The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-12
FRIGHrFUL EXECUTION.
TEE HANGING OF THE MURDERER MURPHY.
CARSON, NEVADA.

ming, mis- former companion and asso-
ciate, John B. McCallum, because of
bruises and cuts he had received in a
fight few days prior. Murphy swore
that no man should draw his blood and
live, and, while his victim was with
ing in the agonies of death, Murphy
said he had rather be hanged th n see
McCallum get well.
The murderer was hung for his
Francisco Cali gives the following de-
tails of the execution of the hardened
wretch:
After surveying the crowd, he quiet
ly took chair, while the Sheriff read
the warrant, and listened attentively
throughout, interrupting once to ask
for drink of water.
At the conclusion he looked at the
beam overhead and asked for his books
and manuscripts, from which he read
an hour and ten minutes. Opening the
book by Judge Edmunds, on Spiritual
moose overhead, stepped forward on
the trac, and, in a screaming, al
most unintelligiblea and weird voice, said,
looking at the moose: s. This is my
doom But this book teaches me that
I will never die"
ST never thought was worthy of
being hanged, but now I must be
hanged, and, before God, am inno-
cent. I never had fair trial. The
Judge had the names of my witnesses
and put them in his pocket, and left me
in the lurch. The jurors. by Cd
had their minds made up beforehand.
This is h-n of justice have no re-
more of conscience. Had I had fair
trial would now be walking the streets
of Carson, whistling THE Girl I Left
Behind Me-" He then said, with a
demoniacal laugh: 81 am not a
Christian I do not believe in the
Bible or in Christ as the Son of God.
1 would sooner ole Tom Paine than
hug the delusive phantom of Christi
anity around me-.
He then gave detailed statement of
the killing, ending with a couplet
about his foe, and added that "when
Johnny Murphy draws, he draws to
kill. :" He then read passages from
Edmunds' works on Spiritualism, on
life, death, and immortality, and from
his own manuscript, subsequently,
that capital punishment is wrong
that when society forgives, the law
has no right to interfere, and that
the gallows is hideous feature
of civilization and trap-door to dam
nation"
After reading for some time, he again
became hoarse, and large drink of
brandy was poured out to him. He
drank it with relish, and said, ST have
been horrible drunkard all my life,
and like it to the last. They say an
open confession is good for the soul,
and I now make it, He then leaned
with his arm akimbo over on the rail-
ing, and recited piece of poetry, rail-
ing at judges, clergymen. the various
professionals generally, and Christian
ity in particular, laughing while recit-
ing humorous passages, and then con-
cluded saying, 'sI will detain you not
much longer" Then taking another
book, he leaned his head on his hand,
as if in painful thought, walked to and
fro, and then stood firmly, directly un-
der the moose. Kneeling. he read a
short prayer from the book of his spir-
itualistic faith, and then said he asked
no more than an American welcome
from the people.
He then stepped aside, and Y hile the
Sheriff was manacling him sa Il: ST
have suffered great deal, gen lemen. -
After standing silently for a me nent he
said, ''Be Jasus it's too light, and
would like to give them Judges a lit
tie drop if ever come back" Then
he said to the Sheriff: stDid'nt I tell
you would die like a statue ?"
He hoped the life of Somers, who is
to be hanged at Genoa on Thursday,
would be spared and, recognizing the
Gold Hill NeaOs reporter, said, tsTen
them I'm in tight place. The rope
was then adjusted, and the moose being
high he had to stand on tip-toe, and it
was noticed that he turned little red
|
loosely, and Murphy said, stSherif.
draw the rope tighter" The black cap
was then drawn over his face, he shook
hands with the Sheriff, and said,
Goodbye, john" Deputy Condor
shook hands with him just as the rope
was cut, and was almost pulled over
through the trap by Murphy as he fell
through the door. Those on the plat
form, and many others, instinctively
turned their heads with shudder as he
fell with heavy thud through the
trap, his feet reaching within two feet
of the ground. The drop was six feet.
Almost instantly he gave convulsive
shudder, drawing up his legs about two
inches, was then apparently lifeless for
a second another writhing convulsion,
and all was over. He died in half a
minute, his neck being broken almost
instantly.
AN TNDUSTRTOHS WOMAN