The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-30

The Slayer Of His Wife and Baby
Dies with a Lie on His Lips.
sCAFFoLD SPEECHES.
Sketches Of the Lives and
Crimes OF the Culprits
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Jan. 20, 1879
The granting Of new trial to Guetig left but two
condemned men to pay the death penalty here to-
day. John Achey baptized yesterday by Father
Bessones, after which time he seemed resigned to
his fate. Yesterday the ministers who have been
tending upon Merrick called upon him and made
long examination of the religious belief of the pris
oner. also attempting to induce him to make con-
fession, but unsuccessfully, he persistng in de-
claring that his wife alive. Merrick ate
hearty breakfast. but Achey tasted. He was
quite melancholy, tremor of the neither lip
showing that he was not Indifferent to the fate in
store for him. Merrick had not lost an ounce of
flesh during his confinement while Achey, who
weighed $50 pounds when first put in the Jail. now
weighs less than 140. Az he put his clothes this
morning he said with choke in his voice that beied
his ocular words Well, I'll make respectable look
ing corpse. anyhow. I'm ready; bring the rope"
This morning ten o'clock the Chief of Police placed
guard of lbs men around the Jail walls. keeping the
crowd at distance. Four deputy sheriffs and the
jailer the scafold to assist Sheriff Pressly.
At eleven A. NJ. Achey's wife. his brother-in-law.
John Mcdowell. and his two neces. Fanny and
Lille. called for last look and few parting words
They remained about twenty minutes
PREPARING THE scAFFoLD
At twelve O'Clock precisely the jail door was
thrown open aud Achey brought out to the room
next the Jail Office, where Merrick with his spr.
itual advisers. The Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff Rey-
nolds then cut large green cord, of which OBrien
and Reynolds each took half, placing the cord
in their pockets with which to bind the Of the
murderers in tine room. Each was furnished with a
pair of white Isle thread gloves. Merrick's hand
trembled. did Acheys. and there was some trouble
in getting them Achey said the fingers of his
gloves were too long. Finally everything was ready
and they marched out into the jail yard, Sheriff
Pressly and Rev. Dr. s. H. Bayliss coming first then
Merrick with Jailor Brien OF one side and Rev. J.
S. Tevis one of his spiritual advisers the other.
Achey followed, supported by Deputy Sheriff Rey-
nolds and Father Bcssoines, the latter carrying
crucfx.
II exactly Ave minutes after twelve O'Clock
when they mounted the scaffod and then seated.
Merrick sat with his eyes cast down, but Achcy
looked auxiously about him--at the crowds at the
gaows and especially at the rope, the hung
across of the raiters He not clearly shaved
but looked bright and well, not at all much broken
as might have been expected under the rporss that
not bad looking man. as he sat facing
death with clear eye and unruied demeanor, there
being, however, utter absence of bravado any,
thing akin to that. 1t was six minutes past twelve
p VI. when Sheriff Press stepped TO the front and
began the reading of tho for the execution
of Merrick. The reading occupied four minutes. but
during the entire time Merrick appeared to pay
attention whatever to the contents of the documents
Then the Sheriff read the warrant for the
ction Of John Achey, and while that being read
Achey listened with eager attitude and at its
clusion guped down heavy sigh. When the sheriff
had replaced the warrants i'm their envelopes he adj
dressed the culprts
.Gentlemen. have you anything to say before tho
order of the Court is carried into cxrcutionY'
AcHgYs CLAIM OF INNOCENCE.
Rising to his feet. Achey, in clear voice. ead:-
al would like to say something IL thought ii would
do any good. 1t appears that thc evidence that Mr..
Brown gave in is the only conclusive evidence of
premcditated murder and being one of the roboers
himself the chances are he swore to lie. Besides
he acknowledged 1t to "a man in st. Louis.
why says he. MY. God, why don't you
write letter there. They will hang John Achey'
The truth of the arrangement Is it not prcmedi
tated, and. therefore, l wrongfully convicted.
The people here are prepared for hanging aud I
suppose my death will make difference any how.
l am ready
Achey sat down coolly he had stood up and
tremor III body voice. When he closed the gen.
eral whisper ran through the crowd. what pluck
and other expressions of similar nature.
MERR1cK PROTESTS AGAINST HIS EXECUTION.
After an interval of u few moments the sheriff adj
dressed Merrick:-"Mr. Merrick. have you anything
to say?" Whereupon he started up almost with
jerk and spoke in excited tone, for him. fol-
lows:"1 have q great deal would like to say, but
it would not be worth while to say anything. The
State OF Indiana to-day in the sight of that Court
House, is doing an unjust thing TO one of her cti-
say as have said before. to this people and
the world. am innocent OF the charge. When that
drop falls and my life goes out may eternal peace be
still! Iwsh to say no more"
"GooDDY.'
The clergymen then performed their Offices, and
the prisoners walked upon the drop, and after say
ing ,'Goodby," were quickly han,cuned and PIN
faces. Rev. DIR. Bayliss then said II commend you
to the. mercy of God" Then Sheriff fressly pulled
the lever. The drop fell with rcsounding cang,
and there were two bodies swinging in the space
below. Mcrrick did not show much Signs
OF pain. He hung limp from the first.
that he was respirng. His rope slipped. with the
face TO the front. throwing his head very far back
and IL was evident his neck had been broken. At
six minutes DIR. Henry jameson reported his pulse at
100. and at six and quarter minutes pronounced
him dead. Achey died harder. His knot remained
under the left ear and lie strangled TO
death. He drew up his legs convulsivcly III
many as eight times. while hrs body moved and
to 100 at the beginning of the eighth minute
and when the eighth minute had elapsed Dr. Marscl
and DIR. Boynton pronounced him dead. Coroner
wishard then made formal official examination of
the bodies, and at twen'y-three minutes OF the
Sheriff and the Chief OF Police requested the spccta-
tors 20 withdraw. The bodies were then cut down
aud taken In charge by the undertaken; but while
they were still hanging the crowd to invited guests
Logan cutting pieces from the scaiou anu as soon as
they were cut down there scramble for pieces
of the rope. This mob finally restrained by the
sheriff. who ordered all persons from the jail yard
The entire time occupied from their exit from the
Jail until they were ia their collins thrty-four
minutes.
THE cnIMEs THEY ExprATEp.
John Achsy, the first of the murdercrs sentenced
TO the death penalty at the winter OF the Grim
inal Court of this county. shot and killed George
on the afternoon of the 10th OF July last Achcy was
gambler; had never been anything else. lie came
Oh bhu STOCK, tne divorced variety nctrees, Kate
Mcdowell bdng his niece. lie was years Of
age. married to y fast woman by whom he haA chill
dren. His victim, Leggctt also a g.mblcr.
About year previous 20 the killing Achcy had in
hcrited about $4,000 from the estate OF his mother
with this cash capital Achcy asprcd TO be gentle
man gambler. and sought the society OF Leggett,
who ranked az an aristocrat among his pro-
fessional brethren. The result was that
Achcy was soon pennilcss. About the
lat OF July last he made application to Icggett for
loan of S25, which was refused with curs,s Achcy
afterwGrd said that after ths insult he formed rn
determination to Kill him, and ut once procured a
snith Wesson revolver OF the full
size. On the day OF the murder, knowing
That lrggett would be Ut Chaplin n Goru's whero
pools were being sold BASEBALL game, Acbey sta
toned himself at the door and awaited arrival OF
Lggctt. The latter came in abouttwo o'clock and
passed back into the barrootu WHARF he stood