Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-26
John W. Burley Executed at
District Jail.
WAS QUICKLY OVER
WITHIN Is SECONDS AFTER MAN
REACHED SCAFFoLD.
First Instance of Capital Punishment
for Rape in the District of
Columbia.

John Wesley Burley. colored, was hanged
at the District Jail this afternoon. The
sentence of the law was carried into effect
from the permanent scaffold. at the north
east corner of the jail structure. in the
corridor between the inner and outer walls.
The execution was exceptional for the rea-
son that Burley WAS the first man legally
put to death for the crime of rape in the
District of Columbia. 1t was also the
quickest hanging on record al the local
Jail Just fifteen seconds after the con-
demned man stepped on the scaffold pat
form the drop sprung.
More than thirty-tive minutes thereafter
heart beats were detected by the physicians
present. although they We're unanimously
of the opinion that the man was practically
dead Immediately after the trap door gave
way beneath him. One of the physicians
remarked that Burey had the heart of an
OK. Merely as a matter of abundant pre-
caution the body was kept suspended much
longer than is ordinarily the case.
The remains were removed from the
Jail this afternoon by Undertaken Niillttin
y Riley and Were buried in accordance
with arrangements that had been MADE
by Rev Father Maguire of the Cathohc
Church.
Burley was put to death. notwithst ana
ing the opinion of the Jail physician that
he was of unsound mind and utterly ire
sponsble for the crime of which he was
convicted and notwithstanding the views
OF two alienists that he was certainly de-
mented.
His Last Hours.
Absolutely friendless and with no known
relatives Burley spent his last evening
and final morning on earth alone with
Father Mcguire After the faithful priest
left him last evening the condemned man
retired. and although he slept most of the
night. was restless at times. Father Ma
guire rejoned him at Z o'clock this morn
ing and remained until all was over.
For a man of his mental CALDER, accord
Ing to the priest, Burley prepared for death
with notable earnestness. He requested
that his few trihing belongings be given to
persons he named. and also made ram
bling statement to his spiritual adviser,
but II was 30 unntelligtble that Father
Mcguire decided not to make it public.
Burley told the priest something new this
morning. 1t was that when he was small
child his mother allowed him to fall from
her lap, and he sustained an injury back of
the right ear. For that reason. the pris-
Oner said. he had not been able to keep up
at school. He insisted that he was one
OF forty-seven or forly-eight children of
the same parents. Although the Attorney
General was Informed that Burley was
forty years of age. Father Mcguire has re-
liable Information that his correct age was
ffty-four years.
bui IVY wits moved from the cell lie mad
occupied for many months in the south
wing of the Jail to the cell in the north
wing directly alongside the scanold at
1910 O'Clock this morning. He had par
taken of specially prepared breakfast and
thereafter was in close conference with the
priest
The Death Warrant
few minutes after ~ o'clock Warden
Harris entered the cell and read the death
warrant. Burnley was then directed to step
through the window, which he did. The
movement placed him on the scafod AS
the black cap was being adjusted Burley.
following the instructions of the priest.
murmured:
God have mercy on my soul"
Only the first word of the PRAYER how
ever, was audible to the small group Of
spectators at the foot of the scaffold
Deputy Warden Urner adjusted the moose
The hanging today was the first execution
since his appointment TO the Office, and it
was his initial experience in the duty indi-
Gated. The others on the scaffod were
guards
Burley was on the verge of colapsng
when the drop was sprung at 12O7h
O'Clock. AS his legs were being strapped
together his knees gave way and he could
not have stood up under the ordeal five
seconds longer AS stated, fifteen seconds
after he stepped through the cell window.
all was over.
north wing which commanded a view of the
scafrold or approaches to it We're moved to
other cells this morning. In fact. the car
rying out of the sentence of the law was
done so quietly that anywhere than in the
immediate vicinity of the scaffold there was
nothing to indicate that anything unusual
was on the tapis.
Story of the Crime.
The victim of the assault for which Bur-
ley was arrested, tried convicted, SEN
terced and hanged was Adeline Turner,
colored girl, who had attained the age of
four years in April, 1903 She resided with
her mother, Ella Turner. at 600 Wards
alley, which leads to Madison street from
9TH street between NJ and y streets
Mrs Turner testified that she was at
nome the evening of July IL 1905: and OBJ
served Adeine playing about the premises
at clock. An hour or more later the
mother missed the child. Soon thereafter
the child was taken home
Il asked Adeline where she had bean
Mrs Turner testified and she repIied thar
man had taken her away. Some one then
told the police and a patrol wagon drove
up and took Adeline to the HOMEOPATHIC
Hospital. where she remained for more
than a week"
MIS- Turner was not acquainted with
Bnrlev Several neighbors. however, no
ticed him standing under a gas lamD abou,
forty feet from the Turner home the even
Bennett.s who had stable in rear of I2,r,
ith street. about o'clock the evening OF
Inc 18th OF July observed Burley irving to
pun the Turner child along by the hand
near the stable
The Arrest Follows.
Acting on description furnished by AIDE
ine Turner. Policemen Walsh and Green
arrested Burley about l o clock the morn
ing or July 10. 1903 in Locrarrs stable In
frather alley. At the time he was asleep
on pile of hay Burley declared he had
not been away from the stable since q
O'Clock pm. When the policemen directed
him 10 accompany them to the station the
prisoner remarked:
heneNer anything is done you always
come after Burley. One of these DAYS Eur
ley Is going to kill policeman"
The prisoner denied that he was puiI,v
OF the crime. 1t is believed the principal
reason Tor the jury adding the words with
the death penalty to the verdict of guilty.
was that Burley had previously been CON
Vlcted OF a charge of rape and served a
sentence imposed October -. 1892 of i'm
pfisohment for twelve years in the peni-
Tertiary at Albany. n. Y
The verdict of guilty of the assault conn
United on the Turner girl was rendered
against hurley December s last and JUS
tlCe PritChar1. Nav IaSt c.n,.,aaL, tt--