Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1859-05-17
Terrible Scene at an Execution.

The Chicago Tribune of Saturday mornino
gives the following particulars of the execution
of McNarnee, IN that city, for the crime of muir
der
| The hour of the execution of McNanee, had
/ been fixed at 3 p. NJ. BY that time the Jury
summoned by the Sheriff had gathered within
the jail. where were present j. a. J. Burdsail
c. A. Kellogg. G. B. Jones. Z. Schlager. II. NJ
Flint. J. Boorman, G. d. Kellogg, C. p. Bradley
( DR.. Ernst Smith. II. n Snyder, Dr. NJ Parker
Dr. W. II. Baltzell.
| The two physicians whose presence is requi-
red by law, designated as Dr. McVicker
and DR.. Max Myers. This constituted the list
of the scene of execution, swelled only BY the
presence of the officers of the law
| Without the Court House and at the entrances
of the Square, where crowds were gathered. a
most intense, though subdued feeling was man :
| feSt.
! Ten minutes before 3 o'clock the mourntul
procession passed from McNamee's cell up the
stairs from the jail to the gastly preparations on
the main floor above.
EXECUTION.
The mode of adjusting the fatal moose is known
as the French method. To prevent Just what
subsequently occurred, the slipping of the knot,
thus substituting slower strangulation for the
instant death by dislocation of the neck, the
cord about the neck Is exchanged for thick,
double sewed belt of leather. nearly a hand :
breadth wide of length little less than the cir
cumferance of the neck. In the ends are eye
lets through which the rope passes. Thus stiff
collar is made which renders dislocaiion inevit-
able TheFcollar used yesterday, the same
one used at the execution of Staub. 1t was ad :
iusted to the neck of McNamee, his hands were
bound, the black cap drawn over his eyes, he
stands upon the fatal trap, the clergy repeat the
prayers of the church, and while IN the utter
ance of Our Father which art in Heaven" the
drop falls, the bound frame of the condemned
wretch descends distance of eight full feet up
| ttaa cord hglI k,t -
| collar parts at the eyelet and the victim falls
heavily fifteen feet upon the floor of the Jail base
ment. a cry OF horror escapes the spectators
There Is no movement of life III the black robed
and hooded body Officers Brady. Palmer,
Kennedy and Greene, raise it, bear 1T to the
head of the stairs, fefore the first symptoms of
| consciousness on the part of Men aimee no.
ticed.
The hood is removed, and under the excite
ment of that awful hour, the bruises of fall, at
any other time no light affair, were probably un-
felt by the wretched man. He was asked, = can
you s,aad alone ?" And probably misunder-
standing the question, answered, & \ es, L can
stand that, and twice that."
The rope then read iusted, this time the
! usual Eoose. The priests take their positions at
his side, he bids them again adieu, and at Civ
en- signal the clang of the falling trap, the rush
of the descending body and the sharp twang of
the Strengthened cord, and the struggling frame
of McNamee was suspended IN the air.
BY some misatilustment, this second time the
knot slipped aside, and the neck not bro
ken. When the body had hung fourteen min
utes, the heart circulation was still apparent,
| though faint. The struggles of the expiring
wretch continued for some minutes.
We have no mind TO incur the charge of pur-
suing that officer with indicative spirit, by
any comments OF oars on SherIH Gray 5 manage
| ment OF the execution OF poor McNamee. That
1t was badly conducted, and thus from these
mistakes gathered horrors new and needless to
the gallows, We submit for the verdict of our
readers
The drop fell, for the second time, at ten min
utes past three o'clock. The lIfeless remains
We're cut down at ten minutes before four L. VI.
They were placed IN black walnut coffin and
delivered to his sister. y little later hearse
was driven into the Court House Square, and
the rem ms of poor McNamee were borne away
from the scene of so much terror, even he has
passed from the presence, though not from the
remembrance, of his fellow -fnen