The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-04-12
THIRD NEGRO HANGED AT
PENITENTIARY IN WEEK

penitentiary. one prisoner having pass
ed away in the short time OF eight
minutes. The rope was cut by Captain
Bloyd and the body was lowered onto
stretcher and later prepared for
burial
Captain Bloyd had prepared the
scanold for fall of FIVE feet 1--WE in
ches. Although the prisoner had an
unusually thick neck. wearing a seven.
teen sized collar. IL was broken In.
stantly and the physicians located the
break at the base OF the skull.
Resigned to Fate.
sterling was entirely resigned TO his
rate. and IL was the concensus of opin-
ION that he was the strongest and
calmest man executed In the states
penal institution in recent wears
Speaking of him Rev. Rutsky. after
the execution last evening. said. He
was remarkably strong and was will
ing and ready To go. lie was so
strong that he even impaired
strength TO the guards who accom-.
panied him TO the scafYold."
Captains Cowl and wilkens. ths
guards who were on the death watch.
assisted the spiritual advisors 10
every possible way. singing and prav
ing with the condemned man and
reading from the Bible for his bene.
M. Great credit is due Captain
Bloyd for the smooth manner in
which the execution was carried out.
Everything had been carefully tested
in advance and although IL was his
painful duty 10 perform the hanging.
Captain Bloyd did IL In as humane a
way as possible.
After a very peaceful night. Ster-
ling arose yesterday morning and ate
a very hearty breakfast. Much OF the
day was spent in prayer and the sing
ing or hymns. John Hicks, the white
man. who is condemned to hang Nav
End, spent much of the afternoon I'm
the death cell with Sterling. and the
latter advised Hicks 10 accept his fato
and make confession before Christ.
lie told Hicks to be brave and trust
to God. Hicks promised 10 be as
brave as possible and follow the ex-
, ample Of Sterling.
Signed Statement
Az eight minutes past two today.
April IL. 1913. Henry Sterling made
The following statement 10 Arch-dea-
con Spur. Rev. Rutzky. CAPTAIN
BlOyd. Guard wilkins and some OF his
d
facts be made public:
u am not under the influence Of
dope but under the power OF Christ.
who saves. Last Friday. after Mar
shall and Williams were hung. nv
heart was filled with rebellion and I
felt so weak that though | had mover
tainted. ! thcIght as though I should.
and my heart was filled with fear.
! Then / prayed TO God real hard 70
give me strength and To MI my hrart
with hopes and faith again md hat
as / had shown nerve and strength in
committing sin. so lie would give ma
nerve and faith 10 die on n tcscaffold
md God answered my PRAYER and
whilst five days ago IL that door had
oIenee for me 10 so to cath after
knowing how Marshall and Williams
went and came not back again.
. should have died. but now, thank
God, 20 with these my death clothes
and shall not fear 10 prove that nv
faith in Christ can bear the test Of
death and still be strong haven't
had much Of Christ in my life. but
now ! know that he saved me unto
the end"
{ tSigned) HENRY STERLING"
Witnesses:
( Rev. II. r. Rutsky.
J T. Bloyd.
NJ. G. Rarker.
j +. \. Wilkens.
/ u. VI. Spur.
/ Dee West,
! Arthur Harden
History OF Crime.
Henry Sterling gave his age az
! Twenty-Five years and was born and
D raised in South Carolina. lie had
been IN West Virginia but two years
| He had boarded with n man named
/ William Patterson and he and Patter-
son had had some difficulty over q
I broken bedstead. Sterling secured
his gun and went after Patterson and
found him in the coke yards. and after
/ following him 10 his home shot him.
/ Patterson fell against the door and
Sterling tried 20 shoot again but hig
pistol refused 10 FIRE He then secured
an axe and cut the head of OF Patter.
son. Sterling left the state at once
: after he had committed the crime,
i and went to Detroit, Mich He had
/ loaned a friend six dollars and wrote
! a letter back FOR the money giving his
/ street address The letter was i'm.
I mediatcly turned over 20 the authori-
I ties Of Mcdowell county and they IN
turn wired tho police % Detroit 10
arrest and hold Sterling. which they
i did he was brought hack and tried
/ and sentenced 10 hang yesterday.
which was done
Mrs Sarah Foster. ~ New YORK.
survived a fall ~ i2o feet down al