The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-12-18
! WILD PLUNGE FOR LIBERTY.
Condemned Man Tries to Escape
Just Before His Execution.
NEARLY KILLS A CLERGYMAN

Charles Brown, One of tho Murderers OF
Washington Hunter, at Riverside, N
j., Broke From the Death House and
Fought Murderously For His Life He
is Hanged nm Hour Later-The Crime.
Mount Holly, \. J.-Charles Brown,
one of the murdeca"s of Washington
Hunter, paid the penalty of his share
of the crime in the Jail yard. A short
time before he died he made desper-
ate attempt to escape. In doing so ne
wounded a constable, but not serious
ly. He succeeded only in getting into
the jail yard. where he was cowed
into surrender. He then acted cool!y
enough until he was being led to the
gallows. Then he tried desperately
to wrench his hands free from the rope
binding them, and, failing, gave up his
resistance.
The Rev. Mr.. Deisinger, a German
minister from Camden. who had been
laboring with Brown to bring him to
q better way of thinking, reached the
iail shortly before 8 o'clock. He was
conducted to Browns cell. He re-
mained with Brown for perhaps twcn-
ty minutes. Brown sat listening, but
with evident impatience. He finally
asked Mr.. Deisinger to leave the cell
for few minutes.
The minister turned to 90 out. AS
he did so Brown reached down to be-
IN hn
ripped from beneath it the length or
large lead pipe furnishing the bowl
with flushing water. It is thought he
had previously prepared the pipe so
that single wrench would allow him
to tear 1t loose.
The minister turned as he was leav-
ing, on hearing the noise made by the
prisoner. Brown sprang toward the
door and. pushing the minister aside,
was in the corridor. The death watch
had retired q few feet from the cell
door while the minister was speaking
with the prisoner, and this put them
at q disadvantage. Waving his length
of pipe Brown ran toward the end OF
the corridor.
The two deputy sheriffs got out Of
his way. Their shouts alarmed those
who were in the yard preparing the
scaffold. These men rushed toward
the entrance and were met by Brown.
Standing close to the doorway was an
axe which had been in use in erecting
the scaffold. Brown dropped his lead
pipe and grabbed the axe and ad-
vanced swinging it,
The deputy sheriffs drew their re-
volvers, and Brown was warned to
stop or be shot. AS the men advanced
he began to retreat and backed against
wall, intending to use the axe. The
deputy sheriffs rushed in, and as they
did so Deputy Sheriff Woodrdff's arm
was grazed by the blade of the axe
and cut. The wound is not dangerous.
Brown was led back to cell and Sc
cured.
He was hanged at 1910 o'clock. The
body was buried in the paupers' field
at New Lisbon.
Brown was executed for the murder
Of Washington Hunter, Of Riverside,
n. j., wealthy retired farmer. On
the night OF January % last Brown,
'ohn Young. Charles Miller and Otto
Keller forced an entrance into the aged
farmers home with the intention of
robbinc the place. Mr.. Hunter resist
ed and was brutally beaten with an
iron bolt. His skull was crushed and
he died four days later. Brown was
found in Sing Sing prison. where he
was serving n term for burglary.
Governor Odell pardoled him in order
that he might be brought here for trial
on the murder charge.