THIS PAPER
Is ooclisDed every afternoon, Baadayi ex-
pt6 by
JOSH. T. J A M E8,
EDITOR AMD rROPRlJCTOR.
9 U D8CHI PTI0N8, P03TAC E PA 1 1 .
in- 00 Hix months. 12 SO : mree
moathiSl 35: One month, W cents.
fne paper will be delivered by carriers,
'rN of charge, in any part of the city, at the ,
above rates, or 13 eenta per week.
Advertising rate loir and liberal
Subseribera will please report any and
11 failure to reeetre their papers rejrulrly
New Advertisements.
REVOLUTION in CARPETS
SROWN & RODDICK,
u -45
filarket St.
Will show the largest assortment
of Carpets South of
New Yorl".
t'Virpcts,
Carpets,
Cairpets
Carpets.
further particulars next week
j ;rpet, J
Carpets,
a - . :
Carpets,
Carpets.
Over $250,000 Represented in this
New Enterprise.
Carpets,
Carpets,
. CaiiittF,
. Carpets.
Wo invite all- to call . who
have
' AfVY iiea of purchasing
such goods. .
Carpets,
Carpets,
Carpets,
Carp
ers.
M
We also invite all to call whether
they have any idea of pur
chasing . or liot.
Carpets !
Caroets I
Caroets
BROWN & E0DDICK,
' 49 darket Street,
nov 7
Lavender Water,
yfiRSNA WATER. New lot freh dragi
tad a fall and oomplete stock of Fancy Arti-
cla for the Holiday Trade. Every thiig
guaranteed freib, pore axd of but quality,
T. C. MILLER,
Corner 4th and lVuu Streets.
Open day and nig hL
jan t-tf
DOlll'T FORGET
THAT THE
Boston 5 and 10 Cents
I Store,
- - 11
IS THE ONLY EXCLUSIVE STORE
OF THE KLND IN THE STATE. '
And the Cheapest
Place to Buy
TIN. GLASS AMD WOODEN WARE
CROCKERY. V
And 999 Other
HOUSEKEEPING
ARTICLES
X Special inducements to Country
Merchants., f
C7" Xew Goods received daily at No.
North Front street. . " jan 7
nrt
VOL.IV.
LOCAL NEWS.
Jfew Advertisements.
A. A I. Saaiaa Belling Off !
P ilEiHBBEBOia Black-Books
E G Bima A Co Frefch Lime.
jA K Walker, Caia'r Dividend Notice.
Albx Fpacmt A Sob Notice to Con:gn-
eea per German barq le Marie Kay per.
Wii dow ;iass--ali sizes at Itafl'er &
I'ric:s. . - f.
lion. D 11. M ician, from llarnett
county, is iu the city.
Ir li i: Kim, i ukii i, heiico, arrived at
v buy mi ;i) ir IJuiM
Hi, , -IP's IM-lii
M'anisbip !:, tfnf,,,; Do re, lifii:te,
arrivtd at. New V rk m.tb-7'h inst.
The feminine piuverb i: A birlon
the bonnet is wurt-ii two on the to int.
- -
'Bo) s, don't bemi loo n;ch time on'
your toilet; the girls arJ much absorb
ed in tbeir own to notice it mucb.
One of eminent learning h)s that socb
as would excel in arts mutt 'xoel in in
dustry except 'au 'indushmis drinker.
Messrs. E. G. Hut kef Cj are in re
ceipt of a' chargo o( 1 '100 barrels fresh
Rockland lime, which th3y are selling
low.
Ba.qie
J. S. Wnnl, Atki :5-ii,
.John DouijLi.is, Tarker,
and
b,th
schooner
loadr- 1 vi;h gu;tin, sailed iroui N tv -ssjl on
the L"JU'ult., 'or this poit.
The Directors of the- . First National
Bnnk of Wilmington have declared a
dividend of three per cent., payable on
and alter rke 12th ib.!
The two important events in the life of
man are when he examines his upper lip
and sees the hair com!ng,-and when be ex
amines the top of his bead and sees the
hair going.
Peter Leitcb, colored, who was found
guilty -of the death of his wife's para-
amour, was to have been hanged to-day
at LumbertowD, but we are infoimed that
the execution dfd not take place.
- A .
We -are pleased to learn that Mr. Tho3.
