The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-27
TIE GALLowS IN CALIFORNIA.
n. J. Donahue Hung at Bed Blgf- Gambling
the Primary Cause Of the Murder.

On the evening or the llth ofJuly last Wiam
Orme and M. j. Donahue were playing pool at Te-
hama, In Heider's saloon, when an alteration
sprang mp, Donahue alleging that the game played
was swindle on him. Orme, who was ferry
man, struck Donahue on the hand with billiard
cue and threatened to hit him with billiard ball.
Donahue went away and told several that
he would kill 0rme. Next morning he bought pow
der, which he said was to Kill orn.e with. lie bored
holes in a brick and rum bullets in IL. The
same noon he went out hunting for orme threat
ening to kill him. He was somewhat under the
influence OF liquor. AL snndown ne went 20 Hell
stepped back In the DOORWAY and fred Colts re-
volver, wounding one Demott In the leg. On the
second fire Orme was shot through the lungs an6
stomach. Donahue ran to the bank OF the river
and hid under 1t until he was arrested, an hour
dicted at the July term and his trial began Novem,
Der !, before Judge Lott at ked Blua Coionet
T. ]. Lewis and W. +. Crawford volunteered lor
the defence. November verdict OF guilty OF
murder I'm the first degree was rendered, and
ne was sentenced to be hanged on January IL.
was appealed. The supreme Court denied Inc
appeal, ana the day OF execution was liked Tor
Friday, April IS. Donanue has been attended Tor
weeks by Father Coleman He has been gradually
growing weaker, but had hopes tin this morning.
Donahue Is young man of twenty-eght and
native OF Ireland. He is five feet seven inches.
lie has light blue eyes, light hair. thin features,
thin chin whskers, mustache and fine forehead.
lie is a man OF much intelligence and shrewdness.
He has been much given to drinking and sprees.
The defence set up was insanity
Last night the shadow Of death began to settle
about him and he ala not sleep. This morning at
nine he ate a light breakfast AT nine O'Clock
priest visited Donahue and administered the last
rites of the Church. Az hall-past twelve our re-
porter had an Interview with the prisoner. lie
made the following statement
THE ACCuSED's STATEMENT.
0rme and were playing pools he had Roden to
keep the game and had some talk with Roden
some time previous | saw Roden swindlng me-
Whenever ''burst" put up" but orme didn't
It right. ana put the balls down when
either of us ), burst o, and stop handling ndg the
the way keep the game, keep it yourself" orme
then said. what in the he'll are YOU growing
threw up my hands and received the blow the
knuckles. He then struck me again on the arm
and grapped me he beat me IN the a ace and
and to have him taken or Then Rodcn said,
e so be mas and s a
me. Roden got them away from him. went
home feeling bad and next morning thought that
had been IN the wrong as l had been in liquor:
When went down town heard Orne had Dragged
of licking me- and dared the officers to
arrest him. ! heard he was threatening to
kill me- | prepared myself with pistol
and told people didn't Know why Orme wanted TO
kill me. but II he tried to he would get more than
he barganed lor-I was not going to give him the
drop me.n AT dusk met him in Heder's
saloon where he was sitting down. | stepped out,
when he me and made movement. | said are
you the man who tried to kill me last night He
nodded then fired. / was considerably under the
influence Of liquor, and don't know what | did
then until was arrested. II Orne had left me
alone would not lave hurt hin; he might have
lived thousand years. never harmed man
until Orme 'crusned in on me-" If l had friends
I'd nave been out long ago.
Deputy sheriff." Come, Donahue, time is up"
Donahue-"A right, ! am ready" Domaine
sleeves, went to each prisoner and bid them
goodby. TO two he said :--"God bless you; may
you never come TO what have. See what liquor
has done for me.'
The Sheriff went ahead; next came Donahue;
your reporter then, the priest and Deputy Sheriff.
As we came into the blaze OF the sun oi most glo-
rious Spring day, warm, balmy and beautiful, Dona-
hue stopped and looked upward and all around then,
seeing the crowd outside the fence OF the jail yard,
he lifted his hat, bowed, waived It and cried out I'm
a loud voice. "Goodby, boys y The procession
went down the south walk OF the yard, and
turned into the east walk another crowd Was
seen on that side. Tie repeated the salute to it,
He tripped up the steps of the scafold lightly, and
stepped the trap promptly. Kneeling down he
repeated after the priest prayer. At the close
Donahue rose and stood easily and careessly His
hands trembleS nersousy, but he looked the Under
Sheriff square in the eye steadily as he read The
death warrant
ADJUSTING THE STRAPS AND MOOSE.
At this time twenty-seven persons were on tue
scaffold and thirteen under IL. Sheriff Sleeth was
terribly affected and almost unnerved Sheriff
Mcclure aided him withsadvice how to adjust the
straps, which were buckled on the arms above the
elbows, around the crossed hands behind The back,
about the thighs and about the ankles These
straps were the same that bound John A. Wright,
hanged AT Yuba City, March ID. Then Sheriff sleeth
took made from the same coil OF rope
from which was cut the moose that hung Wright, q
fve-eghth inch Manila cord, and as he adjusted
II on Donahue's neck the prisoner turned his head
around to the Sheriff, with smile, and said,
was always tlckiish around the neck" This was
the straw to upset the Sheriff. and his hand shook
with his excitement Mcclure who was Just as
showed his brother officer where to fix
the knot behind the ear. This done, Donahue
was asked If he had aught to say, and he turned
to your reporter and muttered, ale has it, or
words OF that character, IN very low voice.
Sheriff Sleeth then threw tile black velvet cloth
over his head and pinned 1t behind and before.
Donahue now cried aloud, ''Oh God, receive my
soul On, God, have mercy on me! GOD protect
me ~
THE TRAP FALLS
At that instant Sleeth pulled the lever, the trap
fn u "A
ike arrow SIX feet Being slight man. he re-
bounded on the rope, whrled round and then hung
motioness. Tue drop lel exactly at sixteen min
utes and twenty seconds past one O'Clock.
TIMING THE RACE OF DEATH.
Drs. Jeffress and j. :. Cameron at stepped
to the body and observed that the neck was broken
perfectly, and then began timing the ebbing OF
ife the spectators standing around IN GREATNESS
sence-Dr Jetfress counting the pulse, DIR. Came
ron counting the heart beats and your reporter
Keeping tally OF Donahues lie current as 10 ebbe0
against the linitable shores OF a dark eternity.
AT one O'Clock and sixteen aud a half minutes q
slight rem9r passed n over ne wSG now
the remarkable fluctuations which doctors VIII
record among the usual phenomena OF hanging.
1o2 30 pulse ao t9st Ps sav Dr. ueress
That's UNUSUAL says DR.. Cameron.
l ~, pulse Sc; % pulse 1873; 22A, pulse 10s,
but very feeble; l:2s};, pulse &C, and much lee
heart beats los, no pulse at wrist; 81 pulse
beats irregularly heart beats lOs; 2s. heart 70.
heart &c and very feeble; no pulse now at wrist;
1:31, heart 4S and no pulse; :32, no heartbeat,
slight huttering; 49, dead
THE FUNERAL
AS this word was pronounced the coffin was borne
into the enclosure. 1t was neatly made and covered
with velvet, and silver mounted. On the top Lay .
beautiful wreath OF white roses placed there ny the
sympathizing hands OF Mrs. Kelley OF this city.
fine hearse stood outside. The body was cut GOWN,
the moose removed and measured; IL had drawn 10
a loop two inches by three and onehali inches. lne
coffin tenanted by its clay, was closed anu
carried to the hearse. Your reporter tnought tnls
hardly pauper's funeral, ana asked whence THIS
extra expense in the way OF the funeral, when ne
was informed tnat u. G. Mckeon, George WORTH
inrton M Kennedy, M Ward Father Coleman. II.
Mooney and some half dozen others had con-
triDuted the money. and determined this ir1end-
less wretch should have decent burial. They fol-
lowed him to the cemetery, Father Coleman pro-
apdr nanA tod In int b1