The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-10-17

and in five minutes more the cell door
yielded to the chisel, and, with crash |
the heartless crowd were in and seized
the prisoners. Ropes and Irvine had
been prepared, and in five minutes each
OF the four had his wrists tied tightly
behind his back, and a rope thrown
about his neck. The doomed men
uttered not word of pleading nor
faltered an instant. Each bore himself
with the nerve and GOODNESS of hero.
At five minutes before II the little
group at the Jail door received orders,
and the masked guards again waved
back the crowd which had begun to
struggle into the yard. A minute later
little procession emerged from the Jail
door. First came Bill Chambers, three
men leading him by the rope about his
neck, while one walked with him. He
said nothing, but his step was firm.
Next came Jim Goode, jeff Hopkins.
and Ed Warner in the order named, all
walking firmly, but on either side of the
latter walked man who appeared to
support him unnecessarily. There was
no abuse, and not one of the doomed
wretches craved mercy.
The gloomy procession moved to the
fence on the south side of the square
just where the massive portico of the
splendid new temple of Justice and
mercy looked upon the scene which
Knocked it's pretensions and stained its
portals Here stood three locust trees
within ten feet of the fence, three of
the majestic row that fringes the square
The four men were led under the fatal
trees whose branches reached out ready
for the work. The rope about jeff
Hopkins neck was thrown over the limb
at the first trial, but the others caught
in the leaves, and three or four minutes
was spent in having men climb the trees
and put the ropes over. Not word
was said yet, except by the prisoners,
who were softly praying, but stood firm
as rocks on the street. In front dense
crowd was drawn up, patrolled in front
by masked men with cleaning pistols,
and as far as sound was concerned
the whole might have been ghostly
dream Or vision. Although Hopkins
executioners were ready, they seemed to
falter, and Jim Goode was the first to
be pulled up. AS the man who put the
rope over finished his task he caught
the end, and, holding it, swung from
the limb to the ground. The tension
caught Goode and pulled him on tip
toe. When the executioner released
his hold Goode fell back on the rope
and could not be lifted. He had faint
ed, and the death was painless. Five
men seized the rope, and swung him up
three feet clear, and tied the end to the
fence-post nearest. Another moment
and Hopkins and Warner went up in a
! similar manner. There was not tremor
or witch. Bill Chambers was still on
terra irma and the first pull broke the
fragile limb, and he fell back to the
earth. While waiting to put the rope
over new branch the crowd gathered,
and he was asked if he had anything to
say. He began to talk, and the newspaper
men were called up to hear it, He be-
gan a rambling talk about playing cards
with Jim Goode, which had no refer
ence to the case He was prolix, and
was hurried up, when he said, II am in
nocent, before God" One man, who
was weak-hearted, said, ave ought not
to hang an innocent man." "No, by
c." retorted his executioner, "but we
must hang the guilty" The rope was
run through the forks of the tree. He
was pulled up by strong arms and held.
In attempting to tie the rope about the
trunk some man caught his legs, pulled
them out almost at right angles, and let
him fall against the tree, his face scratch
ing the rough bark from first to last
The deed was done. Ten minutes had
not passed, and, but for the breaking Of
the limb, it would have been done in
three After hanging fifteen minutes
the crowd were admitted to the yard to
gaze on the bodies, which were left
hanging for several hours The
masked men disappeared like ghosts,
and the crowd quietly left after viewing
the scene, and the town was quiet as the
grave. 1t was the most respectable
hanging for years.