The Portland daily press., 1874-02-18
NEW HAMPSHI RE.
The Death Penalty.
Execution of Evans, the North.
wood Murderer.

CONCORD, Feb. 17.-Evans, the Northwood
murderer, passed the night quietly, sleeping
nve hours. Rev. Mr. Church of Providence, r.
l., SON law of Chaplain Smith, stayed with
him through the night. He arose at $50
O'Clock, ard ate IA hearty breakfast and drank
tea. He said to Mr.. Church: 81 have CON
fessed everything and if the people do not be-
leve, L can't help it," His conversation du-
ring the night was confined to religious mat
ters. He next went to sleep about midnight
Ehe chaplain who staid with him furnished
the following statement for the last three or
four days:
=, Evans was very quiet and resigned, his mind
being fixed on his end. 1t was stated in
newspaper that he had chosen clergyman to
1e MS spiritual adviser, but this was not known
W nile he was in jail at Exeter, he urged sever
al religious persons to come and see and pray
with him at his execution, but no desire that
they should supersede the regularly appointed
chaplain, and to see but few visitors. Sun
day night was passed with the chaplain and
Mr.. Eaton, our excellent hospital steward He
slept for several hours, and was quite compos-
ed, though Monday he was 10 the same frame
of mind, The night was passed with the chap
lain and Rev. J. Church of Providence, r. L
Through all these days and nights he had sea-
sons of great Distress in revealing the evens of
his life of sin and shame, and occasional CLEANS
of hope that God would yet show mercy. Hav-
ing slept several hours he seemed more quiet
AT 8 a. m. the prisoner prayed long and earn
estly and with most pungent sense of his sins
Prayer was then offered by Rev. Mr.. Church,
and few minutes to eleven by the chaplain
At s o'clock he was visited by his son and bis
wife, who stayed with him till nearly eleven.
Outside OF the prison large crowd was in
attendance, and great interest manifested, and
many prominent men besides officials are in
attendance. The press was full represented
The gallows was erected this morning in the
corridor between the gu&rdroom and cells, and
was the same used to execute Pike in 1867
1t was raised twenty inches to give an addition
al fall
At ten minutes of eleven spectators were ad-
mitted to the corridor and took positions on the
starway leading to the cells and upon a float
around the gallows.
At eleven he was led through the guardroom
to the scaffold by Warden Pillsbury and deliv-
cred to the sheriff. He was dressed in a suit
of black and seemed quite calm and self-pos-
sessed, as slight trembling of the knees was
the only visible sign of emotion. While his
arms and legs were being pinioned, his lips
were seen to move, and it is said he remarked
he did not see the use of it. Upon the scaffold
were Sheriff Odlin of Exeter, deputy sheriffs
n. e. Tuck OF East Kingston, and J. N. God.
frey of Epping, and Chaplain Eleasor Smith of
Concord. After his limbs had been made fast
the rope was adjusted around his neck and the
black cap drawn over his face.
Sheriff Odlin then read the death warrant,
and at 11.06 pl rced his foot upon the spring Of
the drop aud Evans was launched into eternity
There was scarcely any motion of the body ex-
cept a swaying occasion by the fall, and less of
that than is usually the case. DR.. III. Crosby,
of ehis city, prison physician, and DR.. Burnham
of Epping, stationed themselves on either side
of the body, and fir m time to time noted the
pulsations. After hanging nineteen minutes
he was pronounced dead.N
Arrangements for the execution were most
excellent and were carried out quietly and eff
GENTLY.
An autopsy will take place this evening, af-
ter which the body will probably be sent to the
Dartmouth medical college.