Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-15
GOES SINGING TO SCAFfOLD
GREGORY PROTESTS INNOCENCE
KNOWING HE MUST DIE.
Not Allowed to Make Statement as
Hangman Adjusts Noose-Quick
Work of Execution.

Singing the old camp meeting hymn.
Tell Mother I'll Be There and with
out the slightest sign of fear or nervous
ness. Richard Gregory. a negro. convict
ed of the murder of William a. Garner.
another negro. was hanged at the Dis
trict Jail this morning.
Although he had confessed his guilt to
several persons. Gregory changed his at
titude several weeks ago. Since then he
had been protesting his innocence.
Three minutes before he stepped on
the scaffold he held in his hand the
watch of one Of the clergymen who were
with him to the last and declared he
had not committed the crime for which
he gave up his life.
Look at my hand he said. Il know
| have only three minutes to live, and
my hand is not trembling. l believe
can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven with
lie on my lips. ] tell you, l am inno-
cent"
When told that everything was ready
for him Gregory said he wanted to make
a statement. His spiritual ADVISER Rev.
John Roberts of ST. Paul's a. NJ. +.
Chapel. declined to permit him to do so.
DIR. Roberts started the hymn. DR..
William P. Graves of the Zion Baptist
Church and DR.. William P. Givens joined
in With Gregory they stepped ahen
upon the SCdHOlu from out OIL a cell uOOT
which opens upon it.
Gregorys hands were already tied. a
rope. was passed quickly about his legs.
The moose was adjusted and the black cap
put over his head.
At 1918 o'clock the trap was sprung.
In fourteen seconds thereafter Gregory s
pulse had stopped beating. Less than a
minute interviewed between the time he
stepped on the' scaffOld and the time he
was pronounced dead.
He was on the scaffold only thirteen
seconds The body was allowed to re-
main hanging for twenty-four minutes.
when it was taken down. Thirty-five
minutes after Gregory came upon the
scaffold. his body was taken away from
he Jail.
Story of Gregory's Crime.
Gregory was hanged for a crime COM
mitted August 81 1907. in Thompson
woods near the Massachusetts, avenue
bridge over Rock creek. Gregory came
here as a tramp from near Bristol.
Tenn. That night he was strolling along
the roadway near the bridge, he said
afterward. when his attention was at
tracted to colored man and woman.
Il thought the man was going to as
sault the woman" he asserted in his
confession, land l struck him."
William A. Garner was the victim and
colored woman named Hattie Martin
was walking with him. The woman hur-
ried from the scene and said nothing
about the affair until after Garner 8
dead body was found the next morning
by John d. Morey, who notified the po-
lice. Detectives Parham and O'Brien
and the police of the 7th precinct made
an investigation. Gregory was arrested
and held on suspicion. Not only did the
police accuse him of having murdered
Garner, but they also thought he had
attacked white couple near there that
night. The prisoner set up an alibi and
, had about convinced the police of his
innocence. but before they we're ready
to release him he sent for Capt. Schnei-
der and made statement.
Il guess ] might well tell you the
TRUTH he said to the police captain. Il
alone, and believed ne was going to as
sault her l picked up a club and struck
him on the head. When l walked away
l did not think he was dead"
When arraigned in the Police Court he
replied: Yes. I killed him. 1 hit him
with a club
Gregory was anxious to offer long
explanation of the affair. but was not
permitted to make any further state
ment. The case was tried in April, near
ly one year ago, and Gregory was con-
victed after the jury had been out near
ly all night. An effort was made to save
sane. He declared sane however,
and after several postponements today
was the time fixed for his execution.
The Rev John Roberts made an appeal
to President Roosevelt for commute
| ton of sentence, but was unsuccessful
and last week Gregory was told there
was no hope for him.