Richmond planet., 1897-01-09
blood. The murderer had disappear
wHERE THEY CAUGHT HIM.

blood. The murderer had disappear
ed.
WHERE THKY CAUGHT HIM.
Williams was apprehended a lev
days later, however b) the then Chief
of-POlice King. He made several con
fesslOns, alleging self defence, but af
forwards denied them
When the case came up for trial il
the Corporation Court, Williams wal
found guilty of murder in the first de
gree Molten for a new trial was ov-
erruled. The case was carried up tC
the Court of Appeas on application
for writ of error, which was refused
COUNSEL FOUGHT FOR HIM.
The doomed mans indefatigable at
torneys, Messrs. Hugh Miller and p
j. Morris, then appealed to the Gov
ernor TO grant their clint respite OF
thirty days. Williams having been
sentenced to hang on December
3rd. The rsprieve was grantei, viii
liams being respited until January s.
1897. His Excellency was then pre-
seuted with a lengthy petition, asking
Tor Communication for the condemned
mans sentence TO life Imprisonment
The Governor refused to interfere with
the executi, OF sentence.
The ground upon which Williams
attorneys based their plea for a new
trial was that the jury had been taken
to the scene of the crime and had held
conversation with a number of parties,
the prisoner being absent.
fhe shooting of Emma Lane by Will.
lam Downing, alias Bill DOdd, ALA.
BLACK Dick" on the evening of Sat-
urday, May ,, 1895. was an apparently
motiveless murder rhe woman knew
Downing only by sight, having ordered
him on the place about a week before
the tragedy She lived in Aliens Lane
dsrk quarter of the city With heI
resided Caroline Portlock, a culoed wo
man, who did occasional washing foI
Downing.
DowNING's VISIT.
shortly after 8 o'clock on the night
OF the murder Downing went TO Emms
Lanes house and demanded & clear
handkerchief of Caroline. She had
none To give him and Downing became
abusive The Lane woman, who was
IN the adjoining room. hearing the
noise, started Co open the door sepa.
rating the two apartments. She had
hardly done so when Downing, quick
~ drawing his revolver, fired three
times in rapid succession One OF the
balls pierced the woman's body. The
other two lodged in the wall.
SANK TO THE FLooR
The Lane woman sank 10 the floor
exclaiming II am shot" ard her as
ssiIant coolly wiped his pistol, put il in
his pocket, and departed. The wO-
man was taken TO the hospital and
died two days later.
A short time afterwards Downing
came back TO the city voluntarily and
was arrested. sent on to the grand Jury
and tried Here again, as in the Will
iams case the jury was taken to the
scene of the murder and cOnverse6
with a number of parties out of the
hearing by the prisoner. He was con,
victed OF murder in the fist degree.
A PARALLEL CASE.
Thenceforward. his case was exactI,
parallel with that of Williams To the
minutest details. Mr. Julius T Saund
ers moved for a new trial, which wal
refused the case was tal en- up on az
p ication for writ OF error, the same
point being made as in the William
case. The Court of Appeals refused t
grant the petition. Downing was sen
fenced TO be hanged on December 81
and WAS respited until January 5ih
Governor OFerrall was presented will
a lengthy petition. asking that the con
Idemned mans sentence be commuteC
To life imprisonment and Mr. Saund
ers laid the case before the Governor a
length. but his EKcellencv refused I,
L IN h. Of ~ L.
BRcAMG VIOLENT.
From the day he was sentenced
| Downing has been internationally VIC
lent. He swore he would never die ol
the gallows. saying he would kill hi
guards if he could If not. he woul,
break away from them and die at
tempting to escape.
/ He became so unruly that finally h
had to be shackled and even then b
made so much noise that a stream @
water from hose had to he turned o
him before he would promise To be
have himself. On giving this promise
he was again permitted the privileg
of tn corridors, but about a week ag
he causelessly and brutaIly attacked
sailor prisoner. He was then shack le
again, hand and foot and remained i
this condition until the day of execu
ton.
NO PEAR MANIFESTED
Neither one of the two men exhibit
ed during their confinement the leas
trace of fear. Downing though out
wardly defiant. was probably the NOR
affected by the thought of his impenC
ing doom Williams throughout was
model prisoner and earned the goo
will of the jail officials.