The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-10

Evervthinv now being IN readiness, every one left
t two priests priests, Fathers Anger and Nabor Father
Kabor took the crucinx IRON the doomed man.
who seemed 10th TO part with 1t. He held 1t before
over his head.
Tine ss sd now st MS ,s sde w arS
nOmne sanctorum virginium.n Assistant sheriff
Danton turned away his face, and, with tears
knife the cord which liberated the drop. In
second the sound OF the falling trap staItea se
tne noev psnc ae Valencia fell through the trap
and was dangling In the air below the platIo, IN ~;
Alter few seconds the body ceased 20 revote
swung slowly to and fro before the spec'asGuas
whom fell the stiffness OF the grave. Me hnt
death appeared TO have been lnstantaneonhS' Sus ~
sttemptug To- break the straps that bound 1t, the
knees bent twice. and the body curvea inward
from the hack fhc hands and arms worked con.
vnlsyeiy AT intervals, while the head twirled
around as if to look mp the rope. These strong
o he cnes ans
In about six minutes the body hung motion:
it with reverential awe. After fifteen minutes
or more had passed they began slowly to
the
around the body. After the body had been hang
ing thirty minutes all respect for the solemn
sprang up under the scafold. and the village wits
began to pass jokes to and FRO while they chatted
anu lauBneO 8S II q Du8e Dali M8CGu naO just OceH
finished. After hanging nearly three-quarters OF
an hour the rope was cut, the limp body fell for
ward into the arms OF the Deputy Sheriis, and Drs
Campbell and Prlestley examined the neck which
they found was not broken. The body OF Pancho
Valencia was then placed IN the coffin, without any
one being permitted to see his features. and buried
In the Roman Catholic Cemetery, under the super
vision OF the priests.
WAS HE INNOCENT OR GUILTY.
The solemn and decided manner in which Valen-
cha protested his innocence to the last has led to
the belief In the minds Of many that ne was sent
into eternity innocent OF the crime for which he
suffered the extreme penalty or the law. lie was
but poorly defended on his last trial, and his c0un-
the time. The testimony which secured his con-
vlction came from the vile and daughter
of the murdered man. The evidence was
mostly circunstantial Two men called at the
after the report OF o gun was heard and Hewitt
was brought In dead His wife and daughters re-
cOgnised the prisoner as one OF the men who came
to the door. Bella Hewitts testimony was the
most conclusive She sad she recognized him be-
yond doubt. II Is said, however, that the mother
and daughter admitted before the trial that they only
caught glimpse OF the parties, and would not
know them again. Both the priests express tho
device they could think OF was employed by them
to get him to confess, but his firm pr0tesatiOn OF
his innocence never weakened In the least degree
Being told by his spiritual advisers that heaven
hell yawning beneath him II he took his 'leap In
the dark" with lie on his lip, he protested his in
nOcence to the last. His remarkable GOODNESS and
sefpOssessi0n upon the scaYOld did not approach
anything like Dravado but appeared to be the re-
suit OF humble fOrtitude and calm resignation to
his fate. Public opinion In the vicinity Is nearly
equally divided In regard TO his guilt or innocence.
The majority, however, since the execution, are
the county OF Soano between thirty ana forty thou
sand dollars.