Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-08-03
Cornelius Gardner, John Myers, Charles
James and Joseph Bryan Hanged.
THEY DIED UPON ONE SGAFF0LD
Execution Took Place in Bal
timore Friday Morning.
THREE RAvlSHERS AND ONE MURDERER

Cornelius Gardner, John Myers and
Charles James, paid their lives for
criminally assaulting Annie Bailey, a
13-years-old negress, while Joseph
Bryan, the fourth member of the
quartet, killed Mary Pack, negress,
with whom he lived.
fifth negro, Daniel Rodgers, con-
vioted Of killing his brother-in law,
Charles Lewis, was to have occupied
the same soaffold, but his sentence was
committed to life Imprisonment by
Gov. Lowndes, and he now occupies a
cell in the penitentiary.
As early as o'clock, crowds of NOR
bidly curious persons thronged the
streets leading to the jail, in the hope
of getting glimpse of the execution.
Sheriff Hoffman had been overrun
with applicants for passes, but to all
these he turned deaf ear. His
deputies, the Jail wardens and 20 wit
nesses, as the law requires, the spiritual
advisers Of the condemned and repre-
sentatives of the press were the only
persons allowed within the enclosure
Gardner, the only Catholic in the
quartet, was attended by Father Busche,
the others being accompanied to the
gsllows by the Rev. @. W. Coins, the
Rev. J.tW. Beckett and the Rev. r.
Parker. Shortly before o'clock,
Sheriff Hoffman arrived at the Jail, and
the final preparations for the execution
were begun. At 8. TO- the prayers and
songs of the prisoners were cut short
by notice from one of the deputies to
get ready for the march to the gallows.
The witnesses gathered in the corridor.
The men made their final preparations
in their cells, with the assistance of
the death watch and their spiritual
advisers. They seemed particular as
to their appearance. Then, accom-
panied by the clergymen, the solemn
procession began to the office Of Warden
Hall. The men walked with an at
tempt at bravery. Their downcast eyes
were raised occasionally, and met the
curious glances of the spectators. In
the warden's Office, the final statements
of the men were made, and their fare
wells said. Then, the deputies CARRIED
the men in black robes for their death.
Again the procession was formed, and
the march began out through the Jail
corridor to the back entrance. Upon
arrival at the scaffold, the men imme-
diately assembled it, and the deputies
performed the final offices OF binding
the limbs, and pulling down the masks
over the face. This done, deputies and
clergymen left the structure, Sheriff IS
Clerk Heine being the last to descend
the steps. When all was pronounced in
readiness, Sheriff Hoffman sprung the
trap, and like shot the four men
dropped to their death. The necks OF
James, Myers and Bryan were broken
by the fall, and they died almost in.
stantly, Gardeners cap became disar
ranged in the fall, and his contortec
,sa a. H.
tators. He was apparently conscious
about one minute, after which b,
slowly strangled. This accident, which
was entirely unavoidable, was the only
feature to mar the otherwise perfec
action. James body was the first to b,
lowered, at 1911 O'Clock. Gardner
body was suspended "A minutes, tn,
sheriff preferring to be satisfied tina
life was extinct in all cases before re
moving the bodies from the scaffold.
The remains OF the four men wer
turned over to undertakers, to b.
buried at the direction of the families
of the dead men.
THE NEGROES CRIMES.
Cornelius Gardner, Charles Jane
and John Myers were convicted @
criminally assaulting Annie Bailey
colored, ID years Of age, at her home
on Vine street. The crime was particu
larly revolving. 1t was committed O.
April 23d. The men were indicted O
May LIST, and found guilty on Jun
18th. On the following day, in passin
sentence, Judge Wright dwelt at lenpt
upon the nature of the charges agains
the men and said it would have Eeen
lasting disgrace to the court had tn
jury returned verdict other tina
guilty. He added that he was dis
posed to give the prisoners the benef
of all doubt, but in this case there wa
neither doubt nor extenuating circum
stances. To thoroughly satisfy himse
before passing sentence, he said he ha
employed detective to go over til
ground, independent Of the testimon
before the court, to. find, if possibl,
some extenuating circumstances, bt
the detective had failed to find on
circumstance tending to lessen Il
aggravated nature of the offence. tt
girl was in her room, on the secor
floor of her little home, alone at IL
time Of the assault. The men entert
one at time. The sister of the ri
discovered the crime, and reported
to the police. Gardner was four
hiding IN the house in small att
room. He was covered with dust, al
presented woe begone appearance
No trouble was experienced in locatiI
the other two men, and the trio we
soon under arrest. For time, it W
feared that the victims injuries won
cause death. She underwent convulsi,
after convulsion. After two weeks
suffering, during which the child W
unconscious most of the time, h
strength returned, and she was 81
ficiently recovered to appear again
her assailants.
Joseph Bryan was convicted of t
murder, on April 23d last. of his col
mon-law wife, Mary Pack, oolore
Bryan had lived about six years wi
the woman, who had deserted her HI
band To take up with him. They We
both OF a quarrelsome disposition, a
their fights were the talk of the neig
borhood of their home, No. 1913 Roet
avenue About week prior to /
murder, the woman upbraided Bry
for not giving her enough money
keep their establishment with. AT
the usual quarrel, Mary left the hou
and went to live with friend at
20o South Dallas street. Bryan did l
discover her whereabouts until the
of the murder, when he went TO [
Dallas street house and demanded Il
Mary return to him some of his clot
ing, which he claimed she had CARR
away with her. A quarrel follow,
Bryan claimed that the woman tire
ened to scald him, and luneed at b
with knife, with which she had bt
peeing potatoes. Bryan overcame b
took the knife away, and deliberat
cut her throat The woman's 15-yea
old daughter witnessed her mothe