The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-03-18
.l|NKOUS IS CALM
ON THE SCAFF0L0.
lii a Fair Midnight Visitor is
Suggested Motive for
the Crime.
pRoTEsTs.lNNoCENCE TO LAST
Ministers Say He is Either limo
cent or q Hypocrite
and Fiet1d.
PROTESTS TO LAST
,snec,a, II rha ,rine,. plspat ~. )

Especial to The Times Dispatch.)
+ EAST RADFORD. VA, March 17.--Rad-
ford's horrible Christmas tragedy had Its
elimination to-day in the execution OF
James Linkous, alias James Luckado, who
was convicted January 14th OF the MUIR
der Of Iris wife and child and sentenced
to die on the gallows.
The hanging occurred at the Jail at
37:3s A. M. in the presence Of about fifty
people in addition to the doctors and
Jurors.
Lnkhous protested his Innocence to the
end and showed wonderful nerve, though
he was physically weak from an illness
OF several weeks. His pastor, Rev. Mr..
Fox, OF the Lutheran Church, Rev. g. y.
Jackson, OF the Christian Church. and
other friends passed the night in his
+ cell praying and singing hymns In which
Linkous earnestly Joined.
Linkous's Statement.
During the night he gave out the
following statement8to his spiritual adj
yisers y: 81 honestly did not XII either ,e
my wife Or child. speak this IN the
j
fire commenced nor the cause OF 1t. "s
b He begged to be confronted BY Mrs.
Texas Shelera Butterworth, the woman
who lived Il IN the same house, & ana was
one Of the chief witnesses against MIN
In the trial. Accordingly she was brought
from New River, about midnight a no
icatechised by Linkous as TO various m
cidents Of the tragedy. She sal on the
bed In the iron agc for about an hour.
and answered the prisoners questions
but nothing new developed except that
nts us claimed he gave her whiskey ana
other presents the evening before 4 the '
fire It is thought by many that the
motive Of tho crime lay IN the prisoners
attachment to his fair midnight visit or.
I "A nice brea ltfast was sent him by g. q.
5Baamer. hut IT was untasted except for
aScup of coffee. ~ KS
Hi Af tier a half hour spent in ligious de
iyotions the prisoner was escorted to the
scaffold BY Officers Roop and Dues.
Sergeant McNeal and Sheriff Carper, o.
Pulaski, and the two ministers. q
TO the Scaf old.
He had told his spiritual advisers the
flesh was weak but the spirit strong
enough, TO carry his body to the scaffold. 4
He had been sick and was still weak,
but showed no sign OF fear orsnervou Y s.
ness In his speech on the gallows, ne
ferve,.tly proclaimed his innocence. lift
Ing his hands to heaven and calling God
to witness that he was telling the truth tn
4 He said lie was willing and readysst go,!
and asked his auditors to meet him N
Heaven. He blessed the officers for their J.
kindness to him and said goodbye to
the ministers. az 81 "A i;5s
The drop Tell at 1913 a. n. and in four 4
teen and a half minutes Lirkous was
dead. The large crowd in front OF the
Jail seemed to feel the solemnity OF the
hour and every detail Of the hanging
was nicely executed.
Both Mr.. Fox and Mr.. Jackson say that
Linkous is either perfectly innocent or a
5consummate hypocrite and fIend.
Public opinion is divided, many people
being absolutely unshaken in their GER
.tainty Of his guilt, while others believe
the dying statement OF the prisoner.
There are several theories as to why
Linkous did not confess. His body was
sent to the University College OF Medicine
sat r edmond at noon to-day