The times., 1899-05-13
NEGRO EDWARD Smith
HANGED FOR, MURDER
ss2
His Life the Forfeit for slay-
ing Edmonia Jackson.
Sustained by an Air Of Bravado to
fhe Very Last.
A Crime of Peculiar AtrOcity Expi-
ated-An Execution Devoid of

Edward Smith, the negro murderer OF
Edmonia Jackson was hanged in the Dis
trict Jail at six minutes past noon yester-
day. The crime for which he was executed
was committed on the night of November
10. 1897. and is remembered as having been
surrounded by circumstances of peculiar
atrocity. The hanging was unattended by
disagreeable incidents of any kind. The
trap was sprung at 1906. one minute later
the body was lowered for examination by
the physicians. and at 1921 life was pro-
nounced extinct, whereupon the remains
were cut down and put into a coffin. The
neck was not broken, but Inconsistencies
! came with the drop and the body scarcely
twitched at the end Of the rope.
It was expected that the air of bravado
which Smith maintained during the week
preceding his execution would fail him at
the scaffold. but he fulfilled his promise to
die in a manner described by him as
game" Several times during the morn
ing he appeared to be on the verge OF
physical collapse, but he had his nervous
| ness well under control and smiled and
chatted with those who stood about his
cell door. While his life was yet twenty
minutes long the Jail physician and War
pacing to and fro in his cell. He refused
the lunch which it is customary to serve
condemned men in their last hour. but
when the physician suggested stimulants
Smith believed he could take what he
called big slug" with great comfort to
himself, and the whisky was accordingly
sent to his cell Having drunk 1t. he
seemed refreshed in spirit. and spent his
remaining minutes in light conversation
wit h ardc inn
to listen to the words of Fathers Matthews
and Sullivan. the two Catholic priests
whom he had permitted to act in the ca
pacity of spiritual advisers.
There was a slight delay in the reading
of the death warrant, and 1t was two min
utes past noon when Smith was summoned
from his cell by the warden. He responded
with unnecessary alacrity, but this was
the only act during the entire ordeal in
which the condemned man betrayed the
emotions which he henceforth held in per-
feet control. When the death march be-
gan Fathers Matthews and Sullivan took
places at either side OF Smith and the
priest to his left held before him large
crucifx upon which the condemned mans
gaze seemed riveted from the moment he
left the cell until he took his position on
the trap. Mounting the scaffold steps his
feet faitered, but the priests supported
Smith nervously pressed his lips to cru
cifx at the whispered invitation of Fa
ther Matthews, and this was his last vol
untary act on earth. He was not permitted
to make a speech, having previously dis
claimed any desire to do so,
While the body dangled from the end
of the rope 1t was noticed that small
crucifx hung suspended by-a green cord
from finger OF the left hand. but whether
(. .y1,, ~
merely an act OF piety performed by his
spiritual advisers the priests afterward re-
fused to say. After the body had been
cut down simple Catholic services were
held over the remains in one of the jail
rooms. During the morning Smith had
embraced the Catholic religion, and the
holy sacrament was administered to him
in his cell. The remains were turned over
to Undertaken Harvey and they will be
buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery today.
Smith spent the last night CT his life in
comparative quiet Instead OF retiring in
the usual manner he slept in a chair, but
was several times found pacing the floor
of his cell The thought of his approach
ing fate seemed to have no particular ter
ror for him. He discussed ii calmly and
in an impersonal way with those who were
attracted to his door in the night by his
restlessness. He awoke before daylight.
anu at UFSt refused Dut was
persuaded to partake lightly of the morn
ing meal set before him. Thenceforth un-
til the hour of his execution he spent his
time walking, sitting, and talking TO the
prison attendants.
In Smiths case an exception is noted to
the general rule that an air of bravado be-
trays the victim at the scaffold. The jail
officials were considerably relieved at the
absence OF any disagreeable scene it hav-
would break down. Warden Harris de-
serves credit for the orderly manner in
which this. as well as the execution Of
Strather and Winston a week ago, was ac-
complished.
The crime for which Smith was hanged
was committed on the night of November
15 1897, and in many ways was one of the
most remarkable in local police history
Smith had Just been released from prison.
whittier he had been sent for the COM
| mission of petty offence and on regain
ing his freedom he went at once to the
home Of Edmonia Jackson. a married COL
ored woman with whom he is alleged to
have maintained improper relations. James
Jackson. the murdered woman's husband
was also serving term in jail and 1t was
said that while both were in confinement
Smith boasted to jackson that when re-
leased he, Jackson, would find his wife
Of the crime Smith visited the Jackson
woman at her home. l24 Madison Alley. and
| upbraided her for having that day visited
| her husband in the jail. She declared that
she had not done this. and went to her
| room, where she was that night murdered
| by Smith with an ak while she slept
This was on Monday night, and although
| the Jackson woman was missed, no no
| tice of her absence was taken by the
| neighbors or the police until Friday, when
her body was found lying on the bed the
head almost severed from the shoulders.
During the days and nights intervening
between the murder and the discovery
Smith occupied and slept in the room with
his victim. 1t is also claimed that he at
| tempted TO efface the evidences of his
crime by burning the house In this he
| was unsuccessful.
Smith was three times tried and twice
convicted. Once the jury failed to agree
upon verdict. Three times he was in
vited to take the stand in his own defence.
but declined. with a show of indifference
| rarely seen in criminal court proceedings
| Smith was last convicted OF murder few
| days after Strather and Winston had
each been found guilty OF similar crimes
and his case. with theirs. was carried to
| the Supreme Court of the United States,
| but to no avail
WILL OF JACOB FRANZ.