The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-07
Vale PAYS THE PENALTY
Executed at the District Jail for
Killing Alexander Jackson.
Despite His Years the Doomed Man
Gives nm Astonishing Exhibition of
Courage-With Implicit Faith That
His Soul Is saved. He Dies With n
Hymn on His Lips - His Crime

Nelson Vale. colored. the murderer of
Alexander Jackson, also colored, at Reno,
near Tenleytown. on January Il of the
present year, expiated his crime on the
scaffold at the District Jail yesterday,
Without exception, the execution was the
most successful since James H. Harris has
been the warden of the Jail The death
warrant was read at 1903 and the drop
fell at I2:0S. There was absolutely no
hitch in the arrangements. and death
was painless and instantaneous. There
were only a few slight convulsive move
ments after the drop fell. The body hung
motionless when it reached the end OF the
rope. The Jail physician and his assist
ants agreed that the neck was not broken.
Death, they said. was due to shock.
Vale was the oldest man ever executed
in the District of Columbia The Jail rec
ord shows the man to have been seventy
years of age but that figure is inaccurate,
according to Warden Harris, who said Vale
recalled incidents which must have made
him at least seventy-fve years of age.
Vale, when questioned, said he could lot
tell his age. but believed he was between
seventy and eighty years OLD. Despite his
extreme age, he met death bravely. His
declaration that he would cause no trouble
and that he would be happy to meet his
God was not generally credited by any
except Warden Harris. the jail attaches,
and the spiritual advisers. The spec
tatcrs were apprehensive of scene and
expected that the extreme age of the
condemned man would tell when the march
to the scaffold began. On the contrary,
Vale was unmoved and disinterested to the
last and died with the words of hymn
on his lips. The hymn which Vale sang
was Il Have a Home in Glory" II was
his special request that he be allowed 10
sing it. and the Revs. John Roberts. ". ].
Howard, and Charles Williams were only
too glad to grant his last wish.
From the time Vale left his cell-No.
10, in the west corridor OF the south wing
of the jail-untn the drop fell he was the
most thoroughly composed and apparently
happy man whom Warden Harris has bad
to deal with. There was no necessity TO
support or urge him. and the twenty spec
tators. including the jurors, newspaper
reporters. and physicians. marveicd at the
compartment OF the old man. OF those
who marched to the scaffold. including
Warden Harris. Deputy Warden Russ, the
GUARDS, ana the ministers, NaIe mad the
most firm and measured tread and his voice
could be heard in his favorite hymn above
those of his spiritual advisers. Wales be-
lief that he was the central figure in a
happy event was profound, and his faith
that his soul would go to heaven when
life left his body was implicit.
After the body had been cut down at
1872, seven minutes after life had been
pronounced extinct. it was lowered into
nad 70
Sons. undertakers, to be prepared for
burial. Later Undertaken Charles Dab
ney, of Georgetown. will take charge OF
the remains and remove them to the for
mer home of Vale, at Reno. The funeral
will occur Sunday afternoon.