Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-07-02
Execution of Hiram Miller the As
cutneyVille Murderer.

murderer of Mr.. and Mrs. Gowen Of AS
cutneyville, two years ago took place in
the Vermont State Prison at Windsor
Friday June 18th.
At about half past twelve a large
crowd had assembled in the guard room
and outside, to gain admission to the ex'
ecution, but most of the crowd had to
content themselves with what they could
hear, and an occasional glimpse of the
hurry and confusion through the CRATE
of the iron door leading from the guard
room to the prison.
The scaffold was erected in the south
east corner of the prison. A pair OF
stairs lead from the basement to the floor
of the scaffold. The floor is eight feet
from the basement, having been raised
two feet since the execution of John
Ward last year. 1t is so arranged that
two can be executed at the same time
VA half inch rope hangs directly over the
Icenter of the drop, passing over pull
ley in the frame above. 1t is connected
to a stout spiral spring, which springs
sufficiently to insure safety at an execu-
ton. AT about / o'clock P. NJ. the pris-
oner was conducted from his cell to the
scafiold in the following order. High
Sheriff Stimsou with Rev. Franklin But
Ter, Chaplain of the prison, Hiram Mil
Ter between two deputies, the twelve le-
gal witnesses required by law. The pris-
oner was assisted to the floor of the scat
fold, and there seated, the exercises were
commenced by the Chaplain, who read
selections from the Scriptures. Prayer
was then offered by the Chaplain, after
which Miller was placed upon the drop.
The death warrant was then read by
Sheriff Stimson. He was then asked if
he had anything to say he said that he
was an innocent man, that there were
persons standing before him that had
sworn to falsehoods, but he was innocent,
and if there was any there he had injur-
ed he asked their forgiveness, said that
he stood there with no strength of his
own, that he had none but that given
him by his Saviour. AS the black cap
was being put on, he said, )" Gentlemen
l wish you all good bye" Sheriff Slim
son then approached thespring, and said,
Hiram Miller may God have mercy on
your soul. Simultaneous with the words,
i his foot touched the spring and Hiram
Miller was launched into eternity He
dropped at precisely fifteen minutes past
one. AT twenty-six minutes past one,
life was pronounced extinct by the at
tending physicians, Drs. Palmer of Lud-
low, Stiles of Windsor, and z. G. Har-
rington of Chester. After hanging thir-
ty-two minutes the body was taken down
and placed in the coffin. The body was
sent to his friends at Jay, on the night
train. There were about fifty persons
admitted to the execution, reporters for
the press both from the city and country
far and near Sheriff Stimson executed
this painful duty with frmness and dis
patch. SWIFT.
The horrid details of the murder for
which Miller was executed, our readers
will remember too well to be repeated
here. The report of the Springfield Re
publican contains some details not
given above, and to save connection
we give most of it, dated on the day of
the execution as follows:
There were three guards with Miller,
last night. He was very restless through
the night, and stood at the door of his
cell talking with them most of the time
until 3 o'clock, when he dropped asleep
for an hour, but his sleep was not sound.
His remarks were mostly of an incoher.
ent nature, and he showed that mental
ly ne was but little removed from an
idiot. At first he vas confident of his
ability to stand the fearful test, but as
he began to realize that he had entered
upon his last day, he completely broke
down. AT one time he spoke of his lit
tie boy, and showed that he really longed
to see him once more, but immediatel,
after he would utter some coarse, yulpa,
joke. He said that he supposed Their,
would be crowd Of spectators to see hin
hung, and he wished to have them prom
ise not to bite him at the same time thai
they kissed him good bye. He still per
sisted in his innocence, and kept repeat
ing that they won't get anything out O
me-" At midnight he ate pie, and q.
Z o'clock this morning he took heart,
breakfast. At that time some acauain.
tances from Richford, VT, visited him,
and were gladly received by him, but
soon heagain commenced mplaining and
spoke wildly of the set of bloodhound.
about him, endeavoring to steal his
clothes, etc. Becoming entirely unman.
ned, he was left alone and soon dropped
into disturbed sleep. Fears were en-
tertained during the forenoon that he
would become insensible before the NON,