The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-01-18
THE GALLONS.
The Execution OF sharpe and MIC
DOnneII, az NIauch chunk.

Tuesday last, impresses SOLEMN moral les
son. The lesson is the old but infaliblc one,
that the wages of sin are DEATH" and that
he who sheds the blood Of his fellow man,
like the wandering jew, finds no rest; the |
hand of vengeance follows him continually, |
until he has paid the penalty pronounced |
by Omnipotence, " an eye for an eye and
! tooth for tooth"
Sharpe and Mcdonnell were arrested, |
charged with being accomplices in the muir
der of George X. Smith, at the Yorktown |
colliery, near Audenried, in 1868. They |
were members of criminal organization in
the coal regions then known as the Buck |
Shots" or Mollie Maguires. They were tried |
at the April term of Court, last year, and,
although ably defended by counsel, were
convicted of murder in the first degree. The |
history of their trials is too we'll known TO ,
be repeated. Everything pointed to their
guilt. After his arrest, Mcdonnell volun-
tarily turned States evidence in the case in |
Schuylkill county, Commonwealth against
Martin Birgn, in which he confessed COM
plcity in the murder of Patrick Burns.
At the June term, P. ]. Meehan and F. |
P. Longstreet, Esqrs., counsel for prisoners,
made an effort to secure them a new trial,
which Judge Dreher refused. Other efforts
were made before the Board of Pardons and |
to take their cases to the Supreme Court, |
but without avail. After a considerable de-
lay the Governor signed their death war
rants, setting the execution for the 18th of |
December last, but their counsel claimed |
that new evidence had been discovered, and |
the Governor respited them until the 18th |
of January. About one week ago, their
counsel again brought the cases to the no.
tice of the Board of Pardons, but interler-
ance, after a review Of all the evidence, was
denied. Fathers Bunce and Holman, the |
prisoners spiritual advisers, paid them re-
peated visits, counseling them to prepare
for death.
THE LAST NIGHT on EARTH.
Sheriff Raudenbush, a man whose sym
pathies are as deep as are his convictions of
right and duty, was unceasing in his atten
tions to the wants of the two unfortunate
men. During Monday Sharpe had held |
several interviews with his wife, and the |
sheriff had telegraphed Mrs. Mcdonnell, at
the request of her husband, to come on at
once, but had received a telegram from Jno.
W. Ryon, of Pottsville, that she could not
get there until Tuesday morning. Monday
evening the prisoners were cheerful, partook
of a hearty supper, and during the night,
as they were visited at intervals by the |
sheriff and his assistants, ready to admins
ter to their wants, were found to be either
AM fral in lavntpr Y,aonaf,llNr cloo,,inf,
At an early hour on Tuesday morning two
brothers of the condemned men, Jno Sharpe
and Peter Mcdonnell, and other relatives,
and Fathers Bunce and Heinan visited the
Jail. The prisoners refused breakfast They
dressed themselves neatly, and with the
priests engaged in religious devotons. BY
nine o'clock a large crowd had gathered a
round the Jail, and the jurymen and repre-
sentatives of the press were admitted.
1t was known that the prisoners counsel
were in Harrisburg, pleading mercy for their
clients with the Governor, but p j. Meehan,
Esq, arrived by the 1920 train hopeless
and detected.
THE EXECUTION.
At about 930 a. IN. Fathers Bunce and
Helnan entered the cells of the condemned
and administered the last rites of the church
to them. They both expressed themselves
sent messages of love and consolation TO their
families and friends. They thanked the
Sheriff and Warden Armbrustre for their
uniform kindness. At precisely 1920 o'clock
the sheriff announced that the hour appoint
ed for the execution had arrived, and, con-
sultng the priests, told them, if necessary,
he would delay the execution tin o'clock |
The reply Of the priests was" The prison.
ers are prepared and ready for execution"
A brother Of Sharpe and two of McDonnell's |
occupied positions at the foot of the gallows.
At Just 1898, Sharpe accompanied by Rev.
Bunce and Mcdonnell by Rev. IIenan
emerged from their cells and walked up the
scatiuld unsupported and with firm, steady !
step, each holding Il crucitix.
Arrived upon the scallold, the sheriff ask
ed Sharpe if he had anything to say:
Sharpe, reading from paper, " am 60
ing to meet my God. declare before God |
am as innocent of the murder of Smith as
the child unborn. Had no lot nor part in .
the murder. am sorry left the church
ask pardon of all, and give my life for my
sins. Mcdonnell is innocent of the Smith |
murder. Thank God he is back again in
| the church."
Mcdonnell said "sharpe and I have
been often together He is as innocent of |
the crime as the babe unborn. am inno-
L
lessed. l am sorry left the Catholic church
| to join secret organization"
They were then admonished by their
spiritual advisers to kneel, and make an
humble confession of their sins, and plead |
! for mercy and forgiveness. After they rose
from their knees, the priests saluted them
with kisses, and with the sheriff took leave
of the men.
Sharpe said he wanted to say one more
| word: 81 give my sincere thanks to Sheriff
| Raudenbush, his wife and children, and to
Warden Armbrustre. They have all treated |
me decent since hnve been here" Nc
Donnell said: "And I say the same," and
turning to one of his brothers said Give
that man five dollars" pointing to Father
leinan. Father Heinan replied, Never
mind now, attend to your prayers" Nc
Donnell's last words were -" o God to Thee
| belong, living or dead. May God have
mercy on my soul"
The arms and legs of the men were bound |
in the meantime, and the white caps drawn |
over their faces, when they were left alone
on the scaflold, and at 1912 the sheriff pull
ed the rope and the two men swung in
mdair
TOO LATE,
As the Sheriff pulled the rope, sprnging
the tap,simultaneously the bell at the prison
NopI rang NloltnllN. 20 anu slpp ludl Dtll- !
ringing" said the Sheriff, addressing an as
sstant. In a minute, while the Sheriff still !
bent over to wind up the rope to the trap,an
envelope was pushed into his hand. A re-
preventative OF the ADVOCATE was standing
by his side. lie hurriedly opened the en-
velope, and found as follows:
HARRISBURG, Pa, Jan. IA, 1879
To j. W. RaudenJ,tsh, Esq, Sherifof Carbon
County, Mauch Chunk, Pa.
have respited Mcdonnell and Sharpe
until Monday the goth inst. The repreve
will be forwarded by the next mail and you
will suspend execution of your present war.
rant on receipt OF this telegram.
j. f. HARTRANFT.
My God" said the Sheriff, sadly gazing
at the suspended bodies OF the two men which .
were spinning around at the ends of the
ropes, " this is a respite; but it is too late
Too bad, too bad r. The clamorous voices of
the brothers of the two men mised the cry
murder! There's the murderer % Father
Bunce and Heinan took the excited calmorers
l hut tbair ebpn1laps . L.,