The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-07-11
HANGING By WHOLESALE.
Eleven Men Hung In One Day In Pcr;syl.
vnniu-Sccnes nj the Guilows.

Thomas Duffy, James Carroll, James
Roarity, James Boyle and Hugh Nc
Gehan, convicted of completely in the
murder Of b. +. Yost, the Tamaqua
policeman, and Thomas Murley, Il of
the murdcrers of Thomas Sanger and
William Uren at Raven Run. At Mauch
Chunk, Michael Doyle and Edward
Kelly were hanged for the murder of the
mine boss, John P. Jones, at Lansford
also, Alexander Campbell and John
Donahue for the murder of Morgan
Powell, another mine boss, at Submit
Hill, Carbon county, December 2, 1871.
These four were executed at the same
time. 1t W~nkesbarre Andrew Lanahan
was hanged for the murder of John
Riley in September, 1874. The follow
ing particulars Of the executions are
taken from the published accounts:
At 1850 A.. ". two OF the prisoners
Mcclellan and Boyle-were brought out
of the jail at Pottsville and taken to the
scalfold. They mounted the wooden
steps with n firm tread and took the
positions assigned them, the former on
the right and the latter on the left trap
door of the extreme right scaffol1, with
out bctraving any symptoms OF nervous
ness. After devotional exercises by the
attendant priests, each Of the condemned
men spoke to the assembled spectators,
declaring their hope of forgiveness for
their sins. Boyle said q am not n
bit sorry to die" The sheriff then shook
hands with them, and an assistant began
the pinioning process. Steel handouts
were put OH the wrists, securing them
behind the back, and new leather straps
were bound around the thighs below the
knees and above the elbows. Two ply
sicians mounted the steps and adjusted
the nooscs about the mems necks. White
hoods were placed ovcr their heads, thus
concealing their features. They bore it
all without the culver Of a muscle, be-
ginning to pray aloud and looking up to
Heaven the moment they felt the pres
sure of the slip-knots upon their flesh.
The platform was cleared !; two loose
supports that sustained the edges of the
trap-doors were removed the execution
er, behind the boarded canvas-roofed
screen in the rear, pulled the rope at
tached to the hinged central support,
doubling in two and dropping it upon a
bunch of straw laid in the rear. The
trap-door fell noiselessly inward against
the large side pads of coarse sackcloth,
aud the men dropped with a crashing
noise as of breaking bones. Instantly
twirling about and about, their bodies
were in plain sight, suspended several
feet above the ground.
At 70 S o'clock the second procession
appeared. 1t was similar to the first,
with Roarity and Carroll substituted for
BOYLE and Mcclellan. Roarity was a
thin, stumbling young fellow, with deep
lines in his face, and illlterate looking.
He was clean shaved, and wore dark
striped trousers and waistcoat, black
alpaca coat, and white shirt, without
CELLAR or tie. A bunch Of roses was
fastened on his breast. Carroll was a
slight built, handsome, compact looking
Young man, with light brown mustache,
and apparently the most intelligent of
the six. He was attired in q brown sack
coat, black waiscoat and trousers, white
shirt and turn-down collar, with a black
tie, and was without flower or ornament
of any kind. He showed a quiet
bravery, while Roarity was painfully
nervous, heaving 4 profound sigh every
few minutes during the prayers. Twice
tears forced themselves from his eyes.
Carroll was placed on the right trap and
Roarity on the left. They also made id
dresses to the lookers-on, Carroll saying:
Il have nothing to say but that l am
innocent Of the crime l am charged
with" The nooses and white caps were
put on, and the trap that launbhed them
into eternity was sprung.
At Ill the third procession moved
from the prison to the gallows. The
doomed men this time were Duffy and
Munlcy. Both were thick-set, strong
looking Young men in the flush of health.
Duffy's turn had evidently been deferred
rs long as possible in consequence of a
rumored possible reprieve. He appeared
to realize, however, that his time on
earth was short. The glastly pallor OF
his face and nervous manner contrasted
strongly with the n~onchalant air and
easy department of the man (Munley)
ut his side. The latter, like those who
had gone before him. met his fate with
that apparently Gallons indifference
which characterized his late associates
in crime. The same preliminaries rs in
the other cases were begun and con-
Guided. Neither of the men indicated
any disposition to make a speech.
At Mauch Chunk all the arrangements
for the executions were made Ut ten
o'clock. Shortly after, the deputy sheriff
and reporters and other ass :stants
entered the corridor. The sheriff adj
justed the ropes, and called his assistants
to him. In ~ few minutes Camphelrs
cell door was opened and he appeared,
led by o priest. He walked quickly to
the scafold, and assembled the stairs with
a light step. The priest read prayers for
the dying for some minutes, the prisoner
responding, and repeatedly kissing a
%cruciiix and turning his face upward
while his lips slightly moved in prayer.
Doyle was next brought out, and he
walked up unassisted. John Donahue
walked boldly cut and up the steps of
the scatfold. Kelly came last, and seemed
ldllleI WelA, anu upLr uiiIs WHY iiS1u
up to catch him as he assembled the scat
fold. They were Ill attended by a priest.
Indeed, none OF the four evinced much
nervousness Wien asked if they had
anything to say, Campbell replied that
he forgave everybody, and continued:
"I have not an enemy in the world at
this moment" Doyle spoke for some
time, but his words were inaudible except
to the sheriff and the priests. Donahue
had nothing to say, and Kelly recited
after the priest q plea for forgiveness.
The sheriff left the scaffolI and i'll half a
minute pulled the rope which let the trap
fall. The doomed men fell at 1854. In
4 moment the bodies began swinging.
Kelly, Doyle aud Campbell died easily.
Donahue drew himself up and struggled
for two minutes. Doyle's heart ceased
to beat in twelve minutes, Campbells in
fourteen minutes, DOrahue's in six min
utes, and Kclly's in seven and a half
m nutes. The bodies were cut down in
twenty-five minutes. From the begin,
ming 20 the end there was no mishap.
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