The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-06-27
will be no reflection thrown on my
friends or family for Ihis.n


THE OUR EXECUTIONS AT MAuCu
CHUNK.
MAUcH CAUNK, June 21.-Ali ar
engagements for the execution were
made at 10 O'Clock. Shortly sfleI
the deputy sheriffs and reporters ant
other assistants entered the corrido-
The Sheriff adjusted the ropes and
called his assistants to him. Ia a
few minutes Campbell's cell door
was opened and be appeared led by
a priest. lie walked quickly TO the
scaffold and assembled the steps with
a light step. The priest read prayer.
for the dying for some minutes. the
prisoner responding and repeatedly
kissing a crucifx, and, turning his
pale face upward. bis lips slightly
moved in prayer, Doyle was next
brought out, and he walked up unas
sisted. John Donohue walked bold.
Iy out and up the steps to the scsffold
Kelly came last, aud seemed quite
strong. They were all attended by
a priest. None of the four evinced
very much nervousness. The priests
prayed for several minutes, the pris-
oners kneeling and responding after
the priests left the scaffold.
Sheriff Randenbush and two assis.
tants adjusted the rope, the Sheriff
examining each prisoner carefully.
When asked if they had anything to
say Campbell replied that be forgave
everybody, and continued, 81 have
not an enemy 10 the world at this
moment" Doyle spoke for some
time, but bis words were inaudibIe,
except to the Sheriff and the priests
Donahue had nothing to say, and
Kelly recited after the priests a pea
for forgiveness.
The Sheriff left the scaffoid and 10
a-half minute pulled the rope which
left the trap fall. The doomed mel
fell at 1904 o'clock. In a moment
the bodies began swinging. Kelly
Doyle and Campbell died easily
Donahue drew himself up and stran
gled tor two minutes. Doyle's heart
ceased to beat in twelve minutes
Campbell's in fourteen minutes, Don
ahue's ID six minutes and Kelly's il
seven minutes. The bodies were Gu
down in twenty-five minutes. From
the beginning to the end there wa;
not a mishap. The town is very
quiet. All the bodies will leave or
the 2:10 train.
HANGING OF LANAHAN AT WILKES
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, Juae 2I.-0I
the 18th Of September, 1874, An.
drew Lanhan met Capt. John Riley
a Democratic politician, at the ad.
tournament of the County Convention
in Wilkesbarre, and invited him tt
ride home. Riley got into the car.
riage, and before they had gone hal
u square on the main street, Lanahal
drew a revolver and shot him dead
He drove furiously through the city
to the suburbs. intending to throw
RiIey's body in an old coal mine, bu,
be collided with a heavy wagon
broke his carriage and hen fed, leav.
ing Riley lying in the road. Lana
han was secreted in the mines for a
week, and then managed to elude
the officers and escaped. In Novem
Der, 1875, he was captured Of La
Sale, Illinois, tried here at the De
cember term of Court, 1875, and
convicted of murder in the first de.
gree. The case was carried to the
Supreme Court aud the judgment OF
the Court below was affirmed
After ali hope had fed Lanahan ac-
knowledeed the killing, bui claimed
that being drunk be did moi know
My he did it, The gallow VS., which
vas used twice before, was erected
in the Jail yard yesterday. This
morning u crowd began to gather in
tho vicinity of the jail, but none were
admitted except deputies, the jury
and reporters, about City people in
ell. At $50 o'clock Sheriff Kirken-
dale, with his deputies, arrived. He
proceeded to the watchman's room,
where Lanaban bad been brough.
from his cell, and 10 the presence OF
the Catholic priests read the death
warrant to him. The prisoner sat
with a crucifx in his hand and did
not show the slightest tremor. The
Sheriff then left the priests and Ian.
aban together until 1915, when the
prisoner was manacled aud the pro-
cession, headed by Revs. O'Haran,
Donohue, Nagle and the prisoner,
followed by the Sheriff, started for
the gallows. Lanahan carried the
cruciix, looking steadily upon it and
walking firmly. He assembled the
steps in the same n on the gal
lows. Prayer was read by Rev.
O'Haran, Lsnahan kneeling and re-
peating it after him in a clear tone of
voice. AS the priests bid him good
bye he kissed each of their hands.
The Sheriff asked il he had anything
to say, when he thanked his spiritual
advisers, the Warden and the Sisters
OF Mercy for their kindness to him
and said he forgave every one, all in
a firm toae and without the least agi-
tation.
The noo and black cap were adj
justed, and at 1888 the Sheriff pulled
the rope and the drop fell with a
heavy ,hud. The body fell three
feet, twirled around a few times, gave
three muscular motions, settled down,
and after two minutes made no mo-
ton whatever. After hanging s
minutes the prisoners physician, DIR.
Harvey, and other doctors examined
the wrist and found a Sigh. pulsation.
After twelve minutes the heart beat
fatally, and at thirteen minutes after
he was pronounced dead. The body
was cut down after hanging seven
teen minutes, when an examination
showed that his neck was dislocated
and the spinal chord ruptured, be
having died without pain. His body
was taken charge of by his friends
and remained in the prison until 9
O'Clock, when it was taken directly to
the Catholic cemetery and buried
Lanahan was bora in Ireland, was
Eve feet nine inches in height, had
light hair and mustache, was 81