The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-06-26

Clark Lewis Hanged For An Atroeious
Murder.

Murder.
FAYETTEVILLE, w. VA, June 20
S~peciaL-The hanging Of Clark Lewis oc-
Cured according TO arrangements to-day.
IL was believed by some that the Cover
nor would issue a reprive TINS morning
but ii failed to come. and the murderer
is now in eternity.
lie met his fate calmly and bravery
with only a slight show Of nervousness.
lie claimed to be perfectly prepared for
his fate and was certainly nefVed up 10
the ordeal.
The procession left the Jail at 1lO
o'clock. There were two hacks, one con-
taining the victim and officers ana the
other was provided by the sheilt LOT lhe
newspape Representatives. Whtn lcaN-
ing the iail Lewis was given a cigar when
he lighted and smoked en- route TO the
scafOld.
The scanold was reached at 100. Lewis
walked from the hack 10 the s~caloid'
putting i'm the time talking 20 his guards.
When he arrived at the top OF the steps
he shook hands with friends and asked
the sheriff to hurry proceedings thdl ne
was ready.
Lewis was introduced to the spectators
bv the sheriff and he made "a hyc-mlnutes
s1eech i'm which he said that he WAS
guilty Of the crime and was beng justly
punished: that he was ready 10 meet MS
God. and was not scared. lie spoke very
fecliuelv Of the guards who had been
with him in iail and referred i'm a friendly
way TO his treatment while IN JAN. lie
said that he had no malice toward any
body. he was ready and requested that
what was to be done. be done quickly.
He then stepped back upon the trap,
placed his hands behind him, the moose,
straps and cap were adjusted, the trap
was sprung and IN twelve minutes ne was
pronounced dead.
About four thousand people witnessed
the execution. IL is the general under
standing that another hanging will oc-
cur in sixty days. The Governor VIII IN
all probability arrange that the Execution
of Wars and Brown will occur at the
same time.
Brown were TO have hanged. Wars ana
Brown were reprieved for sixty days.
The triple execution would have
ended a tale Of at least nine muir
ders and Of countless robberies,
by u band de%speradoes under the leader
ship Of a oma
Tho story reads like a wild west ROM
ance and Is as follows:
Charles Gibson. who was n hardwork-
ing coal miner. married NirSie Dent. a
girl who came from an obscure and poor
family living near Roanoke. Va. Ihcy
went TO Montgomery, W. Va, TWO years
ago from Columbus. Ohio. Gibson Sc
cured work in the mines at Montgomery
so long as there was work there. and
finally drifted about. working wherever
he could. but always providing. as well
as he could. for his wife and the little
babe that had come TO their cottage
home.
During the absence Of Gibson, when he
would be away at work, Virgie formed
the company of some bad people, u
would really seem that she preferred the
society of a bad class. for she summed
the company of the respectable miners
wiz IS VINO lived I'm the cottages mat clus-
tered about the Gibson home.
She became acquainted with WHEY anu
clark Lewis. two colored men, and al
lowed them to bring their dissOlute fe-
male companions to her home. where
they would carouse and drink. often
all night. Eventually Clark Lewis ana
Mrs. Gibson became infatuated with each
other, and from this unholy attachment
arose ali the trouble and crime that has
followed them. Gibson became aware
that his young wife was keeping bad com
pany. and forbade their coming there
lie became cognizant OF the relations
between the negro and his wife. and told
her plainly that he would Kill Lewis II
he ever came to the house again. CID
son believed that the tears his wlfe shei
AT the time OF that interview were tears
OF honest repentance. and when ne start
ed away to work again he kissed her
goodbye fondly.
The first plan was to take Gibson up
the road on a freight train. ostensiply
TO hunt for work. but the plan failed.
The next arrangen ent was 10 Kill him at
home. on the night OF April ~ 1870, Nlr,
gle and her husband retired at the usual
time, but the woman did not sleep. for
she was expecting every moment tina.
the men would come 70 get her husband
Five Of the gang came In through the
back door that Virgie. by an alleged
agreement. had left ajar. and. stealthily
creeping I'm to the bed where husband