The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-01-06
whleh the following is the essential

Which tne IoiiowinS is the essential
| Clause:
| Therefore it is considered by the court
shat VIM. Downing, alias VIM. Dodd. be
hanged by the neck until lie be dead
anu that execution of this judgment be
zone upon him, the said VIM. Downing,
allas VIM. Dodd, on the Fourth day of
december, 1896. between the hours of
| sunrise and sunset, of that day in the
jail yard of this city.
THE LAST MARCH.
AT sos the march to the scaffold he.
gan FIRST came two officers mme-
diately followed by Sergeant Lawler cs.
cprting Williams On the other side of
Wiiiiams was the Rev. A. Kenny. of the
Halliiee church. Next came Downing
escorted by Officer Childress. The ne
groes wore neat black suits and walk
cd with firm tread. though there WAS
not the least of bravado i'm the manner
OF either as they slowly approached the
foot of the scanold
Ihe double gallows was situated be-
tween the Jail and the jail hospitaI not
lar from where Madison Brown was
hanged. 1t was by 16 feet on the
platform l6 feet high. with n ten-foot
arop. The doors through which The
podies plunged were three feet square.
form. ~ S pia'-
number OF citizens were gathered
IN the yard about the scaffold to watch
the execution. Drs. Charters Newton
anu baker, The first two city Coroners.
me iatter the jail physician, were pres
eht TO decide when death had taken
place Standing within a few feet Of
me cailows was nd Benjamin Kirtle,
the stepfathcr of Williams. who remain
ed until the drop fell. his ancuishel
means exciting the earnest commisera-
ton of the spectators
ON THE SCAFFOLD.
As the procession moved up the scat
lolu steps there was no sign Of weak
neSS III elmer or the condemned men
Wlliiams seemed the most affected and
MS eyes glittered with unnatural bright
ness. but the tread of both men WINS
lirm and they We're apparently not as
much anected as some who stood by.
me men reached the top of the scaffoid
Mt STA o'clock.
They were seated, Downing OH the
nrst trap and Williams on the second.
Sergeant Lawler asked them In turn If
they mad anything to say. The answers
were inaudible, Dawning said: MIR.
Lawler, let me pray" and the oppor-
tunlty was given him. Williams an
swer was: II have nothing to say now.
AsK all my friends to pray for me"
THE DROP FALLS.
The black cap was adjusted at SIG
precisely. Sergeant Lawler adjusted the
moose around Williams neck. Consta-
BILE jackson. of Portsmouth. did the
same duty for Downing. The space be-
tween the final adjustment of VIII
Hams moose and the moment that Ser
sean' LAWYER sprung the trap was al
most iniinitesmai.
The drop fel! At Sis. The two bodies
Shot through the trap as quick as n
nash. Downing's body quivered from
mead to foot like an aspen leaf. VIII
iiams' writhed convulsively He died
harden ltn,
DEAD.
just eight minutes after the drop fell
IN. Baker the physician to the jaii. fell
the pulseless wrist of inanimate and mo-
tionless bodies. and pronounced both
men dead. This was .S:2G. twelve min
utes after the men reached the foot of
the scanold.
me bodies were cut down ut $50. Cora
ners Charters and Newton held an in
quest. the Coroners jury reaching n YER
met in few minutes of death by
hanging.
Sergeant Lawler displayed splendid
nerve ana the execution was one Of the
neatest ever performed In the State
There was not u hitch from start TO
finish "
DISPOSITION OF THE BODIES.
Or. Morris. of the Richmond College
arrived for the body of Downing. which
was taken 10 the morgue after being cut
down The body of Williams was taken
IN charge by his relatives for interment
III Pr.ncess Anne county
After the execution the blac, cans
were burned
The faces of the men were not d,s:ort.
Gu IN the least. Both Williams and
Downing. when the black caps were re-
moved looked as though they were
asleep.
WILLIAMS FUNERAL.
w l!Eairs' mother took the body of her
son TO Mt. Bethel Baptist church. four
niles from Kempsville. Princess Anne
county. where fifty members of the
church set up with It last night. The
funeral VIII take place a: O'Clock this
afternoon. and Rev. Charles Sparks will
ohic!ate. Jennie Williams. a cousin. liv-
ing in Berkeley, will pay the expenses Of
the funeral
-, ING srailo'd was pulled down before
10 o'clock in the morning.
r,L The rtrginian's Extra.
.Ihe Nirsinian's extra of yesterday
morning, covering he hanging in every
detail, together with exclusive featurns