Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-06-04
EXECUTION OF LEWIS.

sion---MrS. Reidel His Fourth VIC
tim--His Last Night---Scenes and
Incidents.
The last night Of James Lewis, the
negro who was hanged at Fairfax
Courthouse this morning for criminal
assault upon Mrs. Ida Reidel, was
spent about as the others since ne
had been under sentence Of death. He
seemed TO take his fate philosophically
and pretended ne had no fear Of death,
though when hanging, the mode BY
which he va; TO make his exit from
this world, was mentioned he would
assume an air of seriousness. a num-
Der OF persons from this city and neigh
borhood went to Fairfax yesterday and
representative of the GAZETTE spent
some time in the jail with the con.
demned man. He ate hearty dinner
and at supper disposed Of plate OF
Strawberries. Lewis expressed him
self as believing ne would be forgiven
for his crime5 and would 60 to heaven.
He made full confession, and stated
that the ofenGe for which he was to
bang was the fourth he bad committed
during the past ten years, The frat,
ne asaerted, was committed in 1887, q
seventeen-year-old colored girl named
Lucy Meade being MS victim. This &C
CURED in Glendower, Albemarle coun-
ty. A year later he was guilty Of a
similar offenge toward another colored
girl, Edmonia Gardner, eighteen
years Old This also occurred in
Albemarle county. His third crime
was committed in 1892 at cred
HILL" near Charlottesville. His vic
tim this time was white lady, TWEEN
ty-fve years Of age, whom he met in
secluded place in the night time. Lewis
was arrested for hia first ofense and
sent to the Charlottesville Jail. He
escaped punishment for hia second
crime, the girl never telling Of her ex
perieDce with him, az he did also the
consequences of his crime On the white
woman from the fact that she did not
know her assailant, though ahe had
passed and repassed him often Eince.
The lady never mentioned the matter
to any one, and Lewis took care not TO
divulge her name in his confession last
night. Lewis subsequently went under
the name OF James Williams. He said
he was but fifteen years ofage when he
vas tried for his first offense, and got OF
with Jail sentence on account Of hiE
youth. When he left Alexandria on
the night OF the 18th of April he had
fully determined to commit the act for
which he was to hang. He said be
denied his guilt at the trial in respect
TO his wife and not in order to escape
punishment; also that he desired a trial
IN order to test the abilities OF his law
yers and to hear them argue his case
When asked if at any time after his ar
rest he feared lynching, ne replied nc;
that he never had any apprehension OF
such thing. Lewis, however, seemed
nervous every time hanging was mcu-
toned, but ut other times he ap
pcared to be composed, especial,
" so long az he kept talking
He said he had made his confession for
the reason that he had repented of his
deeds and had but short time to live.
Later on he volunteered to sign the fol
lowing
l am guilty, and know am paying the
penalty for which deserve and b,ieye am
forgiven. JAMES LEWIS.
Lewis had been an incessant cigarette
smoker of late. He spoke in the high
est terms Of his treatment since he had
been in Jail. He said he was perfectly
If frin nd hot ha
never expected any other verdict.
The prisoner arose at four o'clock
this morning. He drank cup of coffee
and ate two cakes. Later Rev. Bren-
ner, colored minister, called and was
closcled with the doomed man, singing
and praying with him until 4:35. Ten
minutes later Sheriff Gordon and Mr..
Jacobs, his deputy, entered and the
death warrant was read to Lewis, after
which he was escorted to the scafold.
At 4:55 he assembled the gibbet singing
a hymn. He was accompanied by the
sheriff, his two deputies and Revs.
Mr.. Milligan, white, and Bremen,
colored. His hands were tied behind
him and his feet pinioned. The con-
demned man walked with firm step
and manifested no sign of weakening.
The colored minister read psalm and
offered up 8 prayer, after which he
made short address. Lewis when
asked if he had anything to say before
he died, replied in sort of ceremoni.
Gus way to the effect that he was sorry
for his crime, but he subsequently spoke
in testing manner of his exploits, say.
ing the pitcher had gone to the we'll
once too often-referred to his capture
and the consequences attending his
fourth crime. He closed by warning |
all present not to presume too much,
but to take heed not to be caught.
At 5:03l the trap was sprung and
Lewis was launched into eternity. His |
death was not instantaneous, he dying |
of strangulatiop. AT 5:24 ne was pro.
nounced dead by Drs. Quick, Coombs,
Russell, Leigh and Moncure, who were
in attendance. Six minutes later the
body was cut down and placed in a
coffin. Later an autopsy WAS held.
The brain weighed 40 ounces, one
ounce above the normal. The body
was not claimed by relatives and was
placed in a pauper's grave, after brief
funeral service, conducted by Rev.
Bremen, the colored minister. About
fifty people were present at the execu-
ton.
THE CRIME.
The crime for which Lewis was exc
cuted is still fresh in the minds of the
public. On the night OF the 18th of