The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-06-23
He
SINGS AS
He DIES
Rufus Gordon Pays Penalty for
Killing Grocer Miller.
Woman at Execution.

Rufus Gordon, negro slayer of
Simon Miller, grocer, of Sherman
avenue and Lamont street north
west, this morning paid the pen
atty for his crime. Strapped to
two husky guards, Gordon, over
shadowing both of them, slowly
strolled down the death aisle to
the gallows singing popular
negro camp meeting song.
Signs Written Confession.
Two colored preachers, the Rev.
John Roberts, and the Rev. VIII.
lam ]. Howard, and Alice Washing
ton, colored assistant to the Rev.
Roberts, Joined Gordon in the song.
Together the quartet marched up
to the gallows and the singing con-
tinued even after the moose had
been placed around Gordon's neck.
Not until the black bag had been
placed about his head and shut
off his voice did Gordon's voice fail.
Just a few minutes before he
went to his death Gordon signed a
written confession. In 1t he exon.
Grated his brother Roy, who Is serv-
ing a thirty-year sentence for par.
ticipation.s He placed the blame
Tor the murder on Aloysious Chase.
colored, who was released when he
turned states evidence.
Following Is Gordon's signed con-
fession.
Washington Asylum and Jail,
Washington, D. c.,
June %. 1923.
IT must tell the truth before l
leave this world, and this 10 the
whole truth.
"Chase and myself are the
guilty ones. Roy Gordon Is lnno-
cent
"Of course, any man will try
to save his life, but ! see have
got to go, and l must tell the
truth before I go.
II will not leave anything un-
done on earth. for want to be
right with God and man, and to
be right l must tell the truth.
ROY Gordon is innocent. Chase
and myself are the guilty ones.
please don't let my mother
know this right away, for she
will be very much worried after
she gets this.
II hope and trust they won't
make Roy stand for what Chase
and myself did-this is true.
Now l have got everything
right with God and man, so now
I am ready to go with clean
heart.
Signed, RUFUS GORDON"
Subscribed and sworn to before
me, this twenty-third day OF
June, 1923. Samuel Brooks, no.
tary republic.
Dies in Three Minutes.
The trap was sprung at 1905 and
three minutes later Gordon was pro-
nounced dead. Grizzled veterans on
the guard force at the jail said that
he had died gamer" than any
other man in their recollection.
Never once did he falter or in any
way show that he feared death.
The Rev. Roberts, eighty one
years old. tended to Gordon's spirit
ual comfort Venerable and white
haired, the aged negro, who has at
tended fifty.six hangings, and who
has beeen unofficial ministrer to
the needs of prisoners at the jail Tor
forty-six years, persuaded Gordon TO
make up with his God" Jail at
tendants give Roberts much of the
credit for Gordon's fearlessness.
Allce " dSllIlB IOil is Tic why
woman who has ever been allowed
to attend a death prisoner at the
District jail. She was in Gordon g
cell when the death warrant was
read this morning and she accom-
panied him to the gallows.
Crime Three Years Ago.
It was more than three years
ago that Gordon, with his brother
Roy acting as a lookout, entered
the small store of Simon Miller and
committed murder. Gordon flashed
a gun and was rifling Miller's cash
drawer when the grocer lowered
his hands. One shot was fired and
that one went through Miller's alb
domen. The negro made good his
escape but was captured a short
time later.
His conviction quickly followed
when he was brought to trial, but
many reprieves and legal motions by
his counsel delayed the execution
two years. Gordon, until recently,
denied completely in the murder. Two
weeks ago he made the written con
fession, admitting his part in the at
fair, but generating his brother and
naming the other man as a partici