The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-02-24
SWUNG OFF
EVANS EXECUTED.

THE NEW HAMPSHIRE FIEND RTozM AN |
AIR DANCE BY AID OF THE EEsIP-THE /
MOST BEAsrLEss CRIME on RECORD IN HIS
TORY. |
A,special to the Chicago Times from Con-
cord, N. III. SAYS: Franklin h. Evans. the |
of Georgiana Lowering, his grand
niece, between u and ID, at Northwood, n. |
ID. on October p, 1S72, was hung in the state
prison here at 1l:06 A. NJ. to-day. His age
was 66 years. 8 months, and 6 days. He
slept from IL O'Clock last night till h~alf-past
5 this morning. At two minutes past IL. the |
procession, including the sheriff, the con-
demned, and the minister and other at
PENDANTS appeared in view, and halted
while the officers bound Evans hands
and arms. Then the party stepped upon
the scaftold, the black cap was drawn on,
and his knees and arms were strapped to-
gether. Now for the first time he appeared
to have a realizing sense of what was inn
pending, and leaning over toward the sheriff
who stood directly in front of him adj
lusting the strap, he muttered some words
in that lowering Voice which has always
characterized his speech. His words were
not distinguishable. but they contained a re-
quest not to bind him tightly. The sheriff
uttered a few reassuring words in a low
voice, and this was all that was said upon
the scaffold. Sheriff Odlin having satisfied
himself by the most careful personal exami-
nation that everything was properly ar
ranged, leaned against the front railing of the
scaffold aid DIRE " from his pocket the execu-
tive warrant which he proceeded to read,
In doing this he was very much affected,
his voice trembling so much with emotion
that he was frequently obliged to
pause. After finishing the read
ing he removed the block from
THE SPRING,
and, placing his foot lightly upon it. said:
I'm pursuance of this warrant 1 now exc
cute the sentence of the law upon franklin
B. Evans, and may God have mercy on his
SOUL"
The body of the wretched man fell like a
leaden weight, and was jerked backward
and forward a few moments. The dull heavy
thud of the fall sounded through the CORR
der, and, almost holding their breaths, the
silent spectators bent forward to watch the
death struggle. After the body had been
hanging thirteen minutes, the pulse was
three strokes to the minute, and six minutes
later the physicians pronounced life extinct.
The spectators then slowly retired from the
scene, deeply impressed with the awful
spectacle which they had witnessed. The
crime for which he was executed was
one of the most iendish on record, and
people without exception rejoice at
his punishment. Evans lived at the
time of the murder with the girls family,
and on the 18th of October, 1872, the little
girl, Georgiana Lowering disappeared from
home and her whereabouts were not known
for several days. Finally, Mr.. Henry A.
Drew, who is a deputy sheriff of Rocking
ham county, having reasons to suspect Ey-
ans of having b en- connected with the affair,
took him to his house and induced a confess
sion. AS a result thereof both men pro-
ceeded to the woods, near the house, where
George lived and after a long tramp through
deep snow they halted in front of a rock at
the edge of a swamp. 'There she ISL said
Evans. "Where?" inquired Sheriff Drew.
6gTTrdor that rooE oovaraA NTH Iaaxo. 81,
Both men got upon their knees, and as the
leaves were taken away, there was revealed
the dead body of Georgiana Lowering. 1t
had been
MUTILATED WITH A KNIFE,
and parts were entirely missing. Subse-
quently Evans led the way to a place some
distance from that where the BODY was
found, and there, under a stone and wrapped
in papers, were the missing parts. His trial
followed last spring, and his con Viction and
sentence came in due time. Evan left
CONFESSION
with the chaplain, in which he not only adj
mits the killing of Georgiana Lowering, but
that of another little girl. The essential
portions of the confession are as follows:
AS to the family to which Georgiana be-
longed, it consisted of Mr.. Sylvester Day and
wife, Deborah, their daughter Susan, who
had been married TO a Mr.. Lowering, who
had died, and their daughter Geor-
giana. 1 am a brother of Mrs. Day,
and was occasionally Within family, working
for different persons in the neighborhood for
some time. The family was much given to
intemperance, especially Mr.. Day, who was
often drunk and abusive. His wife, my
sister, is a good woman. Mrs. Lowering
was very loose in her morals. Georgiana
sometimes drank, and was lewd in CONVEX
sation. / altered a one dollar bill to ten dol
lars, and succeeded in passing it with
out detection. While L was at work
at this Georgiana came suddenly into
the room, and detected me. Then threatened
to expose me. Thus I found myself COM
pletely in her power. At length / became
fixed in my purpose of compelling her to
exonerate me or to take her life. In order
to bring this about L told her 1 would give
her the book If she would meet me in the
woods at a certain place named at some dis
lance from her home. Sh assented, and
on the morning of the fatal day l left Mr..
Days, telling the family / was going to Mr..
Hills, or perhaps to Mr.. Roberts, some few
miles off. 1 arrived at the place near some
large rocks some time before shedid. When
she came / talked with her for some time
reminding her of several valuable pres
ents / had given her, and trying to persuade
her to do something to make me secure. 1t
was of no avail. She persistently refused,
knowing / was completely in her power.
and that 1 would most likely be sent to the
state prison on one or both of her complaints.
I seized her by the throat; she struggled but
a short time, and was dead. l carried
her body a long distance toward the swamp.
and when within a few rods of the place
where / buried her separated the parts
found afterward. 1 did this to gain some
knowledge of the human system that might
be of use to me as a doctor. My fears of her
putting her threats into execution were,
however, the sole reason 1 had. / should
have left the place but for the reason that /
could not then collect some money that was
due me.
ANOTHER MURDER.
In the fall of the year 1850 1 left my wife,
having been living with her in Salem, Mas
sachusetts, and came to Derry. New Hamp-
shire. On arriving at the house of a Mr..
Miller, late in the evening, I found the door
fastened. / heard in the house a moaning
l.A...d - 2 O child Ionanad the indau