B. Henderson, who has teen seriously ill at
his residence in tbij city for the past three
weeks, is now on the mend and we hope
to see Lim on the streets in a few days.
Christmas Fire Dogs and Fire Irons
Fluting 'Machines and every sort- of
flud ware at lowest sort of cash prices at
Jacobi's. ..
The use of Halt's Vegetable Sicilian
wer will keep the hair from falling
out.
Entirely Recovered. .
. New Yojrk City, June 16, 1879.
II. H. Wabben & Co. Gentlemen
I hereby certify that my wile has been
using Warner s csaie rviuney ana iiver
0ure for Rright's Disease, and she is now
entirely recovered -When all physicians
remedies failed, she was. ladnced to try
your remedy, and received beneficial re
sults from the urst bottle. Alter Using
four bottles she was entirely cured.
Yours truly
Robert B. Fitzgebald.
Prognostications. -
The observations taken at the Signal
Station are always valuable and correct,
but figures do not entice the general
reader. A most significant fact about
the weather; and cne we wish to put en
record, is the blooming of certain plants.
We notice in the woods that the yellow
jessamine, which blcoms in March and
April, the "'white violet, which seldom
comes sooner than March, and the yellow
butterwort, which flowers from February
to April, are in bloom now.
You can buy No 1. Heating and Cook
Stoves at almost any 'price by going the
Factory Agency, at Jacobi's.
City court.
- One individual, whose verdant appear
ance indicated that he was from the rural
hdistricts was arraigned for. being drunk
and down last night. Id conseqaeace of
the truly rural characteristics in the cas
the Mayor dismissed the defendant with
a warning in regard to his future con
duct. Georgiana Gause, colored, chirfed with
being drunk and down, was the next esse,
and was fined $5 or told she could go be
low for ten days. Not baying the spon
dulicks, the defendant went down to the
CP. ,
Wo. Ncrmeut, colored, charged with
disorderly conduct, was then brought up
to the bar of the Court, but after hearing
the evidence the Mayor reserved his decis
ion; This concluded the proceedings and
the Court adjourned.
WILMINGTON, N. (X FRIDAY- JANUARY
THE BLACK CAP.
Execution of Allan Mathls for the
' Murder of Reuben Herrlnz-TUe
Sentence or the Law Carried Oat in
Trlvate The Murderer's Last Hours
on Earth History ol the Crime
&c, Ac,
Allan Mathis, tin man who first cor
rupted Reuben. Herring's wife and after a
criminal intercourse with her which con-
tinned for saoro than five years, wound
up the record of his sin by murderiag the
wronged and deceived husband, perished
to-dav ou the callows. The crime was
oitniitted in Pender county and the par
t es to it were all colored.
A ILAN MATIJIS
was a likely looking fellow, about 3 or
85 ye.irs of age, but one shade removed
from a full-blooded African,. He was of
a slight build, seme rive ' ieet eight or
O . ' w
nine inches and with an Intelligent look.
Ha was condemned in the Superior Court
for this county, December, term, and, was
hung torday. The condemned EO&n has
been atteuded for wees 3 past by clergy -
men, principally of his own color. Rev,
J. G. Fry.waa with him last night and
prayed and exhorted with him through
out the eatire nbzht. Mathis did not
profess religion as he bad been a member
of the Baptist Church, some years ago
but hedied,be it said.thoroughly penitent.
THE 110 BR APPROACHES.
As the last hour approached the crowds'
which had been b warming around the
jail enclosure and which were especially
thick on Fourth street, became very
dense, although thsre was no disturbance.
Within the jail yard abotu) forty or fifty
parsons had been admitted while of this
number probably two-thlrda were as
sembled on the scafiold awaiting the
appearance of the condemned man. The
hour specified by the Sheriff was 12
o'clock . and as this hour approached and
was numbered only by minutes, the ex
citement became intense. Finally,
promptly at the stroke of twelve, Mathis,
surrounded by his spiritual advisor, left
the cell and the sad procession took its
short way through the outer doors of the
jail and around to the South end of the
building, where as we have previously
described, the gallows was erected .
' ON THE SCAFFOLD.
At 12.02 o'clock the precession mount
ed the stand, the doomed man having the
arm of Rev. J. G. Fry. As they moved
slowly up the steps persons in the streets
commenced shouting and kept it up until
after the execution. Allan Mathis was
dressed in a neat suit of brown jeans, but
were an old and much worn. pair of brc
r . v ' s
gans. snerm aianning reaa ins orasr lor
the execution!
