Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-29
Hanged at District Jail for
Murder of Brother.
WALKS CALMLY TO DEATH
Letter to Public Urges Sinners to
Repentance.
SLEEPS WELL ON LAST NIGHT
Eats Breakfast and Does Not Dis
cuss Fate-Sunday Spent in
Prayer and Singing.

Hanged by the neck until dead, Albert
Brown, colored, nineteen years of age, in
the District Jail this morning paid the
penalty of the law for taking the life of
his brother. Harvey Brown, in Navy
place. last November.
Il am not afraid to die" he repeated
several times when the guards appeared
at the door of his cell to escort him to the
scaffold.
With the calmness Of a man walking to
his breakfast table, Brown stepped onto
the trapdoor of the scaffold, awaited
quietly the adjusting Of the straps. black
cap and moose, and then dropped into
eternity.
The trap was sprung at 1905 am. The
body was lowered into the awaiting
casket twenty-seven minutes later. Death
was by strangulatfon.
Prepared to Die.
Brown. according to his spiritual adj
WISER Rev. John Roberts, was prepared to
die, and for several days has been await
ing the end with resigned spirit. Letters
which he left indicate that he was sat,s-
fed with his fate.
His last day on earth, Sunday, was
spent with his spiritual adviser in the
singing Of hymns and the reading of Bible
passages. Brown ate regularly during the
day. and did not appear nervous.
AS the day wore on prisoners in nearby
cells Joined in the singing. Browns voice
appeared not to waver as he sang hymns
on his last Sunday on earth.
"Ducky' Holmes. who Is awaiting trial
for murder and who had q cell near
Brown. spent his time during the past
week in cheering up the condemned man,
and read the Bible to him last night.
About midnight Brown expressed de-
sire to go to sleep-his last sleep on earth.
His spiritual adviser withdrew. The cor
| ridOr became quiet and Brown soon slum-
bered.
He awoke at 600 o'clock this morning
and asked for his breakfast.
HIS spiritual adviser arrived at the cell,
which was No. e. in the south wing OF
the Jail. shortly afterward.
Gains Half Pound in Weight.
To make the preparations for the hang
ing accurate. Capt. Thomas H. Mckee.
warden OF the jail. measured Browns
height and weighed him. The minister
explained the purpose Of these things.
Brown submitted without a culver.
He tipped the scales at 1861 pounds. a
half pound more than when he was COM
mitted to the institution. A drop of seven
and one-half feet was arranged
At 9:15 o'clock the death warrant was
read to the condemned man. He was
alone at the time, and made no remark
about his sentence or impending fate.
RE thanked the warden for his kindness
and then lapsed into silence.
In company with his spiritual adviser
and two other ministers, Rev. p. j. Jordan
and Rev. William Howard, he was led from
his regular cell to the death cell adjoin-
ing the scaffold. in the north wing.
At 1903 o'clock 1t was announced to the
doctors and the spectators that all was in
readiness. They gathered around the
scaffold.
A minute later the curtain over the pas
sage leading from the death cell was
swung back. Brown stepped brskly onto
the scaffold and over onto the trap door.
Deputy wardens quickly tied his arms
behind his back. strapped his legs to-
gether. placed the moose over his head
and adjusted the black cap.
The three ministers who had accom-
panied Brown onto the sca1old sang gos-
pei hymns as they stood grouped around
the death trap. Capt. Mckee nodded and
the trap dropped the body falling nearly
eight feet.
Body Lowered Into Casket.