The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-03-15

Jack Mccall, the murderer of William
Rickok, alias Wild Bill, suffered the
penalty of the law at this place March
2, by being hanged by the neck until he
was dead, dead, dead. The execution
took place upon the open prairie, the
gallows being erected upon school sec
tion about two miles from the city, neal
the Catholic Cemetery. Every arrange
ment and detail of the tragic affair was
conducted in the most successful man
ner, no failure or blunder being made in
any particular. United States Marshal
Burdick designed hanging Mccall in as
private manner as possible. Notwith'
standing his efforts to keep the location
of the gallows and the hour a secret to
the public, information of his plans
leaked out, and spread throughout the
city with the rapidity of wildfre. Al
9 o'clock a. M, when the Marshal read
the death warrant to the prisoner, large
crowd had gathered around the United
States Jail, which augmented in mum.
bers when, half an hour later, the
doomed man was brought forth and
placed in close carriage in the custody
of Deputy Marshals Ash and Edmunds,
attended by Rev. Father Doracher, his
religious adviser. Marshal Burdick en-.
tered his buggy and led off to the scene
of the execution, followed by the car.
riage containing the prisoner and large
crowd of people, eager to witness what
was about to take place. Buggies, lumber
wagons, barouches, omnibuses and sad
die horses had been called into requisi-
ton to convey the curious out to the
prairie, that they might see the hanging
performance. The crowd was a motley
one, comprising lawyers, doctors Of
medicine and of divinity, reporters, rag
ged boys, and demi-monde-Am Americans,
Russians, and every other nationality
the grave and the gay, and, in fact, ex-
actly the materials of which Yankton is
composed. Thus did this assemblage
set out for the place of execution, many
who were unable to secure a ride going
on foot. Although yet scarcely 10
o'clock, the hour set for the drop to fall,
on arriving within view, hundreds of
people could be seen near the fatal spot,
awaiting the arrival of the victim. The
structure upon which Mccall was to ex-
plate his crime was about ten feetsquare,
with the floor or platform about eight
feet from the ground. From the floor
down, and about two feet above, it was
tightly inclosed, SO that when the drop
fell no one could see the writings of
deaths agony. A few minutes before 10
o'clock the carriage containing the pris-
oner drove up, and the unfortunate Nc
Call got out and walked up the steps,
unaided, and apparently as cool and
calm as any one among the hundreds
who were eagerly watching his every
move. He took his position on the plat
form without any direction, immediate
ly under the beam to which the rope
was attached. His arms were then pin
ioned and his feet tied together. Dur
ing all this time he did not evince the
least emotion, appearing as if nothing
unusual was transpiring. He reached
around with his hand, and with much
difficulty removed his hat and cast it
down. Altogether it was test of for
titude which few could stand, and what
ever crime or crimes he may have COM
mitted, however much he may have
been dyed in iniquity, We must rather
admire his bravery, which your repor-
ter believes, under other and different
circumstances, would make him hero.
Father Doracher and Mccall then knelt
down together and offered up prayer,
in which the latter fully participated in
a reverential manner. After the prayer
was finished Mccall then arose and said
to the officers in charge: cite the rope
tight, boys; don't let there be any mis-
take" United States Marshal Burdick
then placed the black cap over his head,
adjusted the rope around the neck, and
then a few minutes of breathless silence
were occupied by Mccall in prayer, and
then the trap was sprung. the victim
dropped with heavy thud, while the
quick, agonizing cry of "Oh, God" fol-
lowed by groan, and the body dangled
motionless at the rope. At the expira-
tion of twelve minutes the physicians
in attendance examined the body and
pronounced life extinct. A crucifix
which was held in McCaH's right hand
at the time of his execution was found
clutched even with the grasp of death.
After the body had remained suspended
for twenty-five minutes it was cut down,
placed in a casket, and taken to a
grave in the Catholic cemetery near by
and buried. This ended the excitement
of the occasion. Mccall is native of
Louisville, KY, but has been daring
character on the Kansas and Colorado
frontier for the past six years. He
sought Wild Bill in saloon in Dead
wood, Black Hills, while the latter was
engaged in game of cards, and put a
pistol shot through his head, killing him
instantly. He was given an irnpromptu
trial by jury taken from among the
miners, and acquitted on the representa-
ton that Wild Bill had killed brother
of his in Kansas. This he has since ad-
mitted to have been fabrication. He
was shortly afterward arrested and
brought to Yankton for trial, upon
which he was convicted, with every op-
portunity to prove himself innocent.
He has sister living in Louisville, who,
having noticed stray item in a news
per mentioning the fact of her brothers
imprisonment here, wrote him letter,
which he received on the evening be,
fore the execution, and which he spent
three hours of the night in answering.
He was stolid to the last, and refused to
give any of his past history to the many
who were anxious to obtain statement
from him.