Stevens County tribune., 1878-11-07
CHEATED rnE GALLows.

/ The Vacelet murderer, which has engaged
the attention of our people during the past
week, and provided sensational food to salts
fy the most insatlaple, come 70 an abrupt
termination to-day. AS telegraphed you last
night, the coroner's jury, afr an exhaust
less and impartial investigation, decided
upon verdict, which was made public this
morning, finding that the murdered family
came to their death at the hands OF Provost,
the prisoner. This, coupled with the ap-
prehension of lynching, seemingly proved
too much for Provost, for upon opening the
iail this morning he was found dead, having
hanged himself during the night. This act
scanned more remarkable, as he has remained
stoIid and immoyable in his claim of inno-
cence, and the overwhelming circumstantial
evidence produced no visible change IN his
demeanor.
At five minutes after eight o'clock this
morning, Deputy Sheriff Runner went INTO
the iail to serve breakfast to the four PRISON
ers. In the jail is an upper and lower Ter
of cells, four in each tier. Provost occupied
cell in the lower tier. The remaining
prisoners were in the upper cells, one oc-
cupy1ng cell directly above him. Provost
not appearing for breakfast, Runner directed
another prisoner to call him. He opened
the cell door, looked in, and reported to
Runner that Provost was dead. Runner i'm
mediately went to the cell and found that his
condition was as follows: Provost had tied
a towel around his neck; his coat he had
fastened to the upper bunk, which is about
four feet from the floor, and formed of thin
fiat iron strips laid across each other, leaving
openings of about four inches square.
Through these openings the coat-sleeves
were hung down; one of these was passed
through the towel and tied to the other
sleeve. He then drew his body so as to
| throw its weight upon his neck, and thus re-
manned until his death ensued from strangu-
lation. His body was in diagonal position,
his head being near the door, his feet rest
ing on the floor and his right hand rest
ing on the lower bunk, the left hand hanging
down. His head was not over three feet
from the floor, making it necessary for hum
| to draw his body up, and, by resolute deter
mination, hold it in >S1ze> position until
vitality was gone. Assistance being secured,
| the body was removed to Gardner's under
| taking establishment, where a cOroner's jury
was impaneled, and verdict rendered In ac-
cordance with the above facts. One of the
remaining prisoners IN Jail thought he heard
! a slight struggling noise about midnight,
/ but the medical evidence before the coroner's
| Jury fixes the time of the suicide at between
/ two and three o'clock.
Provost's features are not destorted, his
appearance being natural except the body,
/ which remains rigi in the curved position
| in which it was found. Yesterday afternoon
Father Oester, of the Catholic Cathedral by
request of the prisoner, visited the Jail and
remained with him an hour. He stated ne
was an Alsatian, born at Belfort and fifty
one years of age, but revealed no more of his
previous history. After leaving the prison,
having confessed the prisoner, and promis-
1 ing to return the next morning and admins
ter the sacrament, he was told by many that
there was great danger of the prisoner being
| lynched that night. He therefore returned
to the prison and informed the prisoner that
he had returned to furnish the holy com
munlon. The prisoner asked why he had
come at such an unusual hour. Father
Oester replied it was best for him to be pre-
pared to die, as mob might kill him that
I night. Provost asked what could be the
manner of his death, and was told that it
would be shooting or hanging Father
/ Oester again exhorted him to confess any
thing In his life which would make him un-
easy as to his future, but the prisoner was
silent. The priest then administered the
sacrament, and, giving him his prayer beads,
left him. After the departure of the priest
Provost declared himself ready to die, and
probably determined upon the subsequent
suicide. One of the prisoners heretofore re-
ferred to says after the departure of Oester
the prisoner was greatly distressed and
agitated. crying at times. He soon went to
his cell, one of the prisoners following soft
ly and peeping in. Provost seemed to be
measuring the distance from the upper bunk
to the floor, stopping Immediately upon dis
covering that he was observed, and soon
after the turnkey locked the prisoner in and
| he was seen no more alive.
= A general sense of relief is experienced by
the entire Community at the tragic ending of
the affair as it is understood that an organiza-
ton had been consummated cf band of
4 vigilants, who would have attempted their
purpose tonight. His timely death has,
however, removed ali necessity, and afforded
complete satisfaction to our citizens, who,
almost as unit, consider him guilty. To-
morrow morning the body will be inferred