Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-10-04
PAYS PENALTY
TO LAW FOR HIS CRIME
Negroes Bravery On The Gallows
A Revelation To All Who Wit
messed Hanging This Morning
SMILED BROADLY AS
MOOSE WAS ADJUSTED
Showed No fear OF Death, And
Declared Firm Belief That Sins
Were Forgiven BY His Maker

With a fortitude, based upon an ap-
apparently absolutely sincere convic-
tion of the forgiveness of his sins,
and in which there was nothing of
bravado. John Henry Evans. colored.
this morning paid the laws penalty
I for a crime committed some months
ago against a thirteen-year-old girl OF
his own race. The hanging took place
I in the yard of the county Jail on Cal
vert street shortly after day break
and was carried out with decency and
order, and was in many ways the most
remarkable execution in criminal an
nails of the county.
So far as can be ascertained, il is
tie first time in this state that the
extreme penalty has been visited upon
anyone for a crime of this character
against colored person II was COM
mitted last April at Leon, in the low
er part of Anne Arundel county A
jury in the local court convicted Ev-
ans. and Judge Robert Moss sentenced
him to death. taking the ground that
he could make no distinction in the
crime because its subject was of one
race or another
After the conviction and the send
ing of the record TO Governor Har-
rington for the Executives signing of
the death warrant, strong efforts to
have the sentence commuted to life
Imprisonment were made, these be-
ing for the most part based upon
claims that the prosecuting witness.
Mary Henson. was loose character.
After careful investigation of these
charges and finally when he had sent
Baltimore headquarters detective Jo-
seph Dougherty to the neighborhood
of the crime. the Governor declined to
interfere and set today as the date
for the execution.
Evans met the preparations for his
death with the utmost courage Many
weeks ago, under the misistrations of
band of devoted colored men and
women, led by Rev Benjamin Holt,
a local colored preacher, and Georgia
Boston, a religious worker, Evans
was lead TO the Supreme Powers for
strength to carry him through his Or
deal. He has persisted that he would
meet his death brayely, and he car
ried out his promise completely. No
one among those who took part i'm
the execution or who witnessed IL
had greater self-possession than the
man who took the central part He
believed that his sins had been for
given. and that he was taking the
step from this world to another He
met death with neither bravado or
shrinking, but as a brave man, who
could look it in the face.
II was just twenty-seven minutes
past six this morning when Sheriff
Joseph II. Bells and his deputies,
Grafton Boone and w. ID. X. Lee,
with few others, climbed the steps
TO the third tier Of the Jail to put
the mandate of the law into execution.
Evans was in the small corridor into
which his cell opened. In front of
him was the little band OF eight faith
full persons. Three of these were wo-
men,, and the five men included two
who wore the uniform of the Naval
service, one a fine looking fellow with
five service stripes.
Sheriff Bells walked to the door
Of the corridor, and said quietly
Evans, | am ready for you" But
Evans was before him Stepping
promptly to the door, he said. "Mr
Bells, ! am ready" and added, 81
am prepared to meet my Cod" This
he s..s.
pressed in other language, was re-
peated by the man perhaps fifty times
in the eight minutes between the time
be left the corridor and the moment
of covering his face with the cap
which shut the earthly light from his
eyes.
This little band left Evans at ten
last night and returned at FIVE this
morning The condemned man was
eager for their company and help.
He slept fairly well, but was up be-
fore they returned and dressed in the
neat black suit that the Sheriff had
secured for him. A breakfast of pork
chops, potatoes, bread and coffee had
been prepared for him, but he did not
eat, though he drank his coffee. There
was no appearance of nervousness,
but food did not interest him, and
he wanted to begin the informal ser
vice with his friends that meant so
much to him
Evans took the leading part in these
exercises. He walked up and down
the corridor, his face in a broad smile
and his arms in rhythm with the mu-
sic. AT proper times, he prayed
aloud or talked. His theology was
above criticism. He said that he had
been forgiven because he had repent
ed of his sins and trusted in the
mercy of the Most High He talked
logically and with conviction. Clear
fronfsnuod m, na~a fourl