Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-01-14
kilograms to The Star.
A DOUBLE EXECUTION.
TWO MOLLIES HANGED.
Reprieved a Half Minute Too Late.
BISMARCK'S LITTLE BILL.
TWO n0f.LsE WAGtEKE>H HANGED
KePrie,e Which Arrived One .Iin.
u(e Too kare.

ate Too Late.
MArcH CHUNK, PA: January "A. 1870 a m
Inc drop has Just fallen, and IL is feared the
necks OF Sharpe and Mcdonnell have been
hioken. Geographic reprieve has pSt ar
rNed, OUT about one minute too late.
HANGED FOR MURDER CoMMITrEn FIFTEEN
YEARS AGO.
The crime for which they have been executad
was the murder OF George X. Smith on The
night OF November 5th, 1853. smith was coal
operator &t Audt nried and although ne was a
mighty respectable man. he was much disiikcd
by the :" BuckshotS." as the present MoIlie Ma
CURES We're then called AS body they re-
sisted The draft, and il is supposed that Smiths
ohlN ohenCe was pointing out to the officers
OF the government individuals. who had
so resisted. on the night OF the murder
ahout eight o'clock three men with h'ar.pnad
laceS, and wearing the garb of miners present
&c themselves at smiths door and Insisted un01
sI aIl interview with him, saying they had letter
II IiViu ON tEe superintendent OF the Lehigh Valley
railroad. Mr.. Smith being sick i'm had N.S
Sfnlth refused topermit them TO 20 nm stairs
wen ohe Oh them fired OF pistol. 4 crowd of
men VINO had been lurking outside burst onaa
lhe dCor Immediately. aud poured into The
mouse, Wonnding a Mr.. Ulrch. one of the in
mates. ana Knocking Mrs. Smith down smith
VINO was Known 10 be a fearless man left MS
Ged and came down stairs Ia defend his
hcme, but he was very soon surrounded
some enc put pistol TO the back OF his head
ana fred, and Smith fell dead The RncLshofs
then fed. Not one OF them was arrested nnr
were they even suspected until the disclosures
brought ABOUT by the trials since lS15. and il
tiiat these TWO men were arrested. They were
tiled al hauch chunk last April. and although
me chlef witnesses against them We're ! 4rnp,
and IaI Kelly me q, So 5sueeaer Charles Muelhearn
murdererS-they were both found rI1iIty ar
murder in the first degree
A SINGULAR FATALITY
HoNeFel mas followed the participants in the
Smith murder Long john DOn0iIue who is
supposed 10 be the man who presented Mrs
SIhlth with The letter. was shot al Tuscarora
~ elbow Jack" honohue was hanged at Mauch
Chunk- Jack kehoe suffered the same fate IaSt
month AT PottSviile. and G-day Sharne and Nc
Donnen have eNpiated the crime upon the
gaIlOWS.
ONLY THIRTY SECONDS TOO LATE
NAUCH tHUNK. PENNA.. Jan. I4-What MAS
thought would he one OF the quietest execl-
% uons which l, ever took place in Nauch Chunk has
proved the most exciting. reprleye from
Governor lIartranft arrived here one-half min
nte alter the drop fell-jGSt thirty seconds too
late TO save their lives
THE CONDEMNED MEN
slept quietly last night. Mcdonnell left orders
Ion retlrlng 10 be called at midnight for PRAYER
Al that hour Sharpe was fast asleep. Neither
OF mem eat any breakfast this morning The
priests, Fathers Bunce and HeiDan arrived
ahout seven O'Clock. and mass was said i'm Ne
DonnellS cell. in the presence of a number of
IelatlNes OF the doomed men. At half-past nine
the doors Of the prison were onenpd 10 those
who had passes, and the corridors were soon
niled with mixed crowd. who examined the
ropes witnessed the attaching Of them 10 the
was Il serious time and the Sherif gave strict
CidelS 10 his assistants 10 allow no leVty on the
part OF the crowd Al 1925 the sheriff knocked
On the doors of the cells as signals that he was
ready. The condemned men did not appear for
some time, but when they did they did not show
me least fear. The prisoners, the priests. po-
nceiIlen ana tie sheriff at once went
UrON THE SCAFFoLn
After short