Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-02-20

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Yesterday Gafney seemed resiE--s
to his fate for the first time since d,
sentence. and received his spiritual oh
visers, Fathers Malloy, Lanigan and
Nash. with kindness. still later le
permitted an interview with his vsa
and two Of his children. He begged
wife to lay aside all thoughts Of ~
dress and to lead the life Of a Christ
woman. He made his little boy .Ic---
nv promise that he would never ar-.
spirituOus liquors. never play cards, ~
er swear OF keep bad company. ana z-
he would always attend church aud So
bath school He eXacted Ike pr0m-a-
from his little girl. Later he ate a hearty
supper, after which he slept for awE.e.
but was restless and wretched through
the dreary night. At seven o'clock 1Li-
morning he was visited by Father Ma
10y. and shortly afterwards an excelleCt
breakfast was served to him. and b.
seemed to relish it. At half-past ei-lr
his family and some of his wife's REST
ives were allowed their final cOnyerss-
ton with him. At five minutes pa-'
ten they took their leave, and the inter-
view aud the leave-taking were sad III
the extreme. Gaffney bore himself NTe,I
through the trying ordeal. He address,
himself principally to his wife, and SAID
that his friends had gone back on him
and If they had been true friends Le
would not have been hanged. As tls
family left him Fathers Malloy. Ian
gan and Nash and two Sistersof CHARITY
entered. His last words 10 his wife
were, .:God bless you. Lizzie, I hope U-
shall meet ia heaven. At twenty mir
utes past ten the doomed man was r.
moved to one of the debtors rooms e.
the Jail, where he was allowed foreman
awhile with his spiritual advisers. ATS
quarter before eleven all persons except
the officials were cleared from the 5ai.
and entered the Sheriff's office 4;
twenty minutes past eleven the holders
of admission tickets To the number OF
seventy or eighty were allowed entrance
into the jailyard. which was completely
covered with a canvas awning.
Although the outside world was a--
fectuslly barred out from the scene
thousands congregated in the vicinity If
the Jail, and their noise and shouts
reached the ears Of the victim.
At fourteen minutes before twelve th=
death procession issued from the Jail into
the yard. Gaffney being supported ty
Deputy Sheriff \. B. Powell and DE-
tcctive Jacob Limerick. The unfortunate
man walked firmly and made a strong
effort to preserve his self-c0ntr0L TIE
priests read their service as the procession
made its way up the steps Of the gall0W-.
while the Sheriff took his station al the
lever. Under Sheriff Smith, from one
of the top steps read the death warrant.
while Gatfney stood erect and uusuu-
ported. He repeated a PRAYER dictated
by one of the priests, after which BE-
wished TO address the assemblage. against
the wishes Of the priests. Turning bis
face TO the crowd in front Of the gal
lows he made a confession similar o.
that already made, only somewhat alb
breviated, He repeated that his brother
in-law, John Farrell, gave him the re-
volver with which he shot FaheY, and
concluded his confession as follows:
Those men who let on that they were
my friends kept my mouth closed. ii
they had let me tell, my life would have
been saved TO my young wife and little
family. / hope God will forgive my
OF course i did all I could 10
save my life. OF course l PLAYED in
sanity. ! would have been content 10
live in a dungeon if / could see my little
family grow up. 1t is shame / did not
tell at first if / had l don't believe
would be here to-day.
After brief prayers by the priests
Gaffney was led two steps forward.
which brought him fairly on the trap.
Detective limerick pulled the black cap
over the culprits head and frightened the
rope about his neck. As he did so Gaff-
ney uttered his last words, . Jake. fix II
so il won't hurt me- At two minutes
before twelve the signals were given.
The Sheriff touched the lever, the trap
dropped, and Jack Gaffney fell with a
horrible tbud out Of time into eternity.
Gaffney's neck was broken by the fall
In five minutes the pulse was las, In
seven IS, in ten 90, and in eleven minutes
it had stopped. In twenty-three minutes
and thirty seconds the heart ceased 70
beat and Gaffney was declared dead
The body was then lowered and deposit
ed in an elegant casket and conveyed 10
the house of Mrs. Gaffney, on the Ter
race.