The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-06
THRILLING STORY
OF MONROE Lewis
Saved from the GalloWs for
the Fourth Time.
THE. NEGRO is RESPITED
Has Witnessed the Building Of
His Own ScaffoId.
WIFE REFUSED TO HELP HIM
Said He Would Have to Hang II Shs Wss
Depended on to Contribute to the
Cost OF th. Trial - Mr.. COL
ller's Pins nork-1he
Hlstury OF the
Crime,
Has Witnessed the Building Of
His Own ScafoId.
WIFE REFUSED TO HELP HIM

a pauper, under sentence Of Death for
the murder of man who was once his
friend; forsaken by his wife, who would
rather see her husband die than exert
herself to raise sum to defend him:
for two days within hearing of the car
penters as they built the scafold upo;a
which he was to meet his doom, and
for ten months within sight of the ghast-
ly pile; four times saved from the fate
prescribed by the jury, and once within
q day of paying the prescribed penalty
is the cycle OF life that Monroe Lewis. d
miserable negro in the Hampton Jail.
has lived for seventeen mouths. He owes;
his life TO Mr.. Fay S. Collier, one of the
best criminal lawyers in Tidewater Viz
ginia, who has devoted his profession and
financial resources to saving the negros
neck.
1t was due to his efforts that a respite
was granted Lewis on yesterday by Gov
eruor Montague. Had not His EEcellencN
given clemency to the man he would have
been hanged on Friday next
THE MANS CRIME
The crime of which Lewis is convicted
was murder. excited by the thought that
the man he had killed was intimate with
his wife, and that he had been gambling
unfair at an establishment run by Lewis.
At Hampton one night in August. 1890,
q negro named Pryor, entered the saloon
and gambling house OF which Lewis was
the proprietor, and after taking several
drinks at the bar walked over and took
q stand beside a crap table that was IN
full blast He was soon a participant lu
the game, ana with his winnings bought
drinks for himself and the crowd. His
luck t,1fned, and instead of a winner he
was fast dropping what money he had.
Disguised and drunk, he quit the game
and turned to the bar behind which was
Lewis. The men had borne. some enmity
owing to Lewis jealousy at Pryor.s att
tention to his wife. But this diG not
breed the anger that caused the deed for
Pryor became very abusive toward Lewis,
and finally, exasperated beyond human
control, Lewis allowed his brute nature
to get the better OF him, aud he whipped
out a pistol and shot Pryor. inhictina
wounds from which the negro later died.
TRIALS OF THE CASE
From a Magistrates Court the case
was sent to the County Court OF Eliza
beth City. Lewis was found guilty OF
murder in the first degree and sentenced
to hang. He was confined In the county,
Jail at Hampton.
Lewis feigned insanity, but this trick
was soon exposed He was forsakeu by
friends, and when his wife was ap-
preached by Mr.. Collier to assist In rals-
ing fund to defray the expense. of4au
appeal she fatty refused. as she said
she was penniless and Lewis would hans
if he depended on her Tor aid.
The day for his hanging was drawing
near, ard as Lewis sat in his cell he
heard the bang of the carpenters ham,
mer as he fashioned a trap from which,
he was TO be sprung into eternity. Mr..
Collier was appealed to by a newspaper
man OF Hampton to interest himself in
behalf of Lewis and he did so. knowing
that Lewis was a pauper and his efforts
would be charitable.
Several days before the date of thn
hanging Mr.. Collier asked for new
trial in the Circuit Court of Elizabeth
City. and his appeal was successful. a
stay Of proceedings was granted Lewis;
Ie was again brought to trial; again
found guilty and resentenced to hang
Mr. Collier took the case TO the Court
Of Appeals and after careful considera-
ion Judge Keith -cf,saT tn esrant tho
,ppeaf and Lewis. for the third time.
vas in the shadow Of death creeping
cross his future
As last resort Mr. Golfer laid tho
-ase before Governor Montague and asked
he Executive to grant respite. which
he did.