The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-03-11
SLAYER DIES
ON GALLONS
Trap Is Sprung for Campbell,
Confessed Killer of Mrs.
Gertrude Mann.

William Henry Campbell, twenty
two-year old negro, was hanged on
the gallows at the District Jail this
morning for killing Mrs. Gertrude
Harrison Mann, Washington music
teacher and divorced wife of William
Mann, prominent attorney Of Chi
cago.
The trap was sprung at 1890
o'clock, and Campbell was pronounced
dead from strangulation fourteen
minutes later.
One Of the witnesses to thu execu-
ton was Detective Sergt. George
Darnall, formerly Of the Tenn police
precinct, who arrested Campbell and
| who said that the negro not only cor
| fessed to him that he had killed Mrs.
Mann. but had also attacked Miss
Mary b. Saunders and Mrs. Bessie
| Gleason.
81 believe CampbelIs confession to
| The Times and myself. that he had
not only killed Mrs. Mann, but had
attacked Miss Saunders and Mrs.
Gleason, was based on facts" said
Darnall. mo man could confess to
crimes and describe how they were
| committed. as did Campbell, unless
he was guilty.
EATS LITTLE BREAKFAST.
Campbell ate but little breakfast.
He munched on some ham and eggs.
but spent most of the morning with
his spiritual advisors. One of them
was the Rev. John Roberts, an evan
gelist. who said he had witnessed Al
| hangings
Campbell went to his death within
| ~ seconds from the time he left his
cell. Accompanied by DR.. Roberts
and Mrs. Alice Washington, the negro
| was led across the rotunda of the jail.
| down a flight of steps, and along
corridor to the scaffold.
As he walked up to the gallows he
| was on the verge of collapse, two of
the Jail guards holding him on either
side. Mrs. Washington, who was
singing Nearer. My God to Thee" had
not finished when suddenly the trap
was sprung and Campbell went to his
death before the witnesses realized
what was happening.
1t was 1O:43 o'clock when Drs.
James Cannon, ]. G. Mackenzie, We'll
! lington George, Nolan and Conrad
| pronounced Campbell dead.
Capt. William l.. Peake, assistant
superintendent of the Jail. was in a
cell off the corridor where the gal
lows had been erected. AS soon as
Campbell reached the top of the gal.
lows, f. f.. Buckley. one of the guards
of the Jail, waved a handkerchief
moment later Campbell was swinging
| by the neck.
ARRESTED IN MARCH, 1870.
Campbell was arrested March II,
1920. Darnall saw him attempting to
| break into a house. Taken to the
Tenth precinct police station. the ne
gro confessed he had killed Mrs. Mann,
who was returning to her home after
| having given music lesson to
granddaughter of Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federation
/ OF Labor.
! When brought to Police .Headquar-
/ ters. the negro admitted he had GRIM
inally attacked and robbed Miss
/ Saunders and Mrs. Gleason. He ex-
! planned in detail how he had attack
ed the women. When brought 20
| trial in the District court, he repud-
| ated the confession. declaring he had
| made il through police coercion.
| Two days ago, Campbell admitted
| that he had killed Mrs. Mann, that
he had lain in wait for her, and that
after he had slain her with an iron
| pipe he stole her diamond ring and
other jewelry, as well as her purse.
| Two negroes are now serving
! prison sentences for the attacks on
Miss Saunders and Mrs. Gleason. Both
! always have maintained their inno-
| cense. The Department of Justice has
been investigating Campbelrs orig
! inal confession.
| Federal agents talked with Camp
/ bell, who told them the confession
was wrung from him. He said the
words" of the confession were put
| in his mouth"
| But detectives still believe, despite
the fact that Campbell repudiated his
| confession, that he was guilty of at
lacking Miss Saunders and Mrs.
! Gleason.