The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-04-11
Especial to the Messenger.)

Cumberland county, Walter Partridge,
Il young negro man, paid the penalty
for Il criminal assault on Mrs. VIII
/. Halcs, a respectable widow omar
committed on the afternoon Of Feb.
ruary list, about fOur miles from this
city on the road to Hope Mills.
Partridge was tried by the last term
OF Superior court and was sentenced
Il sensation was created when Gov
ernOr Glenn received a letter, purpOrt-
ing to have been written by Mrs.
Hales declaring that Partridge was in
nocent and that the testimony she mad
sworn to, on which the negro was COLI
victed, was false. An investigation in
stigated by the Governor proved con-
clusively that the letter was a forgery
and the Governor, of course, refused
to interfere with the execution.
Two days ago Partridge sent for
DR.. Hall, pastor Of the Baptist church,
here, and confessed his guilt. He also
O4I"I AN "bo IN 1 "a 49,
letter sent to the Governor, signed
with the name of Mrs. Hales.
This morning, shortly after 8 O'Clock,
religious services were held with the
condemned man by Rev. DR.. !. J. Hall,
pastor of the First Baptist church,
who eXhOrted the prisoner to d realiZa-
ton of his condition, and asked him if
he had any last message to SEND to
friends. Partridge had little to say,
but disclaimed n bitterness of feel
ing towards the officers of h law or
anyone else. For one minutes before
the execution he stood in the corridor
very calmly, while preparations for
his death were making within a few
feet of him. He was dressed in a neat
suit of dark blue, with sack coat, neg
ligee shirt and tan shoes. The eXecu-
ton was conducted by Sheriff Marsh
and his deputy sheriffs Monaghan and
Pate, the two latter being on the scat
fold and arranging h details, tie
hanging being from the platform on
the third floor. All three officers were
cool and collected.
Just at 10 O'Clock, Sheriff Marsh.
drawing out his watch, Partridge re-
marked quietly, well, it is 10 o'clock.
this is my time to die" walked quietly
around the corridor with the sheriff,
and ascended to the scaffOld without
assistance. On his feet beneath the
moose. he Was told by Sheriff Marsh
that he could make n remarks be
wished. but he said little, only bidding
good bye to those present, and saying
that he would meet TIM in heaven
DR.. Hall then offered prayer, of only a
minute or two, but a classic among
supplicatiOns, to the Most High. He
asked Gods mercy for this young man,
about to be launched into eternity; ne
thanked the Almighty, who had put
into the hearts of the people to uphold
the law without violence in this case:
into the hearts of the opponents of the
majesty of the law to give this boy 4
fair trial; and he closed with a touch
ing appeal for divine mercy.
Partridge held his nerve unbroken
to the last, and the trap was sprung at
1910 o'clock. The knot slipped around
TO the back of the neck, and County
Physician A. S. Rose pronounced the
condemned man dead at 1929 O'CLOCK,
death having come by strangulation
though the neck was broken.
III representative VI TIC pIOc7
present We're MeSsrs. r. L. Gray, for
the Raleigh News and Observer: r. III.
Dye, for the Raleigh Morning Post; J..
II. MyrOver, for the Fayetteville OBJ
server Charlotte Observer, Charlotte
Chronicle. Wilmington Messenger.
Richmond Times Dispatch.
Among those admitted to the Jail,
several applied to the officers for
pieces of the hangman's rope. Quite
Il large crowd of the mOrbidly curious
surrounded the Jail on the outside,
though there was no excitement in TIE
city over the execution. With the
large majority, the feeling was that
Justice was taking its course-that IS
all there was of it.
The body vas removed from the Jail
to the undertaking establishment Of J.
r. Mcneil & Sons, n here at 4
O'Clock a religious service was conduct
ed by Rev. Harris, after which it was
buried in the colOred cemetery.
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
On the afternoon of February 1st
Mrs. Lille Ida Ha1es. a poor, but re-
spectacle white widow, about 25 years
Of age, accompanied by her son 4 yel.s
c1d while walking on the public load
three OR four miles so1'h ut Fayettc.
vile. passed Walter Partridge. q negro
19 or 20 years old, formerly employeG