an unsuccessful attempt was made to lynch them on the night of Jan. 19,
Several months previously, the New Kent County Jail had been burned in
an escape attempt by a prisoner who was killed: in the fire and it was
necessary for them to be held in the Henrico County Jail at Richmond
from whence they were weturned for their trial where all. were convicted
and Patrick Smith and Julius Christaan sentenced to die and: Claiborne
Smith sentenced to 18 years in prison, Patrick Smith and Christian
were returned to the jail in Richmond to await their execution and they
attemted to set fire to it in effect an escape but only succeeded in
nearly suffocating themselves, When they were returned to New Kent
Court House on the train for their execution on March 25, 1879, they
appeared indifferent to their fate and freely related the story of
the crime, laughing at incidents they found amsing. Whe they
arrived at the Court House, they were dressed in black shrouds before
gheymounted the gallows in the presence of 2,000 witnesses, Both made
speeches acknowledging their guilt and warning otheks to profit by
their fate, Smith's neck was broken by the fall but Christian died of
strangulation, Smith was buried at the foot of ithe gallows but Chris-
tian's mother claimed his body and it was delivered to her for burial,
‘NATIONAL. POLICE GAZETTE, 2-1-1879(5-1); 3=-8~ B79(15=3)5 le5-1879(6-h). i
an unsuccessful attempt was made to lynch them on the night of Jan. 19,
Several months previously, the New Kent County Jail had been burned in
an escape attempt by a prisoner who was killed: in the fire and it was
necessary for them to be held in the Henrico County Jail at Richmond
from whence they were neturned for their trial where all. were convicted
and Patrick Smith and Julius Christaan sentenced to die and: Claiborne
Smith sentenced to 18 years in prison, Patrick Smith and Christian
were returned to the jail in Richmond to await their execution and they
attempted to set fire to it tn effect an escape but only succeeded in
nearly suffocating themselves, When they were returned to New Kent
Court House on the train for their execution on March 25, 1879, they
appeared indifferent to their fate and freely related the story of
the crime, laughing at incidents they found amsing. When they
arrived at the Court House, they were dressed in black shrouds before
gheymounted the gallows in the presence of 2,000 witnesses. Both made
speeches acknowledging their guilt and warning otheks to profit by
their fate, Smith's neck was broken by the fall but Christian died of
strangulation, Smith was buried at the foot of ithe gallows but Chris-
tian's mother claimed his body and it was delivered to her for burial,
NATIONAL POLICE GA ETTE, 2=1-1879(5=1) 3 3=B=1879(15=3) ;_ h-5-1879(6-N)
an unsuccessful attempt was made to lynch them on the night of Jan, 19,
Several months previously, the New Kent County Jail had been burned in
jan escape attempt by a prisoner who was killed. in the fire and it was
necessary for them to be held in the Henrico County Jail at Richmond
from whence they were weturned for their trial where all were convicted
land Patrick Smith and Julius Christéan sentenced to die and. Claiborne
Smith sentenced to 18 years in prison, Patrick Smith and Christian
were returned to the jail in Richmond to await their execution and they
attempted to set fire to it tn effect an escape but only succeeded in
nearly suffocating themselves, When they were returned to New Kent
Court House on the train for their execution on March 25, 1879, they
appeared indifferent to their fate and freely related the story of
the crime, laughing at incidents they found amsing. Whe th
arrived at the Court House, they were dressed in black shrouds before
gheymounted the gallows in the presence of 2,000 witnesses, Both made
speeches acknowledging their guilt and warning otheks to profit by
their fate, Smith's neck was broken by the fall but Christian died of
strangulation, Smith was buried at the foot of the gallows but Chris-
tian's mother claimed his body and it was delivered to her for burial,
aTIONAL POLICE GAZETTE, 2=1-1879(5=1);_ 3-8-1879(15=3); h=5-1879(6-h)
ee toe night of dary 19,|
sicsanthe csieet his aay ana 0"aar ealivred Oo Rr
roi foutoecaere, 2-1-879(et)5 S8A7S(Se3)5 nS-879(6)
CHRISTIAN, Julius and SMITH, Patrick
