Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-06-03
SMITH PAYS PENALTY
Henry smith ElectrOcuted This MORN
ing-DecIared Himself, johnson, Pines


and Dorsey innocent.
Especial Dispatch to the Alexandria Ga
zette.l
Richmond, Va, June 3.-Henry
Smith, one of the four negroes con-
victed of numbering Walter Schultz, a
Chicago artist near Alexandra, on
March 6, 1909, was electrocuted in the
state penitentiary here this morning
Smith made an ante-mortem statement
protesting to his innocence. His three
accomplices will be electrecuted Friday.
Richmond. June 3.-Henry Smith,
one of the negroes convicted OF the
murder Of Artist Schultz, Of Chicago,
in Alexandra, last year, was electrocu-
ted in the penitentiary early this morn
ing. The execution was without accl-
dent. On his way to the electric chair
Smith in reply to question from one
of the wardens said, three other negroes
Calvin johnson, Richard Pines and
Eugene Dorsey under sentence OF
death for completely in the murder
we're innocent, Smith added and L
am innocent toe" This brief state
ment was all he made.
1Smith. it will be remembered, after he
was sentenced TO be electrocuted last
December, said the truth concerning
the Schultz murder would never be
known until he was brought to the
electric chair. He did not receive his
first respite until he was being prepared
for execution, and the only statement
he made then was virtually what he
uttered this morning. tits believed he
knew he would not be executed on the
first occasion, and many people in this
city think that Smith did not believe he
would be put to death this morning,
and that he probably looked upon the
preparations as part Of the penltentary
third degree in order to extort state
ment from him. This notion was not
dispelled until the electric current was
turned on.
Smith was brought to trial in the
Corporation Court last December. lie
had in March, 1909, a few days after
S0hultz's body had been found, been
arrested charged with stealing watch;
While in the station house he assumed
the responsibility of being able to tell
all the details in connection with the
murder of schultz, He said he en-
countered Calvin Johnson, Richard
Pines and Eugene Dorsey, who had
charge of Schultz, at the mouth of an
ally on the north side of Cameron
street, between Payne and West, on the
night of March 6, and was compelled by
Pines, who had pistol, to assist the two
in carrying the helpless man westerly to
the confines of the city, where, accord
ing to Smiths statement, Dorsey
stabbed Schultz in the throat, causing
his death. Later, he said, the three
negroes robbed the corpse. Smith al
ways maintained that he received none
of the money taken from Schultz.
Smiths trial was brief. A jury
from Charlottesville listened to his
statement, and after having visited the
alley referred to by the prisoners and
walking over the ground to the place
where the body had been found, 4hey
rejected his story on account OF Its I'M
probability and brought in verdict OF
murder in the first degree. Smith was
sentenced to be electIocuted in January
While in jail few days after SEN
tence had been pronounced on him he
gave out a statement repudiating In
every particular his story told in
March, alleging that he knew nothing
about the murder Of Schultz; that he
was innocent not only of participation
in the crime but of any knowledge of
it. He also exonerated Johnson, Pines
and Dorsey, and acknowledged that he
was guilty of perjury when he named
them as participants in the murder.
Smith alleged that his first story was
put in his mouth by the police; that he
was Victim of the third degree, etc.
He repeated his first story half a
dozen times on the stand without yaria-
ton and when subjected to close
ross-examinatiOns he stuck equally
close to his last statement, which he
stated this morning was correct.
Smith would have CeIbtless received
penitentiary sentence had he plead
guilty of murder in the second degree,
as he had virtually furnished all the
evidence upon which Johnson, Pines
and Dorsey had been convicted. He,
however, wanted to be exonerated, and
took desperate chances by pleading