The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-06-27

4 III GG1 - -
apprehension. The cutire corteg'
mounted The steps Of the scaffcl'
nearest in their course, aud proceede,
to the farthcsl ofthe three. upoL whicl
only were visible the suspended
n~ooscs. The Sheri, f physicians ant
under-keeper remained on the plat
form adjoining, with the deputy Sher
if at the top of the steps on the othei
side. The doomed murderers 10 ih.
centre, with the officiating priests
made up the monrnful picture. Upor
taking their places the Catholic ritua
service, which had been begun whei
the men left their cells, was resumed
by the clergymep, Boyle and Nc
Geehan giving the responses in 6ru
and audible tones. The demeanor o
Boyle at this tine, and until the drol
fell, was one of entire self-possessIon
The degree of nerve displayed by
both men, particularly Boyle, wa
extraordinary. At times his manueI
seemed to indicate q feeling of uttel
indifference to the surroundings
His composturc was evidently rea
and not assumed and as the religious
services proceeded be occasionally
inhaled the perfume of a beautiful rec
rose which he held in his hand ant
applied to his nostrils. McGeehan'.
bearing was that of q sincere and con
trite penitent. He appeared to real
ize his awful situation, and repeated.
ly looked pleadingly to heaven as i
relying upon the Divine power. The
man kissed the priests and shooL
hands with the Sheriff. Boyle re
sponded to a remark of his attending
priest with Il amt a bit sorry
Mcclellan, in response to al intima
ton that be was at liberty TO say
anything he desired, al once address
ed the audience assembled. His re
marks were literally as follows:
"Gentiemea-I have nothing at al
to say to you about my guilt or in
nocence, mol about them that left me
in here, or them that done anything
else to me. / only ask forgiveness
of the whole world, If / have done
wrong to them, and Almighty Goo
may forgive all Christians, and al
them that be ever created in thii
world, for the sake of forgiving my
sins"
Here the speech was ended. it
concluding portion having been deliv
cred in a somewhat tremnlous
though firm and vigorous, tones.
Boyle now adressed the crowd
without symptoms of emotion: %
have nothing to say gentlemen, only
pretty much in the same way; moth
ing as regards guilt or innocence.
forgi"e those that put me here; | for
give them from my heart out, an(
hope they will forgive me; | forgiy.
all this world" Mcclellan, with {
duplicating look heavenward, here
supplemented mis- remarks by f%ervent.
ly exclaiming, 81 have done all that
is in my power to ave my soul; any
thing at all | could do | have done
and trust 10 God. If there is any
sin in my soul | have not cleared Of
God will make me suffer for it here
now. offer up this death that ]
have to die to God for the sake o
Him to forgive me my sins. | have
,nthipr mara 20 carv
With the conclusion OF the speech
es an awkward pause ensled, the of
icials not knowing whether 10 pro
coed Immediately. The last good
byes, however were soon said, anG
the process of pinioning the arms ant
legs of the men commenced. Stout
leather straps soon encircled The
limbs Of both men, both meantime
calmly surveying the preparations
and Mcclellan occasionally murmur
ing a prayer and gazing i~ntently
into the blue ethereal above him, evi
IDENTIFY with bis mind no longer or
earthly things. As the moose wa:
being adjusted around his neck, be
exclaimimed "Christ, have mercy
On mel Lord, have mercy on men
Both nooses were then frightened
the crucifx, which had been held by
the priest closely TO MeGeehan's face
withdrawn, his eyes meanwhile fol
lowing it in s~upplicat;on, and all or
the scaffol6 retired At eleven min
utes after eleven the drop fell, anG
both the mnrderers hung suspended
MeGeehan's weight being much the
heavier, caused the rope to give
about six inches, though it was al
inch and a-half shorter than Boyle's
Boyle died almost instantly, while
Mcclellan gave symptoms of life foI
some sixteen minutes after the fall
AT twenty-eight minutes alter eleven
O'Clock the bodies were taken down
by u~nde;takers Gresans and Kar
racber, and removed 10 the shedding
in the rear as their temporary recep'
tacie. The execution in all its dc.
tails was apparently conducted sym
p~athetically, without a loud word
being spoken by the crowd 10 the
yard.
EXECUTIONS OF RoARiTY AND CARROLL
At six minutes after twelve O'Clock
the Sheriff, his Deputy, the prison
keeper and the prison physician, with
two more of the condemned, appeared
at the iron gateway, aud soon reap
peared at the gallows. The men
brought out to die were James Roar.
ity and James Carroll. The frs.
was attended by Rev. NJ. J. Gately,
of Pottsviile, while Father Beresford
appeared as the spiritual comforter of
carroll. Both of the men carried. in
a position Immediately before his
breast, q large black cross, with a
white worked body of the Saviour.
Both seemed perfectly composed and
prepared to die. No trembling was
visible, aud, like their immediate
predecessors on the gallows, the ap-
pearance of neither gave much indi-
cation of severe confinement. Asthe
mortuary service was held by the
priests, the men standing upon the
fatal trap door gazed fxedly at the
cruci6x, Roarity occasionally heav-
ing a deep sigh or glancing at the
windows of the cells near one end of
the gallows where the juries of the
Sheriff had been stationed. Bidding