Christian, 2l-years-old, and Smith, 20-years-old, were black residents
off New Kent County, Va. Smith had, to some extent, been raised by
John S» Lacey, a lSeyear-old respected white man who dealt in hogs
and cattle, Lacey became aware of some criminal activities in which
they and Patrick's younger brother, Claiborne, had been in volved
and threatened to notify the authorities, Christian and the Smiths
knew that Lacey frequently made trips to Richmond where he sold stock
and that when he returned he would carry considerable sums of money,
so they, planned to waylay and kill him as he returned from one of the
trips. On the night of January 17, 1879, they lay in wait near
Tallesville and when Lacey approached driving his cart they asked
him for a ride. He refused and they dragged him from the vehicle
and began stabbing him, Claiborne Smith, frightened by kanexykx the
resistance of Lacey who had armed himself with a hatchet, fled, but
the other two wrested the hatchet from their victim and nearly de-
capitated him with it. After Lacey was dkad, they stole groceries
and dry goods from the cart and the money in his possession before
fleeing, The body was not discovered until fate the next night. In
the meantime, Claiborne Smith had talked to others about his partici-
pation in the robbery=murder and named Patrick and Christian as his
accomplices and the actual killers, All were taken into custody and
CHRISTIAN, Julius and SMITH, Patrick
Christian, 2l-years-old, and Smith, 20-years-old, were black resident s|
of New Kent County, Va. Smith had, to some extent, been raised by
John S. Lacey, a lS-year-old respected white man who dealt in hogs
and cattle, Lacey became aware of some criminal activities in which
they and Patrick's younger brother, Claiborne, had been in volved
and threatened to notify the authorities, Christian and the Smiths
knew that Lacey frequently made trips to Richmond where he sold stock
and that when he returned he would carry considerable sums of money,
so they, planned to waylay and kill him as he returned from one of the
trips. On the night of January 17, 1879, they lay in wait near
Tallesville and when Lacey approached driving his cart they asked
him for a ride. He refused and they dragged him from the vehicle
and began stabbing him. Claiborne Smith, frightened by karexts the
resistance of Lacey who had armed himself with a hatchet, fled, but
the other two wrested the hatchet from their victim and nearly de-
capitated him with it. After Lacey was dkad, they stole groceries
and dry goods from the cart and the money in his possession before
fleeing, _The body was not discovered until flate the next night. In
the meantime, Claiborne Smith had talked to others about his partici-
pation in the robbery=murder and named Patrick and Christian as his
accomplices and the actual killers, All were taken into custody and
CHRISTIAN, Julius and SMITH, Patrick
Christian, 2l-yearseold, and Smith, 20-years-old, were black residents|
off New Kent County, Va, Smith had, to some extent, been raised by
John S, Lacey, a )5-year-old respected white man who dealt in hogs
and cattle, Lacey became aware of some criminal activities in which
they and Patrick's younger brother, Claiborne, had been in volved
and threatened to notify the authorities, Christian and the Smiths
knew that Lacey frequently made trips to Richmond where he sold stock
and that when he returned he would carry considerable sums of money,
so they planned to waylay and kill him as he returned from one of the
trips. On the night of January 17, 1879, they lay in wait near
Tallesville and when Lacey approached driving his cart they asked
him for a ride, He refused and they dragged him from the vehicle
and began stabbing him, Claiborne Smith, frightened by the
resistance of Lacey who had armed himself with a hatchet, fled, but
the other two wrested the hatchet from their victim and nearly de-
capitated him with it, After Lacey ws dkad, they stole groceries
and dry goods from the cart and the money in his possession before
fleeing, The body was n: i ight.
the meattiney Clalvoste Sith fod Peted os Mekene pee ett,
pation in the robbery=murder and named Patrick and Christian as his
accomplices and the actual killers, All were taken into custody and
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