The evening times., 1899-07-04

Baltimore, July 4.-Cornelius Gardner,
John Myers, and Charles James, the col
ored men who are to be hanged in the
City Jail yard Friday. July %, for an as
sault on twelve year-old Annie Bailey,
colored. heard their death warrants read
to them by Sheriff E.. M. Hoffman yes
terday.
Sheriff Hoffman, who was in Atlantic
City, returned to Baltimore to perform this
unpleasant duty. At 8 O'Clock, accompan-
led by Chief Deputy Joseph H. Heme and
Deputies Robert Fields and Jacob Amendt,
he proceeded to the Jail, where Warden
Hall escorted him to the Office. Deputy
Warden Matthias and Keeper Macullar
then released the three condemned men
from their cells and marched them to the
warden's Office There they were placed
in row with their backs against a wall
while the sheriff took his position q few
feet in front OF them. 1t was not consid-
cred necessary to read each separate war
rant, and the sheriff merely mentioned the
name or each OF the men and conlented
himself and all others present by reading
only one CT the documents.
Myers, James, and Gardner looked and
acted almost like automatons. They en-
tered the Office with mechanical motions
and when lined against the wall stood like
figures carved from mahogany. But for
their heavy breathing and the huge beads
OF perspiratiCn which stood out on their
races and brawny, barred arms, they might
have been mistaken for statues. Not
word did they utter and as for any out
ward sign of emotion they were apparent
ly the least affected OF those in the crowded
room When it was all over they marched
back to the cells in the same mechanical
manner in which they had come out. They
ala not go back to the same cells. however
as from the time the warrants were read
until they are executed a special death
watch Will be kept over them
Charles James was placed in cell No 16
which was already occupied by Joseph
Bryan, colored, who is under sentence TO
be hanged July % for the murder of Mary
PacE while Cornelius Gardner and John
Myers were locked up together in cell No
20. Special Deputies James E. Newton and
James Watson, who were appointed as the
death watch over Bryan. will be assisted
in the guarding of the four condemned
men by Special Deputies z. F. Boblitz and
Joseph Eaches' -Four more special depu-
Ties VIII be appointed about two weeks be-
fore the execution. SO that there will be a
guard for each of the four men day and
night.
Shortly after the reading OF the warrant,
Rev. John c. Allen, Rev. A. Young. and
Rev. M. Beckett of the A NJ E. Church
called to see Myers, James, and Bryan.
Gardner claims to be a Catholic. and lie is
being visited by Father G. w. Brodie.
None OF the men had any statement to
make or expressed any desire TO see any
one except their spiritual advisers. Each
realizes fully that his fate is sealed and is
preparing himself to meet his end as
bravely as possible. From now on until
the time of their execution the men will
get their meals from Warden Halls pri-
vate table. In anticipation of requests for
chicken, Warden Hall yesterday invested
in whole coopful of the feathered cack-
| lers. Any reasonable request of the four
men will be granted.
Joseph Bryan, who heard his death war
rant several days ago. has somewhat re-
| gained his mental composure, but appar-
| emily at the expense of his physical condi-
tion. For several days past he was quite
sick, but yesterday he had improved much,
and his keepers think he will be able to
walk stoically TO the scaffoid notwith-
| standing that he almost collapsed when he
| was convicted and sentenced, and again
| later when he heard his death warrant
read. He spends most of his time in prayer
and reading his Bible.
Chief Deputy Sheriff Hene said that the
| four men would be hanged on the same
scaffold on which Peter Monahan was ex-
ecuted in the Jail yard Friday, August
| IS, 1897.
J. Henry Miller, the carpenter WHO
! built it. was instructed yesterday to ex-
| anime the structure, so that al necessary
alterations can be made in due time 1t
is possible that the top cross beam will be
g ran nyth hap NIL hX- hea
to prevent any accident by its breaking
| under the weight of the four men. The
floor of the scafTold is sufficiently long TO
allow the trap to be made several feet
longer, and two feet will be added to each
end. In this way the trap will be long
enough to have space of one foot be-
tween each of the four condemned men
as they stand upon the fatal platform.
The rope to be used is to be made by
Johnson Bros.
While the four men are praying AMI
trying to prepare to pay the penalty Of
their crimes upon the gallows, there is
still another colored man in jail under
sentence of death for murder. He is Dan
iel Rogers, and while he, toe, is praying
and making his peace with his God it is
done also with a hope that mercy and
clemency may be shown him, which many
who are thoroughly familiar with lis
character and the crime he committed also
hope may be extended to him. He mur-
dered his brother-in-law, Charles Lewis
who killed Rogers mother and then taunt-
ed him about it. Rogers crime was COM
mitted more than year ago, and he has
been under sentence of death for several
months.
Several appeals have been made to Gov
ernor Lowndes to commute Rogers sen-
tence to Imprisonment for life, and the
fact that the governor has since then set
the date for the execution of the four
other men, has raised the very strongest
hopes in Rogers that he will yet be grant
ed that mercy which Is due to man who
avenges the death of his mother.