Evening journal., 1905-10-20
SHIPPERS WENT TO HIS
DOOM WITH HIS FACE
WREATHED IN SMILES
ScontInued from FIrst 20
CONTENTS OF THE LETTERS.

CONTENTS OF THE LETTERS.
The letters which he left to his mother
and sisters read:
October 20, 1905.
My dear beloved mother (and sister,.
Il send you this to let you know that
my peace with God and hope and pray
TO Him that He wilfgrant us that we may
meet in Heaven. And / pray 20 Him 10
keep you from worry and that you may
enjoy life in this world. And when We
meet again there will be no sorrow there.
Amen. (signedl.
From your beloved son (and brother)"
The scancld was erected by Calvin
Mitchell. aged "A years, who has per-
formed this grewsome task at every
hanging in Cecil county since 1855.
SHIPPERS SLEPT WELL.
The condemned young man was guard
ed last night by Deputy Sheriff J. Wesley
McAllister and Alfred Denney, who state
that he retired at II o'clock and slept
soundly until o'clock this morning Hav-
] ing absolutely refused the spiritual con-
ISOLATION offered by Rev William Schouler,
rector Of Trinity Episcopal Church, in
| Elkton, the youthful slayer was actually
/ composed when he awakened. During the
morning he was much less affected than
Sheriff George c. Biddlo.
Shippers ate heartily OF breakfast OF
beefsteak, two soft boiled eggs, hot rolls.
preserved pears, jelly ana coffee. no see
him eat one would not suppose that he
was On the brink of eternity.
Last evening Rev Mr.. Schouler again
called ON the young man and suggested
that if Shippers had confession 20 make
/ that he do so in writing and he Ohe
clergyman would make it public after
the execution. The condemned man simply
replied: Il am innocent" The minister
then Withdrew.
Shippers mother. Mrs. Jacob Markee,
and his sister, Mrs. Sadie Burke. both of
! Philadelphia, went to the Cecil county
Jail last night and had a fearful interview
with the son and brother which lasted
several hours. Mrs. Burk had just re-
turned from Annapolis where she had
been refused a stay by Governor War
field.
The mother told her son that that was
the last time she would see him on eartf
and she asked him to tell her whether h'
was guilty or innocent Of the murder
Shippers stolidly replied; Il am innocent
The mother exclaimed Thank God" and
then fell I'm a faint at the cell door.
Shippers merely looked at his prostratl
mother while she lay unconscious on th'
floor and made no comment. The guard
carried her away followed by the siste
who was crying bitterly. Mrs Marke'
subsequently recovered in the sheriff's Of
fee and then left the prison with Mrs
Burk The condemned man paced the foo
for awhile and then retired.
HISTORY or THE CRIME.
The crime for which Shippers paid tn
death penalty today was committed OF
August IS 1904 on the evening of tina
day Albert Constable. one OF the foremos
lawyers I'm Maryland, was walking alon
a road near Elkton and when at the to-
of Gray's Hill was approached by Sim
pers. The latter asked him for money an
when the attorney replied that he onl
had % cents. Shippers fired three shots a
, him. The first bullet went wide but tn
second and third took effect the last en-
paralysis of the left side. The murderer
demanded that the wounded attorney tosl
: him his watch which the latter did. Thii
! timepiece was later recovered in a loar
j office in Philadelphia, having been pawneC
there by Shippers.
Mr.. Constable died in the Maryland
General Hospital in Baltimore on thl
b Monday following the shooting.
John Holland and William Hops. boil
colored. We're shortly afterward arreste,
as suspects, but were released after tn
coroner's inquest held in Baltimore OF
August "A. Following the discharge of tn
negroes It was believed that the murd
erer Of Mr. Constable would never b.
apprehended.
r In the following month, September
[ Shippers was arrested in Wilmington OF
| charge Of horse stealing in Marylanl
b near Elkton lie was taken to that Stat
and was convicted Of this charge receiv
T ing q sentence of eight years imprison
ment in Maryland Penitentiary in Baltl
more. While incarcerated in that jail h
confessed the Constable murder TO an
other prisoner, and this led TO the solvinl
Of the mystery attending the crime.
Shippers trial began on March q. 100,
in the Cecil county court in Elkton and O.
the evening Of March 80 the jury in tn
y case returned verdict Of guilty afte
! being out but little more than an hou
and taking five ballots. He was sentence
r to death by the court and obtained on
t stay of execution before the final date o
7 his execution was fixed.
; E. ]. o.
Titled Vegetarian.