The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-09
DIR. CABELL'S MURDERER
EDWARD HAWyINS WILL BE HUNG
NEXT THURSDAY IN CHATHAM
A Brief Story of an Already weii-hnown
Crime The Prisoners had heputa-
tion--A Much Used Rope.

DANVIIIE. VA. Nov ESPECIAL
There have been many executions OIL mur
derers at Chatham, the county STU. ~.
Pittsylvania. The juries OF TINS SS SantSS
are always very apt TO in.ict tne u .hnra
penalty when the case Is proven, tneue
seeming 10 be an absence OF sentmentan-
ty on their part There VIII be an eAecu-
tion at Chatham rext THURSDAY W WIZ. T s.i-
ward Hankins, a white man my Nv
years OF age Will forfeit hts NE at tue Gnu
OF a rope for taking the life OF Or. yohn
X. Cabell. a prominent citizen Oh Jan
VILE.
The killing occurred at DR.. .Cabelrs
country. home, near Calland's on tne aotn
day Of August l. 81. The sensitlonssi ui n.,l
was reported in full at the time TOT Inc
Times, and details need not De repot'eu
here.
Briefly stated. the facts were these
Hankins was DIR. Cabells tenant ana had
been for fifteen years, the doctor having
befriended him when he was sorey In
need OF friends. For the past nVe years
he had been living on DR.. CabeiIs old
home place. nel- Callands and OF late had
become so dissipated and so neglected. OF
business that the doctor had declined 10
rent him the place for another year. Or.
Cabell left Danville August I'D, 10 look at
ter his three farms in the county and TO
notify Hankins that he must seek other
quarters He reached the Hankins place
on the evening OF the 18th, and Hankns
became enraged when notified positively
that he must leave. That he intended
trouble was evidenced by the fact that
when he learned that DIR. Cabell was COM
ing he sent his wife away from home that
there might be no witness to what might
occur.
USED AN AXE.
He struck Cabell with an axe, knocking
him from his horse and killing him in
stantly; then dragged the body in the
house. placed II on a bed. and left 1t
there. The next. morning Hankins was
arrested confined I'm the Jail at Chatham,
and at the September term Of the. court
he was indicted and tried for murder.
The Jury promptly rendered verdict
OF guilty. and on the 23d OF September
less than month from the killing, Han
kins was sentenced 20 be hanged on the
nth of November. Since then he has
been. closely confined in jail. and has re-
fused 10 see visitors. except ministers OF
the Gospel and two newspaper men.
CONDEMNED MAN TALKS.
The correspondent OF The Times had
short tax with the condemned man yes,
terday. He had but little to say. ana
seemed I'm a very ugly humor. lie would
walk up and down his cell Ike Gagged
lion, rail at his fate. and denounce ms
former friends and members OF his lam
lily who he said. had deserted him. He
said he had made n written statement TO
Rev. T. A. Hall. a Baptist minister OF
Chatham. which would be made public
I'm due time presumably after the ex-
ecution. When the reporter casually re-
ferred 10 the statement as n confession
Hankins showed irritation, and said: II
told YOU II was statement. / said moth
ing about confession"
II should be mentioned in this connec-
ton that Hankins was convicted entirely
on circumstan'ial evidence
A BAD RECORD.
Hankins has a very bad reputation as a
mountain tough. and has been I'm trouble
before. In 1872 he had fight at Callsnds
with James A. Jackson over so small a
- 81 10 out TaGk
son desperately. lnnicting wounds that
caused death. He escaped 10 West Viz
ginia and n was two years before ne
was captured and returned 10 Pittsylvania
for trial. He was then tried on an IN
dictment, which alleged that he cut jack
son ION the Ghost. the head. the tight low
er Jaw. left eye. right shoulder. LETT lung
and divers other places about the body,
from which he, the said Jackson, died,
etc.
No wonder he died. Under this indict-
ment Hankins was convicted OF murder IN
the second degree and sent 10 the peni-
Tertiary for ten years.
A FORMER TRIAL.
At this trial he was ably defended by
ex-Congressman George G. Cabell, OF TINS
city. who appeared for him without Zee
at the earnest solicitation Of his brother.
DR. John r. Cabell. for whose murder
Hankins is now TO be hanged.
After serving his term In me peniten-
tiary Hankins lived in Danville a year or
more and while here. had a difficulty with
a man named StultZ whom he cut with a
knife. Again he was defended by Col.
Cabell at the solicitation OF Dr. Cabel.
Hankins got a short term IN Jail for
wounding Stultz and after serving II he
went back 10 the county. Dr. Cabell
again befriended him by renting him "A
farm.
The arrangements for the execution of
Hankins which Is TO take place Thursday
morning have been completed.
TIE GALLONS AND ROPE.
The gallows is in the rear porch Of the
Jail and is surrounded by a close encloS-
IRE 10 insure that the execution shall be
private, according to law. Only such Off
GERS and witnesses as the law provides
for will be admitted.
The rope with which Hankins will be
hanged has quite an interesting history.
II is Of superior quality and is provided
with a most artistic knot. Sheriff over
hey first used IL In 1883. TO snap the neck
OF Sawney Younger, one OF the famous
Shepherd murderers and since then has
used it three times 20 launch PittYlvanla
criminals into eternity. lie has also loan
ed II from time 10 time 10 the shcriffs OF
Franklin. Henry. Culpeper. Halifax, Tap
pahannock. Prince Edward and Charlotte
counties. In the last named county a wo-
man was hanged with II and in Prince
Edward. Solomon Marable, the murderer
OF old Mrs. Pollard. OF Lunenburg county
was ierked out OF his boots.
Edward Hankins Is ffty-five years OF
age five feet nine inches tall and Is very
bald. His face is not a bad one. and no
| one by looking at him would take him for
| the bad citizen he is. Much OF his trou-
bic In life is iue 10 an uncomfortable fond
ness for mean whiskey.
Though he has frequently been visited
/ by the ministers Of Chatham he has made
no profession OF religion. He becomes
more and more nervous every day. and IL
| Is probable that ne will break down alto
gether before the rome gets around his