.r idaho. Il shall get the aiidaF.ts
- tho two sons ~ Pendleton ana seh'
a., o., Governor O'Terrall % prove con-
/ @f.sfvelv that am innocent
"vhere are only three persons lh 'he
,yor,1 who can say are against me.
,l .-,o ~ thcna are Harvers wife ani
d,rrbtor and a man in Wytheville. !
80 rothing against any person living.
81 shall go from here TO Wy'heville'
rhore I shah spend a day. and then
co N Purnl Retreat for n day. FROM
/ tpe~e 7 shall so 70 sweetwater' Tenn
,,bere nv wife and three children 10"
,,,.. have not decided What lsnail
A. IN fnture but shall first try 10 regain
49, heath. As soon as 7 am able
er.n taka n trip 20 Spraeg 20 see my
,-,eras in that place. and II possible
sbarl take nv family along with me- ana
trv ~ get work 7 have scores or
friends there: and have them In Wythe
county. but 7 Ike the people out there
and 7 think my wifss heallh W." DO
/ better I'm that country.
! Nrr sutton spoke very highly or the
,-,fforr, Kindness shown him wnile ne