Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1878-06-27
Hanging of Perry BOWsher at
ChiIlicOthe, last Friday.
For the Murder of ths mevey FAMILY.

For the Murder OF the mcVey Family y
ChiIlicothe Register, June 22d.
Yesterday. for the second time in its | {
history, Chillicothe witnessed legal ex- I
ecution. a six minutes past eleven, a. I
M, Perry BOwsher paid the highest pen {
atty for the highest crime known to law. {
The vicinity of the jail yard was crowded ]
with people, thousands having congre-
gated through that apparently instructive I
feeling which leads people to desire to see
the horrible.
All fears of a mob proved unfounded.
In consequence of the good disposition of
the crowd, or as the result of the excel
lent precautions taken. the best of order
prevailed, and the execution passed off
without the slightest commotion, and
without any of the bungling at the scaf-
fold which is so often witnessed. The
Sherif7s unpleasant duty could not have
been performed more neatly.
THE NIGHT BEFORE THE EXECUTION.
The prisoner had eaten but little or no
dinner on Thursday, and even his supper |
was not relished with his usual appetite. !
He remained quiet until about O'Clock, |
when stripping his clothes as usual, he |
retired to bed and slept apparently well |
until about eleven, when he was taken |
with a dysemtery which was the occasion |
of his getting up some five or six times
between that and morning. After an ap-
parently quiet repOse of a couple ofhours
he arose at six O'Clock and dressed him
self for the day. On his breakfast being
| furnished, he returned the pan in short
time with the meal scarcely touched. Off
Ger Conley spoke kindly to him, and on
| being asked how he felt he simply re-
piled: 'EAll right" No visible change
was noticed in his conduct from the day
previous. He seemed quite calm and ev-
identity resigned to the situation.
THE LAST DAY.
The night of Thursday was nasty one,
the rain falling almost necessarily the
| entire night but with the dawn of morn
ing the rain ceased although the skies re-
mained cloudy and threatened to resume
operations at any moment. Daylight had
no sooner dawned than the people COM
menced coming in from the surrounding
country in buggies, wagons and every
conceivable kind of vehicle, and when
these could not be obtained, on foot. Ev-
cry train which rolled into the station
was crowded and in nearly every case
additional coaches had to be supplied to
accommodate the curious crowds.
The evening previous the Valley train
from the north came filled to repletion as
did also the train from Portsmouth, and
on the morning train from the south
there were fully three hundred passen-
gers. The greatest number who came
, from the north awaited the accommOda-
|
: ton a little after ten o'clock, the passen-
gers were packed like herrings. By nine
a. m. the sidewalks were densely packed
with men, women and children, not one
in five hundred of them, probably, hav-
ing any idea OF the object of their visit.
The crowd seemed quiet and orderly,
however, and evinced no disposition that
could be discovered to create trouble.
Among the visitors were many gentle
men of note, which included the Sheriffs
2 of all the adjoining counties, Mr.. G. G..
James, the Mayor of Jackson, the news
paper fraternity generally, etc. The
crowd increased rapidly as the hour of
execution approached, until at II a. m.
! travel on the streets and sidewalks was
almost entirely checked.
! THE EXECUTION.
: About 8 a. m. Fridry the Sheriff visited
9 his cell and wanted to read to him the
) death warrant, but Bowsher stubbornly
refused to listen to it, saying he didnr
: want any death warrant read to him. As
e the duty was not an imperative one, the
o Sheriff accordingly omitted it.
;, At 9 10 a. m. yesterday Rev. Hirst was
j at the cell according to special appoint
e ment with the prisoner, hoping to secure
n a full confession, that being the main OBJ
h iect of the engagement. BoWsher wa
unusually sullen and refused to make am
y confession, affirming that he was not tn,
l. same man that was in the cell the evening
e before. He gave his views of law anC
IS penalty, claiming that man who wa
poor and ignorant should not receive tht
same penalty that man in other circum
stances should get. That even ifhe wa
guilty of what he was charged, he shoult
It not be hung on that acc cunt. He at n,
time acknowledged that he would b.
:. hung, because man was unable to do wha
n God said should never be done. Rev
l. Hirst remained in close and earnest con
| q
+ to the cell, to take him to the gallows, try
% ing in all possible ways to direct his mint
,f to a preparation for death, to all of whicl
% Perry respectfully listened, but neve
70 gave a sign of penitence or remorse. A
~ few minutes before eleven O'Clock, Rev
q Hist said: ''Perry, you have now but
T few moments to live. desire to read tn
Z scripture with you and pray for you." L
which Perry replied. F'No, don't wan
# you to read or pray with me, L don't be
+ lieve in it; | need no prayer; [ neve
:, pray; if l am lost, it is my lookout, ant
! the fault of nobody. I am much obliged
h to you for all your kindness to me, bu
Il you can't save me; you did it all for my
q good. GOod-bye." In that condition h
went to the place of execution. At 10 81
Il a. M, the Sheriff brought to his cell al
!" elegant dinner, but Perry declined to eat
iT saying that he was not hungry, and ha
not eaten his breakfast owing to sickness
during the night. He manifested durin
- the entire interview more than usual eX
a. citement and nervousness, but continue
n, to declare his innocence, while on Thurs
day afternoon he indicated his intentio
to give all the particulars. The change i
his feelings and views is unaccountable
AS the clock struck the hour of eleven, h
said, ''that is the time they said, but al
y not hung yet, and [ tell you, they neve
Is Is will take my life" He offered no resist
oo ance to the guards when the cell wa
n VnI1lI yVa1 on
III quietly with them. Pale-but without fea
IA he walked through the hall to the plac
oO of execution.
< Bowsher stepped upon the scafold &
20 IL :05, his arms closely clasped on eithe
TO side by Officer James Conley and Deput
); Sheriff Raston, of Franklin. His face wa
SIS pallid, not with the pallor of fear, howeI
ss er, but the long and close confinement i
l@ Jail had bleached him wonderfully. A
w he came forward he cast his eye up at tn
=; rope above his head and at the differer
oo parts of the instrument of death, and the
OF turned it calmly upon the crowd. 1t Il!
sumed the cold sarcastic glitter Whic
o. those who knew him have witnessed S
e often and then the face took on a set dC
sC termination which betrayed the working
K. of his mind.
9 There were on the scaffold by his sid
lie ReY. Hirst and the German Luthera
ek minister, Sheriff or two from adioinin
counties and one or two enterprisin
re newspaper reporters. His hands were a
OF ready fastened behind with hand-cuff
0o and Sheriff Mackey then stepped forwaI
ne and fastened his limbs together with
ne stout black strap. BUWsher coolly su
veyed the operation and accommodatin!
ly moved his limbs closer together. II
was then moved forward and placed upo
the trap and the rope pulled down frol
+o above and the knot placed under his le
h. ear. There was the faintest possible quiz
er at this I1OiOt and tha npisOOor'S aUt
at aLJ ~ 5iiis H PElLiL, anu Ine PLlsoIel ey
@ tI En sue " sue p!lt u