The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-01-30
The Execution Of Bolts.


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The Execution of Bolts.
LAST HOURS OF THE MURDERER-A PAINFUL
DEATH SCENE.
George Bolts, the murderer OF Olver ..
Halstead, paid the last penalty of the law last
week in the county Jail of Newark, N. j.
Before daylight, although the morning was
bitterly cold, few idlers began to collect out
side the prison, and to gaze on the walls as if
they could read on them some indications of
what was passing in the cell of the condemn
ed. As the hours slowly passed away the
numbers of these watchers rapidly increased,
and at the hour of the execution about fifteen
hundred persons were around the Jail. A
strong body of police was in attendance, to
keep at distance those who were not pro-
vided with the special pass issued by Sheriff
Peckwell.
Bolts was nervous and wakeful the night
before the execution, but fell asleep at 2
O'Clock in the morning, and continued in
quiet slumber until 5 O'Clock, He then
dressed himself and was shaved for the last
time. AT half-past eight o'clock the chaplain
of the jail, Mr.. Weed, entered the cell and
read the Bible until nine O'clock At this
hour Bolts ate a hearty breakfast, after which
he again knelt in prayer.
THE PREPARATIONS.
In the meantime the preparations for the
execution were going on increasingly, and the
condemned man must have heard with pain
full distinctness the occasional hammering and
the dull thud of the weight, as the carpenters
were finishing their laborS on the galloWs
The eight or ten Deputy Sheriffs appointed
to keep order were wholly unable to restrain
the two or three hundred visitors who had
obtained tickets from the Sheriff. The NOR
bid curiosity of these persons was absolutely
repulsive. Needless of all entreaties, they
besieged the door of Bolts CELL and unblush-
ingly uttered unfeeling jokes, which were
plainly audible both to Bolts and those who
were praying with him. 1t was also noted
that one man, well dressed, and apparently
respectable, had brought with him little boy
about 10 years of age to witness the death
struggles of the wretched criminal. d
After 8 O'Clock the time passed very Slowly,
and there were but few incidents to relieve
the monotony. Botts's brother and an init
mate friend arrived at 10 O'Clock. The next
event, and one most painfully significant, was
the entrance of four men bearing a coffin.
handsomely finished in silver and having on
the lid the brief inscription, George Bolts,
aged As years" 90 bls 5A I'll 1'1T'
At II o'clock the police and the deputy
sheriffs made an attempt to clear passage
from the cell to the gallows: but their efforts
met with only partial success, owing to the
determined opposition made bv gang of
rough-looking men, who had by sheer force
secured position in the front ranks.
AT about ten minutes past II Sheriff Peck
well, whose agitation was uncomfortable, en-
tered Botts's. The latter did not wait to
hear the Sheriff speak, but said, ''Do you
want me nowT and placed his arms in DO
sition for pinioning. The sheriff then falter-
ed out excuse me-" and Bolts replied, with
apparent calmness, ''you are only doing your
duty" .GE8 .9sg.$H fk#@ II
TO THE GALLONS.
No time was lost after this. At a quarter
past IL Bolts came out of his cell, walking
between the Sheriff and Rev. Simon Siegfried,
who had been untiring in his ministrations to
the prisoner. The wretched man was also
accompanied by Mr.. Flavell and Rev. Mr..
Weed. 4-alz-t45. - i
Bolts was dressed in blue coat and vest,
white shirt. check pantaloons, and patent
leather boots. His appearance was indie
scribably haggard. He reeled in his walk, as
ana eyes When psead e nbBs6ssaa
his whole frame seemed to contract and lose
its nervous power. "a
Although head and shoulders taller than
those standing beside him, and evidently pos
sessing great physical strength, he was help
less as a baby in his despair, and swayed to
and fro at the slightest touch of the Sheriff or
his deputy.
THE DEATH WARRANT f4t
The death warrant was next read, the Sher-
lift and the Rev. Mr. Weed each holding one
of Botts's hands. The reading of the war
rant was, perhaps, the most painful incident
in the whole proceedings. 1t came to an end
in due time, and then the Rev. Mr.. Siegfried
stepped forward, and in a loud voice thanked,
in Botts's name, the Jail officers and Others
THE EXECUTION.
This done, Sheriff Peckwell, trembling in
every limb, and with an ashen face, arranged
the rope around Botts's neck, drew the black
cap over his face, and quickly stepped behind
the screen which concealed the apparatus for
dislodging the weight. Bolts mechanically
shook hands with his friends, but was evil
IDENTIFY stupefied with terror, and only dimly
conscious of what was being DONE. s- -. 's-
In another instant, at halepast II o'clock
the weight fell, and the body was jerked four
feet into the air For nearly minute it re-
manned motlonless, but at the expiration of
tat time the arms clutched blnidly at the air,
and the trunk was convulsed with violent eff
Cured, at irregular intervals, for several min
utes; and the doctors, of whom ten were in
attendance, for once agreed in declaring that
the neck was not broken.
For fourteen minutes the pulses both of the
left and right arm were plainly perceptible,
and it wasnot until fifteen minutes had elaps-
Cd that life was pronounced extinct. This
fact proves conclusively the immense power
of man, aud the perfection of his organism
O nfad faof1 af II
interest the surgeons were especially careful
to note the symptoms. The most remarkable
OF these was that the pulse, which, when the
drop fell, marked seventy-four beats to the
minute, was almost as rapid five minutes af-
terward.
The body was lowered into the coffin after
hanging for thirty-three minutes, and was re-
moved to the rear of the cells, when it was
again examined by the doctors. The face
was perfectly calm, the features presenting no
trace OF suffering nor any indication of the
manner of his death. The body was after
wards taken back into the main hall, where it
was viewed by all the prisoners, both male
and female. Certain of the former had seen
the execution from their cells. After this
ceremony the body was given to the brother
OF the criminal, who will take it to Boonton.
N. j., for interment.
1t is only fair to Bolts to say that all those
who have associated with him since his con-
iemnation to death, give him credit for
many good impulses. He himself did not en-
1eavor to shrink from the responsibility of
dalsteads murder. He only maintained
mat his passions has been gradually in1amed
by his knowledge of the worthlessness of the
base woman, whom he befriended, until. on
fatal, July, they became uncomfortable, and
he committed the crime which he has expiat-
ed with his life.-N. Y Post.