Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-21

Clerk Christian. I'm a clear voice read the
verdict as follows. 1--WE. the Jury find
The prisoner guilty. "a charged in the
Indictment and fix as his punishment
DEATH" the crowd broke forth with APP
plause. which the Court again silenccd.
Judge witt at this juncture left the
bench TO 20 ana consult calendar and
in hls absence Fife sat quietly rocking
himself back and forth in biz chair.
wearing q nonchalant air. and seeming
10 be- the least concerned person IN tho
courtroom. His mother however took
the verdict IN a different manner. She
was seated lust bcnind her son, and
when his doom was pronounced sho
broke forth IN loud lamentations She
had to be taken from the courtroom.
but was violently hystericai. and her
cries could be heard all over the city
Hall.
THE PRISONER TALKS.
Her sobs and cries had but little effect
upon her son. lie continued TO rock
himself apparently not noticing his
PARENTS distress until she was being
borne from the room when he turned his
head and glanced at her Dispatch
man engaged him In conversation while
his mothers cries yet reverbcratcd
through the building and asked him how
he felt
81 feel an right" he said there amt
nothing troubling my mind az all"
"Well. you realize the meaning OF the
verdict don't you?' was the next query
propounded
"Of course / do: but I can't die bat
once. and I had just as well die one time
az another" was the reply
"Do you stlll maintain your innocencer
quer.ed Oh reporter
yes. l DO" replied the negro. They
can hang me ~ they want 10, but they
will hang an innocent man."
Just at this point IN the conversation
the Judge reasc ndcd the bench anc
court was raped 10 order
SENTENCE PASSED.
Clerk Christian ordered the prisoner &c
stand up. and asked him II he mad any
thing TO say why sentence should not be
passed upon him. The negro never moved
q muscle. and after waiting "a moment OF
two Judge witt said.
"You have been tried and convicted or
a crime which is not only The most das-
tardly and brutal known 20 the law, bur
one which rs most dangerous 90 IT'S conse-
quences 10 the peace and order OF the
State. You have sought out "A dciencNlces
woman. alone IN her fathers home IN
the heart OF large city. and by force
and outrage enIeaVOrcd 70 make her
body the food FOR your devilish lust.
jury OF your Countrymen nave SAID tNat
for this you must die.
1t only remains for me To pass the
final Judgment of the law, which Is mat
you be rem0ndCd TO the iall OF The city
and therein kept In solitary confinement
until the 18th dnv OF August 1877 at
which time between the hours of 6 a.
NJ. and y O'Clock noon. you shall be taken
20 some spot within the i1il enclosure.
and there De- hanged by the neck until
you are dead. and may God have mercy
upon your soul"
JURY THANKED AND CHEERED.
The Judge then turned TO the lurymen
and said: Gentlemen. desire TO thank
you for the careful consideration yen
have given this case and for the just YER
dict you have rendered. The people OF
this city are gr atty excited over This
case. and your verdict. l am sure. Will
give general satisfaction. | am more than
glad that my friend. your Judge. sent
me such an intelligent jury"
Court was then adjourned. but ere the
Sergeant could conclude his formal "Oh.
aye etc.. and while Judge Wit san
sot on the bench. Mr. a. ~ smith. Jr,
spuug upon the steps leading t0 the
bench. and waving his hat in the air.
cried. "rhrce cheers for the Lynchburs
jury" The crowd responded 20 a man,
and the cheers were Justify given.
Fife was taken TO JAIN with a Gordon OF
police TO guard him. and the streets were
lined all the way down 90 the prison with
people who were eager 90 get look at
the nend who had sacrificed his life. He
was gotten into the jail and taken up
into the Sorgoants Office, Where under
the direction of Alr. Epps. DE- was search
od Every stitch of clothing was re-
moved and all pins and other articles
with which ho might harm himself were
L. al
70 dress again. and was Conducted tO one
of the cells on the lower tier, TO bee kept
there over nlsht until cell can bo pre-
pared for him upstairs.
The sentence nxes the time OF hanging
bctwe. the hours Of and - in th-
morning. and ar Epps informed the
Dispatch man that the execution would
take place about 10 a. NJ. The scaRoil
Will be erected on the site OF The one
occupied by that ON which H. j.. Cuvenls
explated his crime Already ono carpen-
ter has put I'm an application for the job
OF erecting IL.
1t is hardly probable that the sentence
OF the Hastings Court will be intorfered
with. as Colonel spotswood says 1t g.
very doubtful IT he viii take The case 70
the Supreme Court
HOW THE JURY STOOD
When the jury fctlf'd 10 lhclF i"oH'
ten were for hanging; but the remain
ing two-Messrs. Heard and williamson
were for confinement in the pcnitentiury
for eighteen years. They finally came
oyer to the majority and the verdict was
T. turned.
The Lynchburgcrs are loud in their
praise Of Judge witt. who. they say,
treated them with the greatest cousidera.
ton
The Judge IS equally as loud IN his
praise of the jury. This "a the first
death penalty ever inflicted IN his court
and hence the first time he was ever
called unon 10 pronounce the sentence OF
death
The other charge against Fife-that OF
attempting am assault upon Miss Rus
seu-will not be nOlie prosecuted, though
10 may never be tried. 1t viii simply Re
allowed 20 go over for the present