The Washington times., 1936-05-01

established by Lieut.. John Fowler,
firearms and ballistics expert,
that both shells had been fired
in the same gun-a AS caliber
Army automatic.
Witnesses recalled seeing three
sportily dressed colored youths
enter the grocery store. Police,
familiar with most of the young
men Of the vicinity who seldom
had jobs, but frequently possessed
money, had fair idea Of the
identities of the trio.
It was then that Robinson de-
cided to take it on the lam" But
before he could get away, on
August /, police picked him up at
Tenth Street and Vermont Avenue
northwest, for questioning in con-
nection with a housebreaking.
When Washington heard Of
Robinson's arrest, he fled to Bal.
timore to stay with the mother Of
one Of his friends.
On August 2, Robinson broke
down under the crosS-examination
of Precinct No. 2 detectives, and
confessed the shooting Of Solo
man, and the attempted hold-up
Of the grocery store. At the same
time, he implicated washington
and Layton and cleared Brown as
far as the killing was concerned.
Washington was taken into Gus
tody at Baltimore and Layton was
arrested in Philadelphia. Both
were extradicted by washington
police.
A coroner's jury found Robinson,
Washington and Layton guilty Of
murder. Their finding were con-
firmed two months later by a Dis
trict Supreme Court jury and all
three were sentenced to death in
the electric chair August 10, 1888.
Stays were obtained, however, and
the death date was changed to
September 8, october 10, and again
to october 81.
On October 9, Layton cheated
death when President Roosevelt
committed the sentence to life i'm
prisonment. Basis for the commu-
tation, according to reports, was
that Layton'S great-aunt had been
employed in the White House dur
ing the administrations Of Presi-
dent Lincoln and Grant.
No Escape
Robinson and Washington were
less fortunate. The morning Of
October q arrived. The heads of
both men were shaved. Their
trousers were slit for the electrodes.
Robinson was led from his cell in
death row. With firm step he
walked down the dozen stairs to
the dining room where the chair
doomed awfully. There was a song
on his lips. It went:
"When the morning comes you
will understand it by and by"
Far back down the corridor,
Robinson heard the voice of Wash
ington take up the refrain as he
waited his turn.
Just then the phone rang in the
office of Warden Rives.
Robinson waited tensely.
1t was President Roosevelt call
ing from his sick bed. New evi.
dence had been discovered worthy
of investigation, the President
said. He ordered a temporary re-
prieve for Washington. But the
execution of Robinson was not de-
layed.
Warden Rives signalled the
guards. Robinson was strapped to
the chair. A switch was thrown
-Robinson's body strained at the
bonds-then relaxed. It was over.
On the recommendation Of So
licitor General G. Crawford Biggs,
President Roosevelt, on October
30, granted another reprieve set
ting WaShington'S execution for
November "a. This time there was
no escape, despite appeals from
several sources that the sentence
be committed to life Imprisonment.
Promptly at 10 a. m, November
"a, Washington marched from his
cell. Like Robinson, the doomed
man had a song on his lips which
was only stilled when the mask
was pulled over his head. The
first shock ragged through his body
at 1905 and lasted for 80 seconds.
But when stethascopes were ap-
piled, it was discovered that the
heart still pulsed. Again the rheo-
salts hummed. At 1912 a. m,
Edward Washington was pro-
nounced dead.