The times., 1901-05-13

| l
23-HeGrets the Killing of Stafford
Tor Which He Claims Seif-Defence.
I am ready whenever they are" was
the reply made yesterday by Boyd Wal
lace colored, under sentence to be hanged
Ior murder in the District Jail on Mon
day, May p, next, when asked if he has
MADE any spiritual preparations to meet
ms fate, in the event that the order for
MS execution is carried out on that date.
Wallace was convicted of killing his half
brother, Robert Stafford, also colored. on
| August 10 last, and was sentenced by
Justice Clabaugh, presiding in Criminal
Court No. !, to be hanged on Friday
April u last After his conviction. the
prisoners counsel, Royal A. Hughes filed
a motion for new trial and arrest OF
judgment. When this was overruled he
took an appeal to the Court of Appeals
| for the District. The matter not having
been considered by that court an order
was passed respting Wallace and fix
| ing May Il as the date for his execution.
Argument on the appeal was heard in the
! Court Of Appeals last week, and ii is
doubtful if a decision will be announced
for some weeks. In this event it will be
| necessary again to postpone the date of
| execution.
]
ready at any time to meet his fate he
| does not claim to have become converted
| to Christianity since his incarceration In
! the District jail. He is member of the
| Baptist Church. he says and is visited
regularly by the Revs. William Howard
! and William Robinson, both of whom do
missionary work at the District jail
In speaking of the circumstances con-
nected with the commission of the crime
for which he was condemned Wallace
did so calmly and with great elaboration
NO one he said, regrets the death of his
half-brother more than he and there
would not have been any trouble between
them, he stated, had it not been for the
fact that Stafford was drinking He and
Stafford had always lived together on the
best of terms, he said, and so far as he
knew. there was no cause for ill-feeing
between them
According to the testimony given at |
Wallace's trial, he stabbed Stafford to |
death with a pruning knife about mid |
night on August 10 last, in the rear of the |
premises 607 n Street northwest Wal
lace admitted the killing and claimed |
that ii was done in self-defence. He tes-
titled in his own defence that his half
brother attacked him with an axe and
that it was only in defence of his own
weight of the evidence went to prove that
Wallace was Jealous of Staffords atten-
tions to a colored woman named Harriet
jackson, with whom the former had lived
for several years The jackson woman
was called as a witness by the Govern
ment. She had been TO a camp-meetine
with Stafford during the early part of the
night on which he was killed. When she
returned home, she stated, Wallace was
waiting for her, in fact met her on the
street, before she reached her home On
reaching the house, she said, Wallace
wished to speak to her, and as it was
very warm, she invited him to a shed in
the rear of the premises. She said that as
she and Wallace were passing through
the house on their way to the shed, Wal
lace called TO Stafford, and said:
4 want TO see you too" STAFF
ford, she said, went on into the house
and removed his coat and then joined her
and Wallace in the shed 1t was quite
dark in the shed, she stated, and as
soon as Stafford entered he and Wallace
began TO quarrel. She got frightened and
started to run away. About that time
Wallace and Stafford came to blows, but .
which was the aggressor she was unable
20 say. ,
Wallace when questioned yesterday con-
;ernihg the testimony of Harriet Jack 4
son, made no complaint of It. but said a |
woman named Hannah Reed. who gave I
evidence against him at his trial, swore I
alsely. This woman testified that be- 4
ore Stafford returned to the house on the I
light he was killed, Wallace was very
ingry, and said TO her, in her hear 4
nS, When Bob comes back I'll play I
ards on his dead body and when / get | I
through with him (meaning Stafford) the
coroner VIII have to take care of his !
'ody.' This testimony Wallace declared !
o be wholly false. He was not angered :
With his half-brother, he said, for he had !
10 occasion TO be- and ne cannot lima CINE
Thy Hannah Reed should testify as she | J
id al his trial.
While Wallace weighs 100 or perhaps 200
ounds Stafford was much larger and
tronger man. weighing probably 220 | 4
ounds. Notwithstanding this great diff
erence in size. Wallace said he got the |
etter Of Stafford In the fist fight between J
hem, and that the latter, when he saw ]
hat he was getting the worst of 1t, pick |
q up an axe and made a fierce attack | !
pom him. Wallace stated he tried TO
VOID stanford S attack with the axe, but | !
nding that he could not defended him | !
elf with a knife which he had in his !
ocket. After the, fight Wallace said ne !
1T the house. and went TO the home of !
is mother, who lived about two squares !
way. When he left the house where he 2
ad the fight he claimed that he was not :
ware that ne had inflicted a mortal :
Wallace appears to be in the best of 2
ealth. He is furnished with such COM :
'rts as his mother and other relatives 7
IN AFFORD. lie was dressed in neat blue | !
ripped suit Of flannel cloth and every 7
ling about his cell was in excellent or Y
sr. He had just dressed himself pre- 7
aratory TO taking part In the midday re- q
sIous service, when seen by The Times J.
porter. He said he always took part in !
ie service, and his countenance seemed !
brighten when speaking of it As the
porter was leaving, Wallace said: We'll !
the worst comes, III be ready to meet !