The Portland daily press., 1875-06-26
The States Respect for the
Sanctity of Human Life.
A DYING MAN and POSSIBLY
An INNOCENT ONE HUNG.
The GhastIy and Brutal Scenes mt Thom-
aston-Gordon Attempts suicide-He is
Carried to the GalIOws Insensible-
Wagner Courageous and Protests His
Innocence, etc., ETC., etc.
Especial to the Press.1


Prison in Thomaston, let US hope for the last
time in Maine, the law of an intelligent state,
was satisfied by the taking of the lives of two
men, by one of the most brutal agencies that
barbarism has transmitted to civilization-the
Gallows. One man, in the full exercise OF
every mental and physical power with which
his Maker had endowed him, was thrust I'M
called into the presence of that Maker by his
felowmen. Another man, shocked at the ter
rife prospect of the barbarous punishment,
quailed before it, and added another murder to
those he had already committed by taking his
own life, but nevertheless hurried into the
presence or Him, who alone can give life and
in whose hands alone should be the issues of
life.and death. The story may be briefly stat
ed: Wagner, cool, unmoved and possibly inno-
cent, was hung. Gordon, with life fast ebbing
out at gates opened by his own hand, was, I'M
conscious, more dead than alive, hung The
end of the law and the clamor of some blood
thirsty men are satisfied.
At an early hour those who had been sum.
moned to witness the execution of the convcts,
the representatives of several journals and
few who hoped to gain admission to the prison,
were about the entrance. The Sherif's depu-
ties arrived before him to put things in readi-
ness. Sheriff Torrey himself arrived at about
9 o'clock. AT half-past ten Warden Rice
open the door and invited the representatives
of toe leading newspapers present to his office.
!. When they arrived there, he said that he held
himself in readiness to answer any questions
respecting the convicted men which might be
Of public interest. In answer to questions,
Warden Rice said that he bid Gordon farewell
ut 81 o'clock or about two hours before, that at
that time he was in bed. He had slept none
during the night, had eaten no breakfast, but
said he would lie there until he was wanted.
lie still protested in his declarations Of inno-
cence, and was not inclined to talk, but told the
Warden that he would try to bear up. He
seemed to be deadened or paralyzed with the
thought of what was certain to take place.
Wagner, said the Warden, was more affected
than he had ever seen him. He was excited
and cried. He had begun to realize that there
was no escape and that no human or superhu-
man power would avert the now impending
death. He, however,rallied and after an inter-
view of few minutes bid the Warden tender
farewell. He still protested his innocence.
Wagner slept part of the night, but ate no
breakfast Here reporter put the following
question: lis it settled in the minds of the Off
GERS who have had the pris oners in charge that
they are guilty? The Warden paused few
seconds and answered: mo, we have grave
doubts respecting the guilt of Wagner. have
tried to sift the matter and come to other con
illusions, but cannot rid myself of the convic-
tion that he is innocent"
As few other immaterial questions were
being asked, the Deputy Warren, Mr.. W. P.
Rice, appeared at the door of the guard room
looking into the Warden's Office, and beckoned
to his father, the Warden. Mr.. Rice went out,
but soon returned and with an agitation well
suppressed, said:
Gordon has Committed Suicide.
This new feature in the tragedy startled the
reportorial corps as much as it did the prison
officials and others who heard it. de mad
stabbed himself ne ar the heart with knife
and it was thought that he could not survive
bat few minutes at most. The Warden went
out and the newspaper men began to conject-
ure how Gordon obtained. the weapon. The
most of them concluded that his two friends
who saw him in the Warden's room last night
m hour must have brought it to him. The
Warden soon came back, bringing the knife.
1t was a much worn shoe knife without han
die, but having bandage of cotton cloth
wound about the handle and an inch and
half in diameter. The blade was two and a
half inches long, the point sharp and perfect
implement withewhich to do the deed. The
physicians in attendance sent out slip to the
reporters and others who had now been admit
ted to the guard room, saying that Gordon had
Inflicted probably mortal wound upon him
self with knife, between the sixth and seventh
ribs, three inches below the centre of the left
breast and an inch 70 the left of the sternum,
and that he was then apparently unconscious.
Warden Rice said that he did not understand
how he got the knife, When he was put into
the cell last Friday, he was stripped and his
clothes carefully examined, that since that
time the prisoners had not been allowed to
have knives, forks or spoons. He thinks the
knife must have been thrown up to him that
morning by some fellow prisoner by agree
ment, as he passed along the walk below the
corridor in which Gordon was confined. 1t
was afterwards found that he had tried the
edge of the knife upon his leg below the knee
and had attempted to serve the femoral artery
in his thigh but failed.
Rev. Mr.. Mason, the attending Chaplain,
was the first to discover that Gordon had stab
bed himself He had been into Wagnel's cell
and then went into Gordons, He was upon
his cot covered up, groaning heavily. He ap-
preached him, spoke but got no response. He
then turned down the covering and discovered
the blood.
The Scene in the Guard Room.
1t was now lib. The prison officials. the
sheriff and aids the witnesses. the physicians,
the newspaper men and the few persons of
morbid curiosity who obtained admission
about fifty in all-were in the guard room. At
eleven o'clock the prisoners had been formally
turned over to Sheriff Torrey by Warden Rice.
In the further cell The physicians, whom the
sheriff had summoned, Dr. Hitchcock of
Rockland and Levensaler of Thomaston, with
the prison physician, DR.. Walker, were exam
lining Gordon. Meantime Wagner in the cell
nearer the guard room, was being clad for the
gallows, the suit consisting of a sack-cloth
Jacket and pantaloons. Peering through the
CRATES of the guard room to the cells in which
was confined the wretches, were the spectators
commenting in subdued voices and watching
the hands of the clock as they approached the
hour of twelve. Some even predicted that
Gordon was "playing possum." The terrible
solemnity which would otherwise have hushed
every voice in this very presence of violent
death, was destroyed in part by the attempted
suicide of Gordon. All doubt was, however,
removed at 11.35 when Sheriff TORY in de-
cided voice, directed his deputies to bring out
the men. They then went to the two cells.
Wagner was bound, and in moment, with
pinioned arms, met the gaze of all eyes now
turned to the cells. Two deputies attended him.,
one on either side. The reading of the death
warrant was dispensed with, the sheriff merely
informing Wagner that he had such precept.
As for the other wretch, his life was too far
oczed out of the sef-inficted wound to be con-
scious of any earthly thing Soon his PROSTATE
form was brought out of the cell. His face was
ashen from the loss of blood, his eyes were
rolled up SO that nothing but the whites could
be seen, and the deep groans were the only in
dications tn he was still living.
To the ScafOId.
Down one long, sharp, narrow flight of stairs
up another of the same kind, and the officers
- nh