returned to San Antonio and informed a policeman who inspected the
scene of the rape and noticed that the ground bore evidence of a
fearful struggle. Additionally, the girl's face was swollen and blue
and she bore a recent cut over one eye. Ward was arrested in a
saloon that afternoon and even though he had discarded the bloody
shirt he had been wearing at the time of the assault, his pants were
still bloody, At his trial, he maintained that he had previously
had intercourse with the girl who had consented and that he had met
her there by previous arrangement, His conviction was unsuccessfully
appealed to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and on August 21,
1882, the first anniversary of his crime, he was hanged at San Antonio
Ward, who was evidently intoxicated at the execution, walked.to the
gallows, using only his crutch for assistance, and made a long and
rambling speech in which he reiterated his claim that the girl had
previously been a willing participant in sexual relations with him,
He then made the curious statement that he deserved his punishment
because he had not witnesses to his having intercouse with her con-
sent, His last words were: "Goodbye to you all,"
12 TEXAS CRIMINAL APPEALS 175 «° |
SAN ANTONIO DAILY EXPRESS Augugh HEE XKRRKS. 23, 1881;
9
N ANTONIO LIGHT, August 21 °
Tabter dated 6~6~1978, from Blton Re Cude, District Clerk, Bexar Co.
(Body claimed by family and buried in a San mtonio cemetery.)
returned to San Antonio and informed a policeman who inspected the
scene of the rape and noticed that the ground bore evidence of a
fearful struggle. Additionally, the girl's face was swollen and blue
and she bore a recent cut over one eye. Ward was arrested in a
saloon that afternoon and even though he had discarded the bloody
shirt he had been wearing at the time of the assault, his pants were
still bloody, At his trial, he maintained that he had previously
had intercourse with the girl who had consented and that he had met
her there by previous arrangement, His conviction was unsuccessfully
appealed to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and on August 21,
1882, the first anniversary of his crime, he was hanged at San Antonio)
Ward, who was evidently intoxicated at the execution, walked.to the
gallows, using only his crutch for assistance, and made a long and
rambling speech in which he reiterated his claim that the girl had
previously been a willing participant in sexual relations with him,
He then made the curious statement that he deserved his punishment
because he had not witnesses to his having intercouse with her con-
sent, His last words were: "Goodbye to you all."
12 TEXAS CRIMINAL APPEALS 175 -
SAN ANTONIO DAILY EXPRESS, Augusy HEE 23, 1881;
e
AN ANTONIO LIGHT, August 21 : j
totter dated 6-6-9 from Elton Re Cude, District Clerk, Bexar Co,
78
(Body claimed by family and buried in a San mtonio cemetery.)
returned to San Antonio and informed a policeman who inspected the
scene of the rape and noticed that the ground bore evidence of a
fearful struggle, Additionally, the girl's face was swollen and blue
and she bore a recent cut over one eye, vard was arrested in a
saloon that afternoon and even though he had discarded the bloody
shirt he had been wearing at the time of the assault, his pants were
still bloody, At his trial, he maintained that he had previously
had intercourse with the girl who had consented and that he had met
her there by previous Eis was
appealed to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and on August 21,
1882, the first anniversary of his crime, he was hanged at San Antonio
Ward, who was evidently intoxicated at the execution, walked.to the
gallows, using only his crutch for assistance, and made a long and
rambling speech in which he reiterated his claim that the girl had
previously been a willing participant in sexual relations with hin,
He then made the curious statement that he deserved his punishment
Dechuse he had not witnesses to his having, Intercouse with her con-
rds were: Nioodbye to you all,
CE ee eee te
ONTO DAL RESS, Augugt HEXXXRAAY 23, 1881;
SAN ANTONIO. EIGHE parva Le gin i
Gatter dated 6-6-4978, from #lton Ry Gude, District Clerk, Bexar Co,
(Body claimed by family and buried in a San mtonio cemetery.)
ly
age Ihe :
Hee
WARD, Charles
Ward, alias Charles Word, a 3year-old black man, was a native of
Alabama who claimed to have served in both the Army and the Navy,
One of his legs had been amputated and he could walk only with the
assistance of a crutch when he arrived in San Antonio, Texas, around
1866, and for the next 15 years he earned a precarious living by
performing various odd jobs and menial tasks, round 7 o'clock on
Sunday morning, August 21, 1881, Dora Ellerman, the 16-year-old
daughter of a German milk man who lived in ‘the southwestern suburbs
of the city was returning home after spending the night with a cousin
in town, Ward was walking in the same direction ahead of her and
when he reached the spot in the bed of the Alazan creek where it was
spanned by the International Railroad Bridge, he stopped and waited
for her to approach, ‘When she was abreast of him, he grabbed her
and dragged her into some mesquite bushes and when she attempted to
scream, he choked her and knocked her insensible with his cruthh,
When she recovered, her dress had been thrown over the upper part of
her body and her underwear was bloody, Her #RX¥XKEXHE sexual organs
were sore and bleeding and Ward was lying beside her with his pangs
lowered, She attempted to flee and when he tried to strike her again
with the crutch, she grabbed it and managed to escape, She went
directly to her home where she reported the rape to her brother and
WARD, Charles
Ward, alias Charles Word, a 3h-year-old black man, was a native of
Alabama who claimed to have served in both the Army and the Navy
One of his legs had been amputated and he could walk only with the
assistance of a crutch when he arrived in San Antonio, Texas, around
1866, and for the next 15 years he earned a precarious living by
performing various odd jobs and menial tasks, Around 7 o'clock on
Sunday morning, August 21, 1881, Dora Ellerman, the 16-year-old
daughter of a German milk man who lived in ‘the southwestern suburbs
of the city was returning home after spending the night with a cousin
in town, Ward was walking in the same direction ahead of her and
when he reached the spot in the bed of the Alazan creek where it tas
spanned by the International Railroad Bridge, he stopped and waited
for her to approach, ‘When she was abreast of him, he grabbed her
and dragged her into some mesquite bushes and when she attempted to
seream, he choked her and knocked her insensible with his crutbh,
When she recovered, her dress had been thrown over the upper part of
her body and her underwear was bloody, Her HKXEAKKXH# sexual organs
were sore and bleeding and Ward was lying beside her with his pangs
lowered, She attempted to flee and when he tried to strike her again
with the crutch, she grabbed it and managed to escape, She went
directly to her home where she reported the rape to her brother and
WARD, Charles
Ward, alias Charles Word, a 3l-year-old black man, was a native of
Alabama who claimed to have served in both the Army and the Navy.
One of his legs had been amputated and he could walk only with the
assistance of a crutch when he arrived in San Antonio, Texas, around
1866, and for the next 15 years he earned a precarious Living by
performing various odd jobs and menial tasks, around 7 o'clock on
Sunday morning, August 21, 1881, Dora Ellerman, the 16-year-old
daughter of a German milk man who lived in the southwestern suburbs
of the city was returning home after spending the night with a cousin
in town, Ward was walking in the same direction ahead of her and
when he reached the spot in the bed of the Alazan creek where it tas
spanned by the International Railroad Bridge, he stopped and waited
for her to approach, hen she was abreast of him, he grabbed her
and dragged her into some mesquite bushes and when she attempted to
seream, he choked her and knocked her insensible with his cruthh,
hen she recovered, her dress had been thrown over the upper part of
her body and her underwear vas bloody. Her eo ee) aye
He oi She Bee Soe
