Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-04-03
The Hanging of Mrs. Bnansky, in St Pau.
Minnesota.
The FIRST PERSON EXECUTED IN THAT STATE =
PARTICULARS OF THE SCENE.

The FIRST PERSON EXECUTED IN THAT STALE
PARTICULARS OF THE SCENE.
,.Wo learn from the st. Paul Pioneer of
;isrch 81, that this unfortunate woman was
hsngei on the 2Jd. The crime alleged against
ner was that of poisoning her husband on the
9Th of March, 1859. Every effort had been
made by her counsel to secure her scquittal
but without. She escaped once from the hall
of the Jail. and after a weeks absence was re-
taken with q person said to be her paramount.
At the scaffold the following scene occurred.
IN the presence of about one hundred persons
among whom were a number of Dacotah or
elou1 Indians. who had come to witness this
exhibition Of Christian civilization
vi hen the prisoner arrived upon the plat
form, she was led forward and kneeIed upon
the drop, the clergy, jailer, and the Sisters of
Charity and other ladies in the same nosture
around her. About FIVE minutes were then
spent IN reading prayers by the clergy, in
which she seemed to take a deep interest.
Upon rising she was asked if she had anything
to say. She said:
Il die without ever having had any mercy
SHOWN me, or justice. die for the good of
my soul and not for murder. May You all
profit by my death. Your courts of Justice are
rot courts of justice-butI will yet get Justice
IN Heaven. am a guilty. woman. I know.
hut not of this murder, which was committed
by another. / forgive everyb body who did IN o
wrong. die sacrifice to the law 1 hope
and by more righteous judge. l die pre-
pared TO meet my God
DR.. Miller, deputy sheriff, then approached
her with the rope. when she exclaimed. "Dr
Miller, how can you stain your hands by put
ting that rope around my neck-the instru-
ment Of my death ?''
He assured her that duty compelled him to
do 1t, and she made no resistance and only
aid. DO, for Gods sake, put it on so il will
not suffocate me-"
After 1t had been arranged DR. Miller took
the black cap from hi. pocket, and proceeded
TO put 1t on her head, when she said BE sure
that my face is we'll covered -
All this took place in less time than it will
take TO read 1t, during which she said several
times, God have mercy-God have mercy on
my soul. Her last words were, Lord Jesus
Christ receive my soul"
she was requested to take a step forward on
the drop, and then, everything being prepared.
Dr Miller made motion to Sheriff Tullis, who
pulled the fatal rope, and in an instant she
fell. The fall was about four feet, and the NJ a
ehlnery was SD nicely adjusted that the noise
was scarcely heard outside Of the enclosure
There was scarcely any movement in the
body after II dropped a slight convulsive mo-
ton and heaving Of the chest, was all that
was observed
The body wss allowed to hang about twenty
minutes. during which time prayers we're read
audibly by the clergy, who remained kneeling
on the platform.
The physicians having examined the body
seyeral times, then stated to the sheriff that
lite was extinct, and she was cut down and
placed IN plain black coffin that had been
placed in front Of the galows during the whole
period of the execution
Her demeanor on the scafold was excellent.
She was not defiant or stoical, neither did she
~t-~H % 'oaI IL 4, the opinion VI many TIM
she expected Pa-Ie- .UpTIeye TO the n-a.
moment.
The most disgusting feature connected with
the affair, says the Pioneer, was the eagerness
and persistency with which females sought to
obtain eligible places to view the dying agonies
OF one Of their own sex