The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-06-27
Hanging of Six Murderers.

Friday, June 21st, was a day to be re
membered for the number of its executions.
At Chillicothe, Perry Bowsher expiated the
terrible crime of murder. The Nervousness
of his awful deed, as well as the reckless
and violent course of his life previous to
the bloody tragedy for which he assembled
the gailows, left him not single syInpa-
thizer or friend, other than the charitably
disposed who sought to give him comfort
and religious consolation in his last hours.
The crowning villainy of this wretched
mans life was committed on the night of
Friday, October 26, 1877. The scene of the
tragedy was at a tullgate house on the Cir
| cleville pike, six miles north of Chillicothe,
occupied by Edward y. McVey and his wife,
Aun McVey, people who lived in Chilli
cothe more than fifty years, but had become
infirm, and accep ed the humble place as a
means OF hveliho d. A girl, thirteen years
of age, named Alice Dunn, lived with the
old couple in the capacity of domestic,
and she alone of the family escaped to tell
the tale of Bowsher's horrible butchery.
When Bowsher was led out to the gaIIows
| he appeared to realize for the first time that
something was about to happen. He gazed
| around him and down at the fatal trap with
a dazed look and edged away from it. Then
he eyed the audience of reporters and
witnesses before him without spark of
| feeling shown in his face. Sheriff Mackey
then asked Bowsher whether he had any
thing to say. NO." said Bowsher. " l
hav MT anything to say" DIR. Hirst, who
whether he should pray for him. No.
| sal Bowsher, "there amt anything going
to happen"
Bowsher was then placed on the trap, his
knees strapped together, the black cap
pulled down, the rope adjusted, and the
| lever sprung without delay. The fall was
about three and half feet, and Bowsher's
| Il hrnk Hbo hoo
in eleven minutes, and he was pronounced
dead. After the expiration of twenty
minutes he was cut down and placed in d
neat coffin, and taken to lobby in the Jail
During the entire time Bowsher stood upon
the scaffold his expression of color never
changed, and not a muscle quivered. He
died in all respects game.
George Sherry and Jeremiah Connolly
were hanged on the same day at Chicago
f The crime for which these men atoned
is one of the most unprovoked deed
of blood that have disgraced the crimina
e Saturday evening, January 10, 1878
t George Sherry and Jeremiah tonnell.
I deliberately inebriated themselves, and sc
cured long, sharp butchers knife from
long shop, and armed with a slung-shot
began an iDdiscriminate assault on whom
n soever came, by ill-fortune, in their path
f While thus engaged in running amuck
Il after wounding several persons, they met
8 man and girl, Hugh McConville and hi
u niece, Miss Rosina McConville, a youn
lady of eighteen years.
s One of them hit the girl in the face, an
n crowded her against a wall. She freed hel
self and ran across the street. McCOnvill
was of an inquiring turn of mind, an
asked them why they had treated his nice
in that way. They ansN cred by plunging
long knife into his left side. 1t went
straight; it was wei aimed; it struck ne
=. far be ow the heart, and within twely
81 hours poor Hugh McConville, as honest an
IN peaceable man as ever breathed, die
from internal hemorrhage. His wife, WI
!, was an invalid, received shock SO terrib
IA that within a week she followed him to tt
u last home.
s. Edward H. Costley, alias Dorsey, for IL
lie murder of his cousin, Solomon Costley, {
the 4th of April, 1877, was hanged on tt
O. same morning at Frederick, Md.
\. Jacobs Levels, colored, was hanged in tt
u, County Jail yard at Little Rock, Arkanss
a for the murder of another cOlored man.
ss cooler man ever stepped on a death engin
He ascended the steps as firmly and with
little emotion man would walk up to
ne banquet.
b. Charles Burns wa executed at Paris, II
to for the murder of Elijah Birdwell, Octob
No. 80, 1877. The facts are fly as follow
On the date mentioned, Birdwell, acting
It, Deputy Constable, in company with 9th
q officers, attempted to arrest one Dick p
else, at the house of the latter, near Ba
winville, ILL.,, on a charge of burglar
Burns was in the house, and in assist
Precise to resist arrest, he shot and kill
ad Birdwell. Burns and Precise both escap,
est The murderer was arrested few days la
lor in Terre Haute, Ind, and turned over
de- the proper authorities. He was indict
MS for murder and was arraigned for tt
id: April 8. On the 9th of April the tr
BILE ended, with verdict of guilty, the Jury
ac- sessing the penalty of death by hangi
ry Strong efforts were made to secure a &C
for mutation of sentence, but without av
the Burns was twenty-six years of age, and ,
les a native of Oswego County, New Yo
ne where his father, Patrick Burns, still