Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-06-24

PROCESSES HIS SINS
Only Time Turner Displayer Nervous
ness Was While Moose Was Being
Adjusted-Crime April 26, 1920.
Especial to The Gazette)

klcHnr0nQ, va, JUNE S4.-N il!i<'Ii
II. Turner, colored, of Washington
D. c., who murdered I. Morgan
Moore of Alexandria, on the night OF
I April 26, 1920, paid the extreme pen,
atty for his crime on the gallows II
the court yard at the historic Her..
rico County jail at GOT this morning
Following brief religious services or
the scaffold conducted by the Rev
A. A. Hector, pastor of the First
Colored Presbyterian Church CT
Richmond, Turner declared himself
ready to meet his maker and professed
|(h!s sins. The trap was sprung by =
Deputy United States Marshal and
\ Is minutes later Turner was pro-
nounced dead.
Turner's body was claimed by his
wife, Effie Turner of ATT L. Street
southwest, Washington, D. c., and
skipped to his home for burial.
About so persons, many of them
policemen, were inside the inclosure
while several hundred lined the streets
soutside the jail at the time Of the
hanging. "a number of prisoners
watched the execution from their cells
in the jail. At ten minutes before six
the death march led by United States
Marshal ,5ohn G.. Saunders, started
from Turner's CELL Turner inlmacula-
tely dressed in a black suit with a
red carnation in his lapel and clean
shaved walked to the scaffold with his
spiritual adviser and two deacons
standing on the trap the last rites
were asked for his soul.
"Turner do you believe God has
forgiven you your sins?" the Rev.
Hector asked.
dyes Sir" said the doomed man.
care you ready to meet him?" Tur-
! ner was asked.
He nodded affirmatively.
"Have you anything to say to this
keeper?"
Turner nodded, No.
The preacher then started to sing
J "I am SO Happy That Jesus Loves
me-" which Turner joined in. At the
conclusion the preacher said.
"Turner I'll meet you in the next
world" eyes Sir answered Turner"
Marshall Saunders and Sheriff
Webb Sydnor, of Henrico county,
4 then adjusted the moose and at sig
nal from Marshall Sanders deputy
! beneath the scaffold sprung the trap.
Turner, who weighs close to 2Oo
! pounds, dropped like a plummet, his
head swapping 'oack and then grad
Tally settling forward. He never
ouivcred afte-: he dropped. The
cnly nervousness he expedited was
while the moose was being adjusted.
Moore had his car parked at the
south end of the highway bridge an'
was in company with a young lady
from Washington to whom ne was
engaged to be married when Turne'
put in his appearance and demanded
money Of Moore. Turner upon being
refused shot Moore and the latter
died instantly. Turner fled from ths
scene and was captured few hours
afterward in Arlington county an
brought to the county Jail on For
Myer Heights ard locked up. After
being questioned about the affair nj
Sfrankly admitted being guilty of t5'
murder and also Of robbing the young
lady who accompanied Mr.. Moore
For fear of mcb violence Turner final
ly was taken from the county jail ans
, taken to Richmond and ne was kept i
the Henrico county jail till The time
of his execution.
The case was tried in Richmond i
H. TTo;toI StotaS, nirop;& .o,>t