Omaha daily bee., 1897-07-15
NEGRO II ANCED ATDfADWOOD
Charles Brown Tays thePenalty for Murder.
ing Woman.
BIG CROWD WITNESSES 1Ht EXECUTION
Just Two Months to DuS from the
Time He KILLED Mrs. stone the
Law Claims His hfc-Story
of the CRIME.

DEADWOOD s y. July i4-tSpecial Tel.
esramD-A 1925 this morning Charles
Brown tcol.gadl. who two months ago killed
Mrs. Emma f. Stone in her sleeping apart
ments in the Syndicate restaurant at Dead
wood. paid the penalty Of his crime. Brown
spg Mt a restless night. the near approach OF
his death upon the gaiows having a decd-
edly debiltatng effect upon him. and al
though he attempted to keep up an air OF
b avado he visibly weakened at the last and
had to be assisted up the steps to the gal.
lows. The execution was complete success
so far as Browns taking on was concerned
but, although a drop OF six feet had been al
lowed him, his neck was not broken and
death resulted from strangulation in twenty
minutes shortly before his execution Brown
pro'essed the Catholic religion, and for a
week or more Rev. Father Burke OF the
Deadwood church had been his constant re-
l.gious adviser, and upon the scafold aided
Brown by his presence and words OF Consoa-
tion to keep from utterly collapsing.
Colonel Stone. husband OF the murdered
woman, occupied a prominent place upon the
Scafold, but except as a spectator did not
take part in the execution. although ii had
been rumored that he was to adjust the
nocse and spring the trap which would laun h
tht AhuIutIeT INTO eternity. SneTlU Matt
Plunkett. assisted by his deputies performe d
every act connected with the execution.
a good view Of the scaffold could be had
from the surrounding hills and every point
OF vantage was occupied. When Brown sh h1t
through the trap cheers and handclapping
could be heard by these surrounding the
swaying body, and many evinced an incina-
tion to supplement the applause from the
outside by similar demonstration.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
The murder for which Brown paid the
death penalty was committed in the early
hours of the morning of May IA. Brown was
arrested tried convicted and hanged in Just
two months from the date of the commits ION
OF his crime. The murder was particularly
atrocous, as Mrs. Stone had on many oc-
caslons befriended her murderer Mrs.
Stones body was discovered by young
woman, a waitress. who had occasion to 20
into her sleeping apartments, which ad-
Joined the dining room OF the restaurart /.
Mrs. Stone had been struck with a cleaver
between the nose and forehead, the wound
extending diagonally across the bridge OF the
nose to a point where il came in contact
with the left ear instantly killing her
Alongside OF the remains lay the body Of
small dog, which mad evidently been choked
20 death to prevent its giving an alarm. On
the top of the body OF Mrs Stone rested
tho tray of large trunk which had stood
in the room. The room had been thoroughly
ransacked and searched for valuables as
also had been the Office of the restaurant
Brown was at once SUSPECTED OF the crime
and parties Immediately went ln search of
him. He was found at his ranch near
Whitewood, six miles north of Deadwood.
and taken into custody. He denied any
connection with the crime. hut little conf
dence was placed in his statement He was
brought to Deadwood and placed in jail,
despite a determined attempt to lynch him
on the part Of the citizens. In a confession
made to a former employer Brown a few
days ago, admitted his guilt, but stated that
he had entered the room for the purpose
of robbery and not with any intention what
ever of killing Mrs Stone and had taken
the cleaver, the weapon which he had used
upon her. for the purpose of breaking open
the trunk which stood in the room and
which he knew to contain Mrs. Stones val
uables and money. His long services with
the Stones had made him thoroughly ia
miliar with the premises, so he had
little difficulty in gaining an entrance
to the restaurant. and then access to Mrs
Stones sleeping apartments was easy. While
| at work ransacking the room the little dos
| which had been sleeping in the bed witt
| Mrs. Stone became uneasy, and, fearing les
| it should awaken her, he went and stood by
| the bed and tried to coax it into quietness
| Failing in this, and Mrs. Stone moving uu
easily in her sleep, he raised the clever ant
struck her She never moved after bein.
| struck. He then killed the little dog an.
| having nothing further to fear in che way o
| interruption proceeded with the work o
| :Cbbery.
| Browns execution was the first legal eX
eCution in Lawrence county.