The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-12
DENNIS D0NNELLY HANGED.
TESTERDIY's GALLONS SCENE IN THE
POTTSyILLE JAIL YARD.
The Third OF Thomas san9er's Assss.ins
Meeting his Fate-Two SIN Fusitives
from Justice-The History of their Crime


from Justice-The History of their Crime
louisville, Pa, juno 11.-Dennis, alias
Bucky." Donnclly. tho Schuylkill county Mol
ly Mcguire. was hanged to-day for the murder
OF Thomas Sanger, mining boss. in 1875. Dom
nelly slept soundly last night. and awoke ut
o'clock this morning in excellent spirits. At 7
o'clock high mass was celebrated In his cell by
Fathers Gallagher and Brennan. at the conclu-
sion OF which Donnelly partook OF hearty
breakfast and spent some time afterward in do
votion. At 90 he was visited by his counsel.
whom he greeted cordially. and also ex-
pressed deep thanks to them for tho
Efforts they had made I'm his behalf
The parting between the doomed man and his
wife was very affecting. The poor woman held
her husband round the neck with grasp Of
despair. II was necessary to forcibly separate
thom. and Mrs. Donnelly was removed from the
jail In fantinR condition. This last inter-
view affected Donnely more than anything
else. but he soon recovered his Spirits and at
1920 when on his way to the scaffold. which
WIS erected in the Jail yard. his step was firm
and his demeanor as unconcerned rs ut any
time since his arrest. The two priests
walked on either side Of him to the scafrod
reading from their breviaries, while Donnely
tightly claspcd crucinx and prayed constant.
~. Tho priests assembled the scaffold with
him and performed the religious ceremonies
whatever. He held WAX taper and had n cruz
ciflx suspended around his neck, When the
priest descended the scaffod tho sheriff asked
Dopnelly wh ,ther he had anything 20 say. He
replied. have nothing To say" His ankles.
ners and elbows we're then securely strapped
the rope, around his neck and the white cap
over his head. and descended from the scaffold
kept murmuring prayers. At I2:2gthe drop fell.
the fall being about three and one half feet. The
rope was damp and stiff and the moose did NOT
Il IN UNA
disarrangcd and exposed TO view the dscolored
mark on his neck. He struggled a gregt deal.
emitted from his throat. and the muscles Of his
body wrlthed and twitched. The prison ply
ntes, but the other physicians present say
h. lived fully n minute and q half longer.
The body was taken TO Girardville this after
noon and buried IN cemetery within sight Of
the spot where Sanger and Wron We're muir
dered; p,onnelly was 80 years old. He. was
born in Killcommon parish county of Mayo.
Ireland. and came to schuylkill county In 1850.
He makes the fifteenth Molly Mcguire who
has been hanged in the coal regions since 1877.
Tho crime for which Donnelly was hanged
WAS one Of tho most cold booded Of the Molly
Mcguire assassinaiions. Thomas Sanger was
incurred the hatred OF Donnolly. who worked
IN the mine. ana his ASSASSINATION was deter
mined upon. reign Of terror existed in the
coal mining region at that time and the Moies
held bloody and almost nndsputcd sway. On
the morning Of Sept l. 1875. while Sanger was
on his way from his house to the mine. he WIS
confronted hy n party Of six men apparently
strangers who had lain in wait for him One
OF the party drew a pistol and fred ut Sanger.
who was woundedbut not fatally. and he turned
and fed; He WIS followed boy the assassins.
who fired AZ they ran. and Sanger fell MORALLY
his, house. and died soon aftcrwsrd.
William Wren. miner. hearing tho reports of
the pistols, left his house. and was shot down
by one of tho assassins. dying almost instantly
Another miner, Robert Heaton, started from
got his rifle. and opened fire on the murderers
who were then rotreating down the road. The
report OF the Hiring alarmed the whole village.
and party OF men started in pursuit OF the
assnssns. who. however succeeded in gain
ing tho mountain. and escaped Five
cd on suspicion OF being one Of the assassina.
and he was fully identified by Heaton. He was
convicted in May. 1876 and was hanged with
three others at Puttsvle ON the DIST OF last
Jure. Charles ODonnell another Of tho as
NiEgan patch. aud the body of James Mchlis-
=. third was found in tho woods near by at
Tho same time. nnd is supposed to have met the
In September. 1876. Donnelly was indicted
Tor being AN accessory To the murder Of Sanger.
II was known that Donnclly bore ill-will against
Sanger and on the trial II WAS proved that he
had plot I'd the murder Of Sanger four months
hriorc the dead was done IL WAS also proved
I. at tie day nftcr the shooting of Sanger and
Wren ~ Raven Run, Douncy told a man
named Butler that 10 lad sut a party II MoIiies
o. come from Shenandoah and kill Sanger and
that the men passed the night previous nj his
Donnrly'- house. Butler testified 10 this con-
"a
prominent Molly. and then under conviction,
said that Donney had applied 10 him tor men
o. NIL Sanger and he had refused. Donnelly
told him afterwnrl that he had got the men from
Shenandoah. Donn@lly was near 10y when the
firing began. but ran for life until he got out of
the range of the shots. One OF the five assas-
sins remarked lokingly after they had escaped
that II was fun a. see Bueky" Donnely run.
Donnelly was ably defended. but tine proof OF
his completely IN the murder was too plain and
convincing, and he WIS convicted. in November
last. ~ murder In the first degree. The case WAS
appealedtothe supreme Court which confirmed
the sentence of death. The Board 81 Par
dons WAS then applied 10. and they re-
fused 10 interfere. Donnelly was %
have been hanged on the 22d of MAY. hut. the
day previous, the Governor granted n res pito
until to-day to give the condemned man time TO
prepare for death. This WAS granted al the
eaEpest Solicitation of relatives and Of Don
neNy himself. ON Tuesday OF last week June t.
another and final effort was made before the
Board Of lardons 20 save Donnelly from the
Ealows. A brother Of tho prisoner appeared
before the board and maintained that Donnelly
had been convicted on perlured testimony. In
support OF his statement. he produced several
aniiayits e. the effect that the principal witness
"A Molly Mcguire who had turned state . evil
denre-was not worthy OF belief on oath. The
board. however. declined % open the case
James O'DOnnell and Michael Doyle the re-
naming two II the party of SIX. ned the coal
regions. and are still iugitvcs from Justice.