In response to a question asked by the
Sheriff if he had anything to say, Mathis
replied, 'I have said all I had to say and
I jhavetold the truth.' A hymn was then
sung and during the singing Mathis fre
quently ejaculated, 'Lord, Have Mercy I
'Oh, Father Have Mercy,"Lord, I'll soon
be with you.'
A prayer was offered by Rev. J. G.
Fry and at its conclusion the doomed
man said, . 'I am much obliged to you
ministers for being with me and what j
you have done. I have nothing against
anyone and am ready to go.', Jost at
this point at was thought that the doom-.
ed man would give away, so weak and
nerveless was he, but the prayer of the
Episcopal Church, for such an occasion,
read by the Rev. O. O Brady, seemed to
nerve him and give him strength.
"good bye" ...
was said, Mathis shaking bands with
those around him and saying he wonld
'meet them at Judgment.' At 12:13
Mathis, in obedience to a motion from the
Sheriff, stepped upon the trapx and the
rope was then adjusted and the black cap
was drawn over his face. While this
was being done he asked that the 'Rock
of Ages be sung for hici as at his. last
breath he wanted to bear sweet-singing
around him.
At this moment he was seized with a
kind of rapture of the senses and gave
evidences of being about, to break out
into sheuta but the Sheriff laid a hand
on his shoulder and advised him to ! be
quiet and calm. The final preparations
complete Sheriff Manning shook . hands
with him, bade him "good .bye" and at
12:15 the' trap was sprang and admid
a breathless silence the guilty bat re
pentant soul of Allan Mathis passed from
the earth. The arrangements were so
carefully made and ..everything (worked
so well that death was almost instantane
ous. . The fill was about 8 feet and the
nack waa broken. There were a few
quiverings cf the body, a fe.v convulsive
movements of the hands, and then all was
still In five minutes after the fall Doc
tors Walker and Lane bogan their ex
amination and in ten minutes life
was pronounced extinct and the
body was flowered iiito the coffin.
Funeral services were then held under
the gallows participated in by the follow
ing colored h.inisters, viz: Revs C..O'
Brady J. G; Fry, D. J. Saunders, A. M.
Conway, E. Morton, G. W. Price, Sr.
Cornelius Sampson and Robert Lucas
These concluded the body was catried to
its last long home in the Patter's Field.
Some idea of the expedition with which
matters were conducted an expedition,
by the way, which was the result of care
ful and proper arrangements may be
formed from the fact that within tweety
five minutes of the moment- when
the drop fell the body of the executed
man was on its way to interment.
HI TORY OP THE CRIME. '
There were three parties intimately
connected with the tragedy, Allan
Mathis, the murderer, Reuben Herring,
the murdered man, and Lucy Herring,
wife of Reuben, all of whom were colored .
CAUSES WHICH LED TO THE MURDER.
For a longtime Reuben bad been aware
that a criminal intimacy was existing
between his wife, Xucy, and "Mat hi?, and
had endeavored in every possible manner,
.even by an appeal to the law, to put a
top to it.. His efforts, however, proved
of no avail and the two cc ntinued in the
most brazen adultery, utterly regardless
of decency or thejjaw. Mathis became
80 amboldened in his criminal conduct
atNbe had repeatedly uttered threats
againat the life of Herring, should the
latter Again attempt to interfere", with
him.
HISSArrEABANCE OF HERRING.
In the latter part of September, 1878,
Herring was missing from his accustomed
haunts and soon after Mathis also disap
peared. Sospicions were aroused, and
Lucy, the guilty wife, upon being ques
tioned as to the whereabouts of her hus
band, gave many and conflicting state-
mends. About this time she received a
letter frem Bladen coanty purporting to
be written by her husband, and stating
that he was on bis way to Georgia and did
hot know when he should return,- Being
unable to read she carried the letter to a
neighbor to read it for her, when i
was at once identified as coming
from Allan Mathis. She was arrested
uporwa suspicion which was how firmly
fixed upon her, and after being placed in
arreet, stated that Allan had told her thai
he had killed Reuben and had buried him
at a certain place not far distant. ' A par-
y went to the spot indicated, taking her
with them, but there was no appearance
of any grave, and they became satisfied
that she had again misled them, la re
urnlng, however, they passed near the
house occupied oy Matnis, ana in
searching the premises found a hoe and
a shovel, with' clay Upon them. Further
search revealed the fact that a well upon
the lot had recently been filled up, and a
comparison showed that the clay in the
well and upon the tools was
of the same 'kind. With this
clue. ! thev commenced clearing but
the well, and soon came in sight of a dead
body which was at once identified as that
of Reuben Herring.
Mathis bad at this time returned to the
neighborhood, and he was at once arrested
and held with Lucy to await the decision
of the Coroner s jury. An inquest was
held and the verdict rendered was that
the deceased came to his death through
the instrumentality of Allan Mathis and
Lucy Herring. Both parties were com
mitted to jail without the benefit of bail,
by the magistrate having 1 charge of the
preliminary examination. Subsequently,
however, a nolle prosequi was entered
as to Lucy in order that she might be able
to testify in the case when it should come
up for I
j. THE TRIAL.'
Allan Mathis was put upon his trial
for murder at the December term, of
1878, of the Superior Court of Tender
county, Judge A. A. McKoy presiding.
Having no counsel, Messrs E. T. Boy kin,
J. T. Bland and Brace Williams were
assigned by the Judge . to conduct the
defense. . T;e State .was represented by
Swift Galloway, Esq.,; 8o!ieitor of this
Judicial District. The case, upon motion
oi counsel for the defense, was . continued
to the June term of 1879,. when a.change
NO. 285
.'of venue" was prayed in the usaal .form
and accompanied by the necessary affid
vitf, which was grauted, and the case was
r m !ved to the , December .term of 1879
of the Superior Court 'of New Hanover
county, Judge Eure . presiding. jIn' this
Court the case waa again called and'heard.
Lucy Herring, the adulterous wife, wap
placed upon the witness stand and the
folll'owing is the substance of
her Trs I'lilOJC Y. '
On tLe morning of the honucidu Lucy
obtained permission of ' her husband,
Reuben Herring, to go to the b -ue of a
neighbor, professing a desire to M r- a let
ter written. Failing to obtaiu ri fbg
materials at the house in question, she
then went to the house of Allan 'Mathis,
accompanied by the neighbor upon whom
she had at first called. Here writing" ma
terials were procured, the neighbor wrote
the letter fur her and then returned to his
horn1,' leaving her and Allau together
the house cf the lat'er." .After awhile 4he
two saw' Reuben. Herring approaching,
having in his hand large hickory stick,
when Allan .seized his gun and went
to tha door and .warned Reuben
not to oiuo any nearcv. Reuben paid no
heed however, to the warning, but 011
tinued to approach' unt il h r -f vislnn
reach ot A 11. if , lttV snick at
hira with ;Li r:t-ci, ol Lib uu, but lleu-
b3n warded off iiie blow by the use of Lis
'stick. Allan then retreated to the house,
where he secured an axe and agaiu went
out of doors and struck at Reuben, bitting
him in the side, llepcatirg the blow, be
hit him lull in the forehead, causing him
to fall to the eartb, where the body, was
partially concealed behind some swectgum
bushes, ne struck the third blow while
the body was upon the ground, but she
did not know whether thte blow hit her
husband or not. Allan then took the
body and threw it in the well, where it
was found; and '.filled the well up with
dirt.
The testimony of Lucy was corrobor
ated by other witnesses aud by a strong
chain of circumstance?, all of which
pointed an unerring finger to Allan
Mathis as the perpetrator of the foul deed.
The case wasj given to the jury, which
was composed of seven white and five
eolored men, in a clear and impartial
manner by Judge Eure, and after a short
absence, they returned and rendered a
verdict of--
GUILTY OFMUKDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE.
The sentence of the court was then
prayed by the prosecuting attorney, when
His Honor, Judge Eure, in an impressive
manner, ' pronounced the sentence of
death, and that the execution should take
place in the jail yard of New Hanover
county in the city of Wilmington on Fri
day, the 9th day of January, 1880.
TUE CONFESilON.
'Mathis made three confessions before
his execution to one of his spiritual advi
sors, Rev. CO. Brady, af theSt. Mark's
Episcopal Church, colored, of this city,
the second in correction of some errors In
the first and the third and last in correca
lion of an error in the third. The three
being reduced to one simple statement,
are as follows :
1
I had been seated on the piazza of my
house in company with the woman, for
whom I bad been writing a letter. On
finishing the letter I had gone into the
house and put away the writing material.
I came out again, and when I got into the
yard I saw a man! concealed in the
bushes. I returned - to the house
and told the woman of the fact, took my
gun and went out again, when the man
approached and attempted to strike me
with a large hlcKory stick which he bad.
I warded off the blows as best I could
with tie butt end cf tbe'gun, retreatingYt
the same time towards the house. When
I reached the house I leaned the run
against the side 01 it and seized my. axe,
which - was j st inside the door
I then struck him with the axe, the blow
hitting hioa in the side, . The second blow
hit bim in the forehead, felling blm to the
earth, when I struck him the third time,
also upon the head.
In
about fifteen
minutes I took the
lifeless
body and
buried it in the well where it was found.
The Body
1
Found.
day or two before Xmas,
Saml
Davis, colored, was missing and nothing
has been heard of him since until to day,
bat be was supposed to have been drown
ed as his batteau was found adrift in the
North East river about 15 miles from
this city Yesterday the body of the old
man was found near where be is supposed
t3 have tbeen drownel. There are no
marks of violence on his person but an
old handkerchief was tied around Kia
bead as though be had been suffering
rom headache. His pipe and stick were
ying in the bottom of the boat when it
9, 1880
was picked cp. .
PLEASE JJOTICi ;
We will be f lad to reeelve communication!
from oar friends on any and all tnbjcti'o
Ceaeral interest bat :
The name of the writer mart alwiyr.be far
nished jto the Editor. -
Commanieations moat bi written en only
one side of the'paper.
Personal! ties moet be avoided. '
And it is especially and particularly under
stood that the Editor does not always endo 1
the views of correspondent, unless o state
in the editorial columns. L
Knives and Forks, Pocket Knives Ac,
for the' Children at Jacoiu's.
New Advertisements.
Selling Off!
rpUK BALANCE OFOL'It
IMMENSE STOCK OF
FALL AND WINTER CLOTH IK G
must go at almost any price to make room
for the Spring Etjles. 'Bargain,
bad. All must be -fd. Call and r ttb.c (
duced pric2i, at,. . j '
SIIRlEIt'3 TWO iT '
ja.9 " .Miiiet'et.
pONdI&EES PER
Barque 'MARIE KUT PER
Master, from LirerpoolJ pit aee tike notice
that this vessel is now waiting to discharge
cargo, 251 tons Common alt, in accrrdanc
with charter prty dated in Liverpool, 12th
Jorember, lfc79.
. ' ALEX. SPRUXT A HON,
JP9 , j Agent,
First National Bank f
.' of WilmiDgton
-DIVIDEND OF THREE PER CENT ,
has been declsr d h tLe Board of Directors
of tliii Bank, paj able on and after' the 12th
nst- A. K, AVALKER,"
Jn t-P : Cashier.
Fresh Lime.
1 AOCi BBLS.IXTRA
1 1UU ROCKLAND LIME,
jugt received per Fchr U. G. Bird, and
For sale low by
jan 0-n E. G. BARKER A CO.
SuHstmas
AND
V
HOLIDAY GOODS
AT
M. KATZ'S,
3C Market Sf.
It is Economy to IJuy
Soinelhiii irotiil !
05
hand, fon 'that ruurosE,
GOODS,
Shawls, Cloaks,
Corsets,1 Uloves,
Collars and Cuffs,
TIES, TOWELSjfNAPKIN?, .
DAMASKS-
BRUSHES,
COW1BS.
Handkerchiefs !
From 5 cants upI
BIBS. BOWS. FLAPiMELS.8 MEN'S
AND BOYS' WEAR. RIBBON?
And hundreds of Articlei'toa namsrooj'j
mention.
Wo adrance In any of (thece G00L1.
Bivt money and get eoirthiog; uaefolb
ealling on
30 Market St.
The Wew Hat Store.
JU8T RECEIVED ANOTHER LOT
OP THOSE 8ILK AND BTIFF HATS
Also a fine line of Boy's Hsta. All cheap
for cash., Ca'l and fxamina.
GERMAN
JOHN If. ROBINSON,
Next door Booth of Pure 11 llou v
jan 3