The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-01-06

VI
Charles Williams. the murderer of
George Bess, and William Downing. the
murderer of Emma Lane. were hanged
In the city jail yard at Sis O'Clock YES
terday morning
Could the sleeping city in its dreams
nave entered the gloomy office of the
city jail as the clock tollcd off th> hour
or II Monday night there would be many
an eye wet ana heart strongly touched
that morning; there would he many a
brain from which the weird vision would
never vanish
The privileged few who witnessed the
scene Will never forget it: will carry to
their graves with them n picture so
absolutely and hopelessly mournful. so
meXpressibly Impressive. that the facile
pencil OF Hogarth could not have
drawn 1t. and the inspired genius of
nore would have faltered and failed.
WEIRD SCENE.
In the north end of the Jail. in the first
TWO cells of the lower tier at the en-
trance of the corridor, were two men
counting the seconds between their
souls and eternity. In No. crouched
charles Williams. subducd hopeless,
perfectly resigned. In No. lay VIII
liam Downing, the iron schackles still
upon his limbs; no longer defiant. no
longer profane. but penitent impatient.
without hope. In that same cell once
$500 iiul uerer croucneu as hope
less as William Downing. 1t was Madi-
son Brown, who when he left it.
walked to his death. In that same coll
iangushed Dr. Wright. When he left
IL. despite noble woman's brave act.
despite the freedom almost within his
reach. he. too walked to his death.
Would II be strange had William Down
ing felt In the darkness about him the
presence Of these two who had long
ago tired the terrible path he was so
soon to walk?
In front of these doomed men sat
thirteen negroes. singing with wild,
weird cadence. the beautiful hymn, Are
You Coming Home Tonight" Some
sang with their heads bowed upon their
Knees. Others swayed their bodies in
perfect unison with the melody. Some
were weeping. Every hardened face
breeding of death hung Xix" pail over
them all. On either side stood several
white prisoners, awed, fascinated sub
dued In his office sat Sergeant ]. f.
Lawler, whose hand was so soon to cy-
ecute the terrible sentence of law. Near
him stood big-hearted jailor Friedman.
tears in his eyes. and his voice choked
with sobS. Sitting about the office were
the deputy SerSeants. all save one and
couple of newspaper men with ever
present pencils transferring notes TO
ever present pads
CONSULTATIONS OF RELIGION.
For five long. horribly long. hours
these thirteen negroes had been sing
ing with but slight Interruption For
I'VE hours they had wrought themselves
INTO state bordering on a wild frenzy
They had gathered there early in tho
evening al the request OF both of the
doomed men. BY the dim light that
crept through the bars of the cell VIII
iiams selected each hymn in succession.
safe IN the Arms OF Jesus Nearer.
My God. to Thee" and hundred
others echoed with wonderfully sad ef-
feet to the whitewashed walls and died
upon the air.
few minutes after O'Clock in the
evening the Rev. Charles Sparks. an
eloquent colorcd preacher from Princess
Anne county and the spiritual adviser of
Williams. joined the throng and PRAYED
earnestly for the souls of the condemned
men. He Was Joined presently by l.. X
Simmons and Evangelist Webb. Reru-
lar services we're held for an hour ana
a half Mr.. simmons led the singing.
The evangelist preached short ser
mon. II was simple. devoid OF any ves-
tige Of rhetoric, yet it was perhaps the
most effective sermon he ever preached
in his useful life.
He eNhorted those about him TO heed
the dreadful warning and lead better
lives: he dwelt upon the beautiful here
after that awaits those who die in God:
he closed with saying that death was
but step; the righteous need not fear
TO take it. Some day he said he ey-
pected to see his father in heaven. and
he was hoping that then he would soc
there gloriiied in Christ even Charles
Williams and William Downing. con-
Victed murderer as they We're
NEARER MY GOD TO THEE"
Then these devout men left and the
singing was resumed, only TO be stop
ped when the gong toned out the half
hour after midnight. The strains Of
Nearer, My God. to Thee" ceased with
n silent signal from Williams. The
members Of this voluntary choir with
a curious light in their eyes that never
rested there before. went noiselessly TO
their respective cells, but not to sleep.
There was hardly an eye closed within
the four grim walls of that frowning
prison Monday night. There was not a
man there who did not do more thinking
in those twelve seemingly endless hours
Than In any other night of his life.
Vhere were few who did not emerge