Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-06-26
thing done. hope the time viii come when the

thing done. I hope the time viii come when the
truth will be known" The Sheriff asked him if he
had any confession to make. He said "None but
such as swore to In open court" He expressed
some surprise that a clergyman was not on the
gallows, but was informed that all the chaplain
services had been held In the cells. With this
statement, he seemed to be content.
Wagner stood there as unconcerned and care
less as any Of the spectators, showing much ply
steal courage, and, but for his jesting, type Of
manlness, in the face of death but Gordon, on
the other hand presented the horrible spectacle Of
q monster. with the hands that had been dipped
in kindred's blood, now red with his own hearts
blood. There was pity among the spectators for
the courageous Wagner-though it may have
been the courage of a bad man-but there was no
pity for the cowardly suicide.
At eleven minutes to IL o'clock the black caps
were drawn over the faces of the prisoners. the
sheriff stepped to the front OF the scatfodng, and
pressing his foot upon the lever, the drop fell and
Wagner and Gordon met in their own persons the
severest penalty of an offended law.
Wagner fell distance of eight feet, and Gordon
seven feet. They fell with a heavy 'thud," and
able, with the exception of slight contraction of
one of Gordon's fingers. Wagner's neck was
broken, and death came to him like the lightning's
stroke. Gordon died from suffocation, and would
have suffered painful and prolonged death, had
not his own attempt upon his life rendered him
unconscious. Wagner's pulse beat at 30 two min
utes after falling, and futtered at six minutes and
at eight minutes was over 100. Gordon's pulse
stopped at minutes after falling. At Is IL min
utes after falling, Wagnsrs pulse showed l0S,
at l6 minutes it was impossible to count at the
wrist at II 10 minutes slight tremor of the heart,
and at Is minutes there was no pulsation. Cor
don was taken down from the gallows p minutes
after execution, and Wagner in 90 minutes.
Their bodies were placed in the cofins-Gordons
to be turned over to his friends, and Wsgner's to
be given to the Maine Medical School or buried
in the Prison burying ground
The execution was under the direction of the
Sheriff Of Knox county, John +. Torrey of Rock
land, assisted by his deputies as follows C. r.
Morton Of Union, Isaac Carkin of Appleton,
Thomas 3. Grose of Rockport and Joseph San
born of Vinalhaven. Twelve men were sum-
moned official witnesses Harley Mills, A.
Watts, w. D. Carlton, and Joseph Stetson OF
Thomaston VIM. Stetson Of Camden, Aramander
Daggett Of Rockland, Cornelius MCGEE of Rock
land, Seth Patterson OF Wiscasset, Dep. Sheriff
of Lincoln county, f. II. Oberton Of Rockland,
John Rose and J. Peabody of Thomaston, DR..
J. W. Savage of Wiscasset.
The examining physicians, who performed
the part of examining the bodies after the exc
cution were DR.. II. c. Levensaler of Thomaston,
and DR.. Frank Hitchcock of Rockland. They
were assisted by DR.. E. A. Thompson of Dover,
formerly of the Governors Council, DR.. j. s..
Parker Of Lebanon, and DR.. Byron Porter of
Newport.
Some fifty persons, including seventeen news
paper reporters, witnessed the execution, and ev-
erything was still and orderly, as a church con-
gregation, with the execution Of the excitement
produced by Gordon's suicide. There was no
crowd on the outside clamoring to come in, and
there was no undue excitement in any direction
among the people. Sheriff Torrey discharged his
duty manfully, under the most trying circum-
stances-kindly and promptly, but in obedience to
the law of the State.