Connecticut western news., 1871-10-20
Wilson tho Murderer.

"DaVid kentley, better known as James
 Wilson, was hung on Friday, Oct. l3, fol
 the murder of William Willard, warden Of
 the state prison, committed August l5, 1870.
 The law has taken its full course, and while
 minority doubt the wisdom of capital
 punishment, there cannot be human be-
 ing cognizant of the facts who doubts that
 kentley deserved the full legal penalty of
 his crime. He attempted, in his frequent
 appeals to the public, to appear as an aven-
 ger of wrongs committed upon prisoners
 by Mir. Willard. He was unable to allege
 one cruel act of the warden, and confined
 himself to charges that improper food was
 furnished the prisoners. The secret of his hatred of his victim is not difficult to find. Kentley's whole life was spent as pro-
 fessional burglar. The sum of his senten- ces was fifty-seven years, but while he was not at all difficult to catch he was always difficult to keep. He served in the Con- necticut state prison from 1851 to 1857, under the name of John Marshall, and fre- quently confessed, partly in boosting, partly in modification, that this was the only full sentence he ever served. Twice during this term he attempted to escape by means which had been successful elsewhere, but each time he was foiled by Mir. Willard, then an under officer. And when he was on trial for the Brown 6 Thomson burglary in December, 1868, Mir. Willard recognized him in the court room as the John Mar shall, whom he had not seen in eleven years. Doubtless partly by reason of this identification, Kentley received more atten- tion and being convicted of two other burglaries, the aggregate of his sentences was sixteen years. William Willard, then, he regarded as the only prison officer in the many penitentiaries he had inhabited who was more than match for him. He un- doubtedly indulged a most malignant hatred for Mir. Willard, for he had great pride in in his successful villainy. The warden changed Kentley's work several times at his request, to accommodate his infirmities. and no man who knew that officer ever doubted his good nature. Ninety mine out of hundred of the prisoners who had ever served under him would have fought to defend him. These are facts already familiar to the public. We rehearse them only to strip from the murderer the last pretext with which he sought to gratify his vanity and pride and justify to himself the infamous crime he committed. He was a desperate man brought at last to bay, and revenging himself upon the most conven- lent representative of justice and law.
 Without going into any sensational de- tails concerning the attempted suicide of the murderer on Thursday night, the fol. lowing connected narrative will explain the whole transaction :-
 DEPUTY SHERIFF DENNIS P. EINoH's STATE
 MENT TO THE ooURANT REPORTER.
 went in his cell after tea: Wilson con- versed freely with me and with others and during the evening was writing consider ably. At about quarter before ten I sat close by the cell door in company with Jailor Fenn and his son, and one or two more. Wilson spoke to me and suid, 'I have here prayer which if any is offered l shall make myself, and if you would like you may read it to these gentle men," He started to pass it out to me and then stopped and said, 'I don't know as will let you read it either" After consid- ering the matter few moments he said :- Il will let you read it if you say you won't open it, as there is matter on the inside which do not wish you to read at pres ent." l gave him my word that would read nothing except what he was willing should. He then passed it to me and read prayer. (See below.) The matter on the inside which he desired me not to look at was in reference to the taking of his own life. (See below.) At about ten o'clock he retired as usual. He had not been lying down more than fifteen minutes before he was snoring and to all appear ances was sound asleep. was very much surprised at his going to sleep so quick, and thought he was playing it on me. I watched him very closely, and after he had continued this snoring for fifteen or twenty minutes, and was, so far as outward ap- pearances show, sound asleep, I made considerable noise-moving the spittoon and chair-and making many loud noises, which would naturally excite suspicion with any one that was feigning and lead him to cease and listen. There was no change at all in his appearance. watched him very closely, as he apparently con- tinued to sleep soundly, until about one o'clock, when he awoke out of his slumber and conversed with mo on various matters until about quarter to two, or two o'clock, when MT. Fem came in, and he conversed with us both until few minutes after two. At two o'clock he asked what time it was and told him. He remarked, 'I can have yet four hours of good sleep" and then again, to all appearances, went to sleep. At about quarter past or half past three. Wilson said. Good bye, boys" and it struck mo as very singular remark; yet supposed he had merely said it as he had made up his mind to go to sleep again. MT. Fenn sat looking right at Wilson, and set facing Fenn, with my back against the jam of the cell door. turned my ear to listen to see if anything unusual was transpiring. I could hear nothing. I booked at him very closely. He was lying, as he had been in the habit of lying, all the time that had been with him, and was to all appearances asleep. About a quar- ter past four MT. Fem left me. There was no movement on the part of Wilson un- usual; he appeared to breathe naturally, and yet as I could see no movement of the clothing over him began to be suspicious that something was the matter, and was about to open the cell door and go in, when he turned over and then settled down to snoring again. Either twenty-five minutes