botCounty, convicted and sentenced to die, The conviction was
affirmed on appeal and at 8533 on the morning of March 2, 1899; he
_~ was hanged bé$fre 50 witnesses in the jail yard at Chesterfield,
2 About 400 persons had signed a petition requesting a commutation of
9 his sentence but the Governor declined to intervene, On the morn-
ing of his execution, he was given a new pair of brown overalls and
a matching jumper and he Ate a fair breakfast of steak, roll s and
qi coffee, After brief religious ceremonies were held in his cell, the
eu ereee prionses sang hymns in which he occasionally joined until the
i march to the gallows began. The scaffold, surrounded by a fence and
“+ erected just outside the MMWR rear door to the corridor of the jail,
was mounted with a firm step, His nerve began to fail when the black
* cap was lowered over his face and as the noose was placed about his
neck, he appeared to be on the verge of falling, Just before the
* trap fell, he remarked "'I'm trusting in the Lord." ‘when the trap
fell, the rope on the beam slipped and his feet hit the ground, The
hoffified spectators heard him exclaim: "Oh, my God," and the Chief
Deputy Sheriff immeidiately loosened the rope and drew it up until
hes feet were KEM one foot from the ground and retird it. Even
though he was not pronounced dead: for 17 minutes, the physician said
hig Robe had been broken, When the drop fell, he managed to break
the steel handcuffs which bound his harids, but he did not strugglee
The black cap was not removed from his head and he was buried in the
ELC tL
eS
Almshouse cem
botCounty, convicted and sentenced to die, The conviction was
affirmed on appeal and at 8533 on the morning of March 2h, 1899, he
_~was hanged b&6$re 50 witnesses in the jail yard at Chesterfield,
© About 00 persons had signed a petition requesting a commutation of
his sentence but the Governor declined to intervene, On the morn-
ing of his execution, he was given a new pair of brown overalls and
a matching jumper and he hte a fair breakfast of steak, roll s and
coffee. After brief religious ceremonies were held in his cell, the
f Other prionsrs sang hymns in which he occasionally joined until the
a march to the gallows began. The scaffold, surrounded by a fence and
+ erected just outside the M¥4K rear door to the corridor of the jail,
was mounted with a firm step, His nerve began to fail when the black
* cap was lowered over his face and as the noose was placed about his
F neck, he appeared to be on the verge of falling, Just before the
trap fell, he remarked ""I'm trusting in the Lord." ‘When the trap
fell, the rope on the beam slipped and his feet hit the ground, The
hoffified spectators heard him exclaim: "Oh, my God." and the Chief
Deputy Sheriff immeidiately loosened the rope and drew it up until
hs feet were KEM one foot from the ground and retird it. Even
‘ utes, the sician said
though he, was not pronounced dead 207 y Falls he managed to break
but he did not struggles
the steel handcuffs which bound his hards, : :
The black cap was not removed from his head and he was buried in the
IC 106
ey
Almshouse cemet
botCounty, convicted and sentenced to die, The conviction was
affirmed on appeal and at 833 on the morning of March 2h, 1899; he
_~Was hanged b&6ére 50 witnesses in the jail yard at Chesterfield,
About: 100 persons had signed a petition requesting a commutation of
his sentence but the Governor declined to intervene, On the morn-
& ing of his execution, he was given a new pair of brown overalls and
Ha matching jumper and he bte a fair breakfast of steak, roll s and
coffee, After brief religious ceremonies were held in his cell, the
ei other prioners sang hymns in which he occasionally joined until the
“march to the gallows began, The scaffold, surrounded by a fence and
erected just outside the HME rear door to the corridor of the jail,
was mounted with a firm step,
His nerve began to fail when the black
IE pee ele
¥ WRIGHT, Joseph
N Wright, a’black man, was an only child born in Cecil Co., Ma, in
ay June 1877, On the night of Nov. lh, 1897, he and a friend were in
,\ 2 store at Big Woods near Lynch's Station, an area populated almost
exclusively by blacks and both were intoxicated, William Newcombe
("Uncle Billy"), a l9-year-old black man who lived in the area and
who was higly regarded was also present. Wright and his friend de-
cided to go to a festival which was being held at Fountain Church
and as they started to leave the other man stumbled over Newcombe
who remonstrated with him to be careful as someone might get hurt,
Wright, who had never had trouble with Newcombe before, became en-
raged andyremarking: "Non't do it to him; hit me, I've been wanting
to get at you for about two years," deew and revolver and shot New-
combe, killing him instantly, He then fled from the store and hid
outside for a few minutes before going on to the festival where he
was subsequently arrested, Wright, who claimed that he had never
qdrank anything before the night of the murder, said that he did not
remember having killed Newcomee and stated that if he had, in fact,
shot the man, it was an accident. Mis first trial, held in Kent
ounty, resulted in a mistrial when the jury could not agree, eleven
members voting for conviction of first degree murder and one for
gencolyictton of second degree murder. He was then tried again in Tal-
TF,
Morning Weald, F//.
tas
¥ WRIGHT, Joseph
NX wright, a’black man, was an only child born in Cecil Co,, Md. >in
») June 1877, On the night of Nov. lh, 1897, he and a friend were in
\ a store at Big Woods near Lynch's Station, an area populated almost
AN exclusively by blacks and both were intoxicated, William Newcombe
IS ("Uncle Billy"), a 49-year-old black man who lived in the area and
, who was higly regarded was also present. Wright and his friend de-
N cided to go to a festival which was being held at Fountain Church
) and as they started to leave the other man stumbled over Newcombe
who remonstrated with him to be careful as someone might get hurt.
Wright, who had never had trouble with Newcombe before, became en-
raged and,remarking: "Non't do it to him; hit me, I've been wanting
to get at you for about two years," deew and revolver and shot New-
combe, killing him instantly, He then fled from the store and hid
outside for a few minutes before going on to the festivel where he
¥ was subsequently arrested, Wright, who claimed that he had never
drank anything before the night of the murder, said that he did not
remember having killed Newcombe and stated that if he had, in fact,
NaNshot the man, it was an accident. Mis first trial, held in Kent
ounty, resulted in a mistrial when the jury could not agree, eleven
members voting for conviction of first degree murder and one for
pe of second degree murder, He was then tried again in Tal-
WRIGHT. Joseph
‘right, a’black man, was an only child born in Cecil Co., Md, in
June 1877, On the night of Nov, l, 1897, he and a friend were in
A) @ store at Big Woods near Lynch's Station, an area populated almost
exclusively by blacks and both were intoxicated, William Newcohbe
NS (uncle Billy”), a l9-year-old black man who lived in the area and
; who was higly regarded was also present, Wright and his friend de-
IN cided to go to a festival which was being held at Fountain Church
and as they started to leave the other man stumbled over Newcombe
who remonstrated with him to be careful as someone might get hurt.
‘Wright, who had never had trouble with Newcombe before, became en-
raged and,remarkings "Mon't do it to him; hit me, I've been wanting
to get at you for about two years," drew and revolver and shot New-
combe, killing him instantly, He then fled from the store and hid
outside for a few minutes before going on to the festival where he
X iias subsequently arrested, Wright, who claimed that he had never
‘drank anything before the night of the murder, said that he did not
remember having killed Newcombe and stated that if he had, in fact,
shot, the man, it was an,accident. Mis first trial, held in Kent
jounty, resulted ina mistrial when the jury could’not agree, eleven
members voting for conviction of first degree mrder and one for
@pygonviction of ‘second degree murder. He was then tried again in Tal-
iss tire eee oF fons apt, bo anes
