, 1874-02-28

are familiar, anu II WILL W Aeeeos0t.
to give but briet glance at the act for whict
Rafferty, paid the death-penalty, and the clrcum
stancea consequent upon its committM
THE MURDER.
Rafferty, WAS one Of those man whom 1iquol
thoroughly demoralized. and, on more than ont
occasion during the fourteen years he live6 il
Chicago, his quarrelsomeneas, induced By
drinking, brought him within the pale Of the
Law. On the Sd Of August be Was "wanted
ut the Bridgeport Station for an assault com.
mitted upon David O'Donoyan, and onioe1
scanlan was sent by sergt. Hood, Of thai
station, with q warrant to make tue
arrest. The officer departed, accompanied BY
Officer OMeara. Rafferty, WAS found at Mrs
O'Brien's saloon, No. 1866 South Haisted street,
aud the warrant was read to him. He expressed
Willingness to 60 With the officer, asked for
leave to 20 for bis coat, which was granted,
turned on the officers, shot O'Moara dead, and
engaged in u death-stragglo With scanlan, whom,
he tried to shoot, aud from whom lie succeeded
III breaking loose.
THE ARREST.
At the Coroner's inquest verdict eliminating
Rafferty, for tho murder Of O'Mearo Was returned,
and the search for the criminal who had
*jumped tho town." was rewarded on the day
following with his arrest while walking on the
canal tow-path in the direction Of Joliet.
THE FIRST TRIAL
OF the prisoner commenced at the Criminal
Court Of Cook County On the 9th Of September,
1879, and on the day following tue jury returned
averdict Of guilty, with the death-Bentence, which
WAS pronounced by Judge Tree On the 18th Of
September, who set the day for carrying it into
effect as the 4th OF octobar, 1879.
THE FIRST surEn6EDEAs.
Prisoners counsel, falling to get new trial
granted BY Judge Tfeo, took his exceptions to
the trial before Judge McAllister, Of the Su-
preme Court, who granted supersodaas, and
ultimately the Supreme Court grauted
which opened on the 4th Of February, 1873, at
Waukegan, tho prisoner haying obtained a
change Of venue to Lake County. This trial re-
suited, the first, in verdict Of gnilty, sud the
sentencing Of the prisoner to death the day Of
hiB hanging being fixed nt tho 7th OF March,
1873. On the 26th Of February Mr. Small on-
tained
ANOTHER suPERsEDEAs,
and in October last the Supreme Court granted
Rafferty, his
THIRD TRIAL.
This trial, which alao took place at WRuktgan,
opened on the 25th Of November last, and sitter
lasting ten days resulted in the third conviction,
and sentencing to death Of the prisoner, the 26th
OF December being liked as the day OF execution.
On that day everything Was ready at Waukegan
for the CARRYING into effect Of the sentence but
ney Of
YET ANOTHER supEn6EpEAs
again deferred the legal homicide, and left the
thr;ce-ioomed mau room to hope that escape
from the consequences Of hls crime was yet with.
in the bounds OF possibility. On the 26th Of
January, the application for q fourth trial waa
argued before the Supreme Court By Mr.. Small
and State'e-Attorney Heed, and taken under ad-
viBement by the court. On the 31st Of January,
the court decided that the sentence Of the court
1Do1- II. kA Co. At.n
day Of February yesterday as the day for carry
ing the sentence into effect. After this decision
OF the Supreme Court, the prisoner began to
appreciate the gravity Of his offense, and the e1-
treme improbability Of his escaping the death
9Th Of February, is proof that he had pretty
well lost faith In all legal resources,
and WAS looked upon by some bid for bcs-
ter feeling toward him on the part Of the public.
with view to obtaining their influence towards
pardon or communication Of sentence.
THIS STATEMENT,
which WAS rather unexpected at the time,-Raf~
ferty having always proved vory dry subject to
newspaper men, set forth tho chain OF circum-
stances leading to the arrest in the eae light as
had already been published in The TRIBUNE.
ueyed from the accounts already told,
o'BBrien's saloon, where tue shooting took
place. Tho new version Of facts, as supplied in
the statement, charged that Rafferty, looked at
the warrant in tho hands OF Officer Seaman, ssw
that it was not signed, and mado up his mind
that to arrest him would be illegal, and that he
had right to resist such arrest; that, ac
cording]y, he drew his revolver and moved for
the door, threatening to shoot any one who tried
pistol, grabbed him, and etruck him with slung-
SHOT, after which he RAFFERTY, fired and o Aeara
fell. The rest Of the statement rocounted The
tuss1e with Seaman. and the prisoners escape
and final arrest in pretty much the Same way as
it had already been described.
THE IMPRESSION CREATED
By the statement that tho prisoner waa beaten
by Officer O'Meara when he fred the fatal shot
was differently received in different localities.
In Bridgeport it was at once taken as gospel,
the ''poor boy" should not suffer death, it
Bridgeport could help it. A the days drew near
that one On which Rafferty, Was to die, that
strange interest which the public take in doomed
men grew more and moro intense. The Jail waa
thronSed With visitors OF oil classes and nges
o ''pop''' secseeed in his pants-pocket and 3
pop~botsle Of whisky showed into bis boot
to hand over to the condemned; the !
tron, the curious all classes crowded |
into the jail "to see Chris" and With most Of
his visitors, inside or outside his circle Of &C
qualntance, he Was ready to exchange friendly !
word.
THE REMOVAL.
1t last there came to such visitors dny Of !
On tho 23d of this month they |
made their call, inquired for Chris" and vera |
informed by Jaiior Folz that they might cease |
their CALLS for the subject Of their visitation had
been that morning transferred to Waukegan. aud !
they could sec him nevermore. With the echo !
of the last word ringing ominously in their
sars, they returned 10 Bridgeport, and conveyed /
The mournfhi intelligence Of Raffertys depart I
IRE, which created deep impression in tie To-
,ality. There WAS but one hope lsft- |
TUE GOVERNOR
and his views with regard to capital punishment |
we're already too well known to allow those who !
yet hoped to save Rafferty, to place faith in
lught else than the strongest kind OF petition
or mercy, They started TO work to get up such
petition for Communication of sentence as, by
:eason Of the force Of its signers rares might
rim the Governor over to more leinent view OF
ln1ferty's offense than he took OF Drivers and
'erteet's. The affair WAS tnken in hand by |
eading Irish citizens, who secured the names Of
many leading citizens. including the Mayor and
! largo number Of Aldermen, and took the petit
ion to the Governor in person.
AN OPPOSITION PETITION
,ot up in the Journal Office and signed by the |
eyeral editors and reporters OF that paper and
y some other journalists praying that Rafferty,
niChf ha harvaf ar {od 10 {