Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-08
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
John Lomax Apparently In
different Regarding His Fate.
CONDEMNED TO DIE
WAS CONVICTED RECENTLY OF A
GRAVE CRIME.
Of Voters Under New
Constitution Begun-Police Court
Cases - General News.
Evening Star Bureau,
No. 701 King Street.

| Evening Star Bureau,
| No. 701 King Street.
| Bell Telephone No. IO6.
| ALEXANDRIA, Va, September g. 1902.
John Lomax colored, who will be hanged
tomorrow at Montross. Va, for attempted
criminal assault, appears to be fully resiga-
| ed to his fate. He manifests neither grie.
| nor fear at the early approach Of death.
! IL ne Is really able to understand his posi-
| tlon, and If life is at all dear to him, his
| stolclsm Is remarkable. But those who have
| closely observed the condemned youth since
| MS Imprisonment in the Alexandria city
| JAIL are convinced that his intelligence Is
| OF such a low order and his ignorance so
| dense that he has no adequate conception
OF the hereafter, and that his attitude to-
| ward his approaching execution is one of
| brute-like Indifference. Lomax will be con-
| Veyed to Westmoreland county this evan
| Ing. 1t Is expected that the trip will be
| made by steamer, leaving here about 5
O'Clock and reaching Nomni wharf tomo--
| row morning early. He will be in charge OF
the county sheriff and several deputies
| The hanging will take place at Montross.
! the county seat near which is the place
", mhe[e ne committed the crime for which he
| Is 10 forfeit his life-that of attempts ed
| criminal assault on Miss Susie Costen-
! bader, daughter Of Mr.. Robert Costen-
| bader.
When seen by a Star reporter in his cell
this morning the condemned man was shin
| ing MS shoes in preparation for his last
Journey on earth. He seemed to take real
| interest IN the arrangements, even to the
details, correcting a suggestion that his
| "Trip would be made tomorrow morning by
| saying that it would commence this after
| noon. He was not disposed to talk mucl
stating 10 Jailer Gambler that he had moth
ing more to give the newspapers How
| ever. he answered all questions in a
| straightforward manner. He was guilty,
| ne SAID, of the charge for which he was TO
| uie out as to the Justice of his punishment
| ne was not prepared to express an opinion
contenting himself with saying that he did
not know whether or not he ought to be
tr,,ts ne declared he was going to tell the
to confess his guilt upon the scaffold.
Ready for Death.
When questioned as to his attitude toward
| death he said he was ready. He had long
talks yesterday in his cell with Rev Alex
| ander Truatt and Rev. Mr.. Cummings. coll
| ored ministers Of this city. They read and
prayed with the prisoner and endeavored
| to fix his mind upon spiritual matters. with
apparent success. However, the instability
| OF the boys mind was never better shown
than In the conflicting statements which
| ne made with show Of candor and truth
| to both ministers. To the Rev. Cummings
| he said he was innocent, but not twenty
minutes later he acknowledged being guilty
| as charged when questioned by Mr.. Truatt.
He repeated this morning the statements
| as to his age which he first made His six
| teenth birthday. he said. was in last April
| He had never been to school, could neither
read nor write. and in fact. was altogether
| without the slightest bit of education Be
| fore he came to Alexandria he had never
seen a railroad locomotive. Since his inn
prisonment, he said not one of his rela-
| tives had taken any notice of him. He has
| q no hnr ay,6 hrn bar
had not come to see him nor had they sent
| him any message
New Registration Commenced.
The work of compiling the new registra-
ton books for the city of Alexandria in ac-
cordance with the suffrage provisions of
| the present state constitution was COM
| menced here al noon today, when the regis
trars for the first ward met at the regular
voting place on Prince street For fifteen
| business days the board will meet at noon
| and remain ready to enroll names until o
o'clock pm. The registration in the sec
| ond ward Will begin tomorrow, and In the
| third and fourth wards 1t will be COM
| menced Monday, the 22d instant. In each
| case the hours of opening and closing and
the period of continuance will be the same.
Local leaders of both parties are await
! Ing the result with interest. The colored
| vote here under the old constitution was
nearly one-third Of the entire vote and was
cast almost without exception on the repub-
| lican side. The enforcement of the new
| regulations, It is expected, will greatly re-
| duce the number Of those voters
| general lack of correct informa ton as
to the present requirements has been noted
| Section Is OF article 2 Of the new constitu-
| ton. relating to the elective franchise and
| qualifications for Office, is as follows:
Every male citizen of the United States,
| twenty-one years Of age. who has been a
resident of the state two years, of the coun-
ty, city or town one year. and of the pre-
cinct"in which he offers to vote thirty days
| next preceding the election in which he
oHers TO vote, has been registered and has
paid his state poll taxes, as hereinafter re-
CURED. shall be entitled to vote for mem
bers of the general assembly and all officers
elective by the people: but removal from
| one precinct to another in the same county,
city or town shall not deprive any person Of
his right to vote in the precinct from which
he has removed until the expiration Of thir-
ty days after his removal"
Relates to Registration.
Section 10. relating to registration in this
and the succeeding year, closes as follows:
cat such registration every male citizen of
the United States having the qualifications
of age and residence required in section IS
shall be entitled to register, if he be:
"First-A person who. prior to the adop-
ton of this constitution. served in time of
war in the army or navy Of the United
SidteS VI Tue COHleueTdte states or OF
state Of the United States or Of the con-
federate states: or.
"Second-A son Of any such person; or,
'"Third-A person who owns property upon
which for the year next preceding that in
which he offers to register, state ia xes az
gregating at least 81 have been paid or,
Fourth-A person able to read any Sec
ton Of this constitution submitted to him
by the officers Of registration. and to give
a reasonable explanation of the same: or
If unable to read such section, able to un-
derstand and give a reasonable exp,ana-
ton thereof when read to him by the off,
GERS"
Police Court Docket.
The usual Monday morning docket en-
gagged the attention Of Mayor Simpson in
the police court this morning.
Sam Murray. colored. and his wife had
trouble Saturday which landed Sam In a
cell Sunday. The evidence showed that he