New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-27
PETE CHRISMAN DEAD >

PETE CHRISM4N DEAD
If the title of this article be a little "sensa-
"tionaln (whatever that may be- we have to
plead in mitigation of censure that we copy 1t
from The 81. Louis Democrat of the eth inst.
That enterprsing sheet considered the death OF
Pete Chrisman a matter of such pressing pubic
interest that it devoted four of its long columns
to a full and particular description of Master
Chrismans exit. The good and virtuous, when
they leave this terrestrial ball, are fobbed oil
with two or three obituary lines but Pete
Chrisman, the juvenile murderer (cunously
enough his exact age is not stated)-Pete Chris
man, the boy fcnd who accomplished double
homicide in spite of his tender years and his
inexpcrence is the hero of the hour, and
taxes the ingenuity of the very ablest reporters
to construct his threnody. Pete, rs we are
told, was hardly an idiot" But, as we are
further told, " from his childhood he exhibited
&" a sort Of abnormal deficiency in those facul-
" ties that furnish MS with motives, that regu-
"late our relations and conduct toward our fell
Glow men. he raS rather an imbeciie.' Here,
the reader will observe, is a nice and important
distinction. If Pete had been a confirmed idiot,
the authorities of Missouri would have thought
it safe, compatible, in fact, with the best in
tercsts of society, 10 permit him under certain
restrictions still 20 live but as he had the
misfortune 10 be simply rather an in,h~"n''
society shook SIS head, couldn't run the flsk,
and was so dreadfully afraid of Peter that 1t
was forced TO strangle him. Poor imbecile ! II
he had but known just little less
We have carefully read all that We find
printed upon this case. Whcp Master Chris
man was arrested for the double murder he
said "the devil did t-not him He never
made the least denial that the old man and
the boy died through his agency but hc always
qualified his confession by insisting that the
devil that was in him did the deed 1t is
further stated that he forgot dates he
mixed up the days on which he committed
" the deed he forgot whether it was Thurs
~ day, or Friday or Saturday; and though
arrested one day after the discovery, yet he
insisted that it was six weeks ago. He
could neither read nor write he had been to
school, but could not learn. When asked if he
feared death, he answered, "No, I'm not fright
&" ened much I'll sleep good tonight" His
conversation with a clergyman on his last even
ing was really curiosity, if conversation il
could be called for hardly anything could be
extortcd from him except simple " Yes or
No" Here is a specimen
Mr. Birmingham AS a minister Of the gospel I was
impeed to call and see you. Are you prepared 10 die
Pete ChTisnan. Yes sir am prepared to die
DO you realize that you have committed IN his eye a
great Ohense I
Pete Chrisman. Yes, air
H Mia BgE9SS Have you asEgS God to forgive ygq
Mr. birmingham DO you believe in the existence Of
your soul, and in whom do you trust TO be saved
Pete ChTisman Yes. sir believe that I'll be happy
Mr. Birmingham. You are q slnnerl
Pete Chr1sman. Yes, air. =.
SIR Birmingham. There is only one way to be saved
and your Savior will forgive you DO you believe that
Pete Chrisnan. Yes, sir
1t is evident that the intellectual faculties of
this poor boy were only equal TO making the
answers which he knew were expected of him
in the simplest possible way No worLcr that
the Rev. Mr.. Birmingham said short payer
commanding the Soul of the doomed boy 20
" the judgment of a merciful though just G od :"
and then retired iii rather a discouraged frame
of mind. When the minister wis gone the Gull
prit at once "slumbered soundlyn A Catholic
priest came in the morning to afford him the
last consultations of his church. Then the
favored few, who had cards Of invitation from
the County Marshal, began TO drop in. Outside,
the excluded mob roarcd for a peep, and fought
for possession Of the cracks and crannies in
the wall. The victim advances to the scaffold
and the enterprising reporter notices that he
wears yellow pantaloons" Then they did the
work SO clumsly that Pete was fourteen
minutes and half dying" as the enterprising
reporter noticed, with his watch in his hand.
Then the following conversation was heard
and taken down by the representative of the
press
Teut0n said, Pretty sure hung voice from the
roof CRED Cd On you get OF the light"
Then they cut up the rope and divided it
as q relic. Then it was discovered that some
body had stolen the cap, to the great wrath of
one of tile deputy marshals who had con-
tracted to sell it to friend for five dollars!
Then the reporter went home to dinner, and
aftcrward wrote four columns about hangings
in general and the hanging of Peter in partic-
ular, which Society read the next morning at
breakfast, and congratulated itself that its
dearest interests have been so carefully at
tended to. Pete Chrisman, not quite an idiot,
only an imbecile, being dead-the "boy -fendn
having been fairly put under ground-the State