Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-02-12
H
MeNulty Dies Protesting His limo.
cence-MakeS a Speech an Hour In
Length-Was He entity!


Length-Was He entity!
PEORIA. ILL, Feb. 7.-Henry Nc
Nulty, convicted of numbering his
wife, at Chillicothe, Illinois, on Sep
TENDER %, last, was hung here to-day,
In the presence Of about one hundred
people. The newspapers had notified
their subscribers in the country that
they might as well remain at home,
only those authorized by law being
permitted to enter the Jail. Notwith
standing this injunction, at 10 o'clock
this morning, a crowd, which had in
creased to six hundred persons al /
o'clock, congregated in front of the
Jail and stared vacantly at the win
dows. They were very we'll behaved,
and a squad of policemen detailed to
preserve order were not required TO
perform any active service.
Within the jail, at l o'clock, were
about fifty persons, witnesses in the
case, the jurors, and q dozen reporters.
McNulty had maintained since Thurs
day, when Gov. Beverage resolutely
refused to intervene in his behalf,
that he would die like an innocent
man. He accused the witnesses for
lut D~IDeCCuklOu Vi ldA5O 6h cdIluks dLlu
asserted that prejudice alone placed
him upon the scaffold. He retired at
2 o'clock this morning, but slept very
little, although allowed to have a
limited quantity of brandy to facilitate
rest. He dOsed at 4 o'clock and awoke
at Z, seemingly refreshed. Fathers
Halligan and Heirley were with him
almost constantly, praying and en-
couraging him.
When the Sheriff told him every
thing was ready, he was smoking a
cigar, as Indifferent to surroundings
as a street gdRlen. He vas conduct
ed to the gibbit by the two priests
named, who offered the customary
prayers for a dying person. These
concluded, McNulty spoke for nearly
an hour, proclaiming his innocence:
charging the witnesses with perjury,
and claiming that he was murdered,
and not his wife. He forgave those
who had prosecuted him, and hoped
he would meet them in heaven.
Just previous to the black cap being
adjusted on his head, he kissed the
Sheriff and counsel, and to the latter
said: Remember me-" Those were
his last words. The bolt was with.
drawn from the trap door at precisely
twenty minutes after l O'Clock, and
MeNulty fell five feet. There was a
cracking noise. and it was subse-
quently ascertained that his neck had
been broken at once. Life was said
to be extinct in ten minutes, but the
body was allowed to hang for twenty
minutes longer 1t was then cut
down and buried in the Catholic Gem
etery at the expense of the county.
There was no apparent interest be.
yond an occasional expression OF
sympathy or condemnation felt In
the event by the Peorians. Public
sentiment was decidedly in favor
of carrying out the sentence, but Nc
Nulty's p~rotestation of innocence
when within the grasp of death has
caused a slight change. The physi-
clans who examined the body insisted
that McNulty kept up his spirits with
brandy. He did not appear to be
under the influence of liquor at any
time during the day, although all he
desired was at his disposal. He was
certainly q remarkable man, and if
to maintain his innocence as
he did, he must be considered the
dissPmbleF ever horn.