The New York herald., 1873-08-23
Execution OF James West.

James West, cOl0red, was hanged IN the yard Ol
! the city jail this morning for the murder OF his
paramour, Annie Gibson, in March last Both the
parties were bad characters, West having served q
| term in the Penitentiary and the woman being a
petty thief They had lived together for several
years and had one child Previous to the murder
West had quarreed with her on account of her un.
faithiulness to him and had left her to go on q
spree. On the 18th OF March he returned, in.
| furated with bad whiskey and, after locking her
| up IN her room, butchered her TO death with a
| hatchet Then he went to the nearest station
house and surrendered himself to the police. He
was tried and convicted in July. Since being SEN
fenced several appeals have been made for ex-
ecutive cemency, but Governor Whyte has per-
| sistently refused to interfere
After his death warrant was read to him West
showed
EXTREME FEAR AND WEAKNESS.
| He was in terror OF death, and thoughts Of the
future drove him almost Wild Lately, however,
he had recovered his courage and composed himself
for DEATH He has been under the ministrations OF
Father Noonan, colored, Of St: Francis Xayer's
Catholic Church, and the Oblate Sisters q
Catholic organization. They have been con-
stant in their attendance upon him, and
had succeeded in restoring him to calmness
OF mind. During Thursday the condemned
man took leave OF his few relatives and distributed
among them the few things he possessed. Father
| Noonan spent last night with him up to ten
| O'Clock in religious exercises. West then ate a
hearty supper and went directly of into sound
sleep. His sleep was so deep that he had to be
awakened at little before five O'Clock this morn
Ing. He begged that he might have
A LOOK AT THE sCAFFOLD
upon which he was to die. The officers at first re
fused, fearing the effect 1t might have upon him
hut ha lodi RI tbou, wit, in n nd
they finally consented He was taken out OF
the back door Of the Jail and allowed to
gaze on the instrument Of DEATH He ex-
amtned it with the curiosity of child
who sees something marvellous, and, after
looking at 1t for fully five minutes, he drew long
breath Of satisfaction and remarked, "That don't
look so bad; not half so bad l thought it would.
don't fear that. At first had an idea that 1T
would shock me- but now am satisfied that 1t will
not, and don't think will weaken going up the
steps.n
West was then conducted back to his cell and
his breakfast offered him, but he would take
He called in little son OF the warden.
who had often read to him. and thanked
HIM for his Kindness. The child burst into
tears and West knet down and prayed for him.
few days before the boy had seen West stuf1ng cot
ton in his ears and when he asked him why he did
it he SAID it was to prevent him from hearing the
profanity and bad language OF other prisoners.
THE LAST MOMENTS.
Soon after eight O'Clock in the morning Father
NoOnan arrived at the jail in company with Mr.
Van Daa, candidate for holy orders. West was
conducted to the Directors room, where ne was
closeted with his religious advisers. He made his
last confession and parto0k OF the holy communion.
Father Noonan then administered the sacrament of
extreme JUNCTION and anointed the doomed man.
He asked to see negro named White, who was
confined In the Jail, and the latter was permitted to
speak to anu shake hands with him.
At seven minutes before ten the procession
moved across the main hall OF the Jail to the gal
lows This was the same as Nicholson and Hollo-
han were hanged upon three weeks ago. but it was
erected in the most secluded corner OF the jail
yard. 1t could only be witnessed by people on the
penitentiary wall and on the roofs Of the dozen
Notwithstanding this endeavOr to secure privacy
there was crowd OF five thousand people in the
streets and on the hills around the jail trying to
secure glimpse OF the frightful spectacle. The
crowd was composed OF rough elements and as it
stood broiling in the hot sun cOnsoled itself
with maedlctions against the Sheriff for
preventing them from seeing the sight. One man
mounted horse block & and harangued the people,
with loud applause. Not more than three hundred
people witnessed the execution, and less than fifty
were admitted inside the jail.
THE PROCESSION TO THE SCAFFOLD
consisted OF West Father Noonan, sheriff Kane
and the black shroud fell TO his knees. He walked
steadily, but there was Wild glare in his eyes, and
he looked at the scatiold as If fascinated by it;
West repeated seven "Hail Marys" as he walked
along. lie ascended the long night Of steps without
u
Father NoOnan continued his minlstrations and
West interrupted his prayers only to say, "God be
merciful to me. sinner ne showed si no dispo,
In striking contrast with the vainglOrious boast
fulness which SO often is seen in the last moments
Of condemned criminals. The deputy sherifs
fastened the white cap on his head and bound his
knees together. He bade all farewell in suDdued
voice. ard the priest the last to leave him, hold
ING the crucifx to MIN as the cap was drawn over
his face. Then all descended and left the doomed
man
on the scafOld. AT two minutes past ten Sheriff
Kane drew the trigger line, the drop swung down
ward with loud thud and Vests body danged in
the air. In moment 1t became evident that his
neck was not broken and that his was to be an
exceedingly painful death: He struggled conyul-
His painful contortions continued for eight min
utes, at the end Of which the figure became rigid.
The face was horribly distorted and blood had
forced itself from his nose. mouth and ears, while
the hands were interlocked with so much force
that the nails were pressed into the flesh.
CHARITY.
the body was turned over to q gentleman in
whose employ West had formerly been.
POST OBIT STATEMENT.
Although West had nothing TO say on the gal
statement In the first part OF it he denies the ac
cusations that he had led life OF drunkenness and
debauehery and had been n, in the the Penhitentary
dustriops, but admits having been arrested
once for stealing and three times for
confession Of religious faith and experience. He
confesses his crime and thanks God for having
brought him to the true faith. He processes sorrow
at his deed and says he was provoked to 1t by
drinking and by the bad treatment which his
child received at the hands OF its mother. He
forgives all his enemies and feels confident that
having been instructed in the Roman Catholic
faith he dies happy and consoed; 'for KNOW
says he, al die reconciled with my God and In the
bosom OF His Holy Church." He asks the prayers
OF all good Catholics to get him out Of purgatory,
and concludes with this Invocation -
And now, my God ard Saviour when my eyes darken
with the mist OF death shall fx their last dying looks
on the crucihed image; then, mercifu Jesus, have
mercy on me! When my ears about TO close forever
to all human discourse, shall await the dreadful sound
OF Thy irresistible sentence, them merciful Jesus,
have mercy on mel When my feet, unable to move
shall remind me that my earthly drawing an
end, then merciful Jesus, have mercy me When
my soul, terrified at the OF my and agonized
with fear at Thy Justice, shall struggle with
the angel Of darkness then mercfu Jesus have mercy
on mel When all my senses shall fail and this world
forever vanish from my view then. merciful Jesus
have mercy on met When the last heavy sghs Of my
| heart shall press my soul TO leave my body, theii