Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1873-05-18
The Last Moments of DeEiue,

John Devine was hanged in the
Jail at San Francisco, at the appoint
ed hour on Wednesday last. From
the Chronicles elaborate account Of the
affair we extract the following:
With his first appearance on the
scat1old. the tramping Of feet and the
Jest and laughter or the spectators
ceased, and a d~eath-like stiffness pre-
vailed, which was broken by Under
Sheriff LaInott, who proceeded, in a
clear, firm voice to read the death
warrant. During the reading which
Occu Died about torty-GIe seconds,
Deviue gave ear to the whispered
words Of comfort, and encouragement
uttered by the priest. He did not
speak or open his eyes, but frequent
lN pressed the crucitiX to his lips. AS
soon as the reading was finished Colo
mel Mckenzie, the chief ~jailer, who
stood Immediately behind Devine,
placed the strap around the waist of
the unfortunate man, pinioning his
arms to the side at the elbow. Devine
held his arms by his side, his hand
less stump, which was bandaged with
Il new piece OF white linen, being
thrust into his coat pocket. lie kissed
the crucitiX and trembled as the strap
was being buckled about him, and
Father Spekles, who stood close by
him OF the lett, put one arm around
him to support him. DevIne'S hands
were next pinioned to his hips, and
tlen his legs were p~iniOncu at the
knees and ankles.
THE DOOMED MANS LAST WORDS.
Colonel Mckenzie next slipped the
fatal moose about the head OF the I'M
fortunate man. Devine feeling the
moose about his neck, threw his mead
back, that the knot should be care
fully placed under his ar, and the
moose was closed about h : neck.
Everything was now arranged for the
fatal drop. The murderer stood upon
the verge of the shadOwy land. with
but a moment between him and eter-
nifty. He opened his ewes and gaZed
upon the sea OF faces around him for
a moment, and then.shut them on the
light of day forever. The loud
laughter and conversation of the jeer-
ing, i~rreVerent crowd outside at this
moment broke through the door and
rang i'll the condemned murdcreY'S
ear: but nervlng himself for the last
moment, and choking down the emo
tons swelling from his heart. he said.in
a loud, clear, firm voice, which rang
through the corridors, bctraViug no
sign Of nervousness or fear, 20, nv
sweet Jesus into Thy hands | COM
mend my spirit" Amen.
THE FATAL DROP.
AS he ceased speaking murmur
ran through the crowd, which threat
eiled to burst into an open d]enIOnStra-
ton, but Sheriff Adams stepped
quickly forward on the platform and
waved his hand to command silence.
In a moment all became hushed as
the chamber Of death again. Father
Speckles pressed the crucifiX to the
lips of the doomed man, who kissed
it tervently. The father then step
ped quickly from the trap and turned
away his head that he might not wit
ness the end. The black cap was then
drawn over the eyes of the con-
demned man, and the spectators held
their breath and many turned away
their heads i'll awe. The SheriffraiSed
his hand to his forehead, md wiring
it with his fingers the signal agreed
upon n OF the Deputies drew his
knife across the cord holding the
lever in place, On the instant a dull,
grating sound broke the awful silence
as the trap swung on its hinges. the
body OF TIE unfortunate man shot
downward with a dull. heavy, sick
ening thud, and the soul of the mur-
derer took its flight. The drop was
SIX feet five inches, and the body
hung about four feet from the floor.
EBBING OF THE LIFE TIDE.
The body stopped in its descent
with a sharp rebound as the rope
frightened. 1t swung rapidly round
eight or ten times and then became
stationery. The rope slipped slightly
in the drop, bat the knot was pulled
squarely under the ear and the neck
broken. With the exception of few
convulsive twitchings of the eXtrem-
tiles and a violent srasmodic motion
OF the body, there vas no struggling,
and in a few moments the body hung
perfectly still in the air. The physi-
clans approached and counted the
pulse beats until they ceased. The
body fell at precisely four minutes
past o'clock, ahd in ten and one half
minutes thereafter the pulse ceased to
beat and life was declared to be ex-