The age-herald., 1902-02-27
DOUBLE HANGING
 ENDS FAMOUS CASE
Dudley Johnson, White, and
 Ben Foster, Negro, Die
CHARGED WITH BURGLARY
Postmaster Who Fought the Men Un- til He Was Desperately Wounded
 Was Married on Sick Bed.
 Thanked by Government.

Asheville, N. C., February 2s.-Dudley Johnson, white, and Ben Foster colored, were hanged here today at 12:3O for burglary They were given church burial during the afternoon.
 Burglary at night in North Carolina Is a capital offense and today's execu- tions were the final chapter in a case attended by many exciting incidents, in which a flancee came to hospital and married the man the burglars were be- lieved to have wounded to the death of praise from Charles Emory Smith, at that time postmaster general.
 History of the Crime.
 The crime was committed in the com bined postoffice and store kept by Sam uel Alexander at Emma, a little hamlet, few miles out of Asheville, on the night of February 1, 1901. Four men planned the robbery at Asheville, walked down the railroad track to Emma, called Post master Alexander to the door under pre- text of buying groceries and forced him at'the point of pistol to take them to his room, where they searched and found his revolver. They then made him open
 
 Ben Foster, colored, were inside and Russell Gates, white, and Harry Mills, colored, guarded the outside Johnson laid his revolver down to take the money out of the safe, when a cat moved in the back part of the store, which at tracted the attention of Foster, who was holding his revolver at Alexanders s head Quick as flash Alexander grabbed Johnson's gun. shot Foster and snapped the weapon at Johnson, who grappled with him.
 Fierce Struggle Ensued.
 The struggle was long and fierce, Eos ter joining in. Johnson had an open knife in his hand which Alexander caught, cutting his hand. Foster shot Alexander as they struggled, and firing again, wounded his partner in the face. Neither shot was fatal, and the fight went on. The men were graudally growing weak, but Alexander fought the two men, forcing them to the door and out. Here the post master suecumbed to his wound and fell across the threshold of his store. The shooting by this time had aroused the citizens of the hamlet and on their ap- proach the burglars ran.
 A posse was quickly organized and the men were captured a few days later Two of the prisoners were badly wounded, put recovered. Excitement at the timo was intense and fearing lynching, the Governor ordered two companies of mili- tary on guard duty around the jail - aid them the sheriff swore in a large num- Der of citizens as deputies, the services of all being required for week when the prisoners were secretly removed to Char lotte for safe keeping.
 Married on Sick Bed,
 For
 at deaths door. His fiancee went to him and they were married. The people made up purse for him. The Postmaster Gen eral wrote him personal letter thanking him, and expressing the highest admira- tion for his bravery. The trial was held last June; the four men were convicted of burglary in the first degree and con- demned to die August 2. They appealed for a new trial on the ground that the store was not a dwelling, but the court ruled it was one under the act of 1898.
 Governor Aycock was beseiged with pe- titions for clemency from all parts of the United States, but for a time de- clined to interfere. One of these petitions was accompanied by a counter-petition from this county, asking the governor to let the law take it's course.
 Foster on the morning after his cap- ture, when 1t was thought he was dying made a confession in which he stated the burglary had been planned in Asheville by Gates and Johnson, who had asked Mills and him to accompany them on the expedition. The governor a short time ago commuted the sentence of Foster and Mills to Imprisonment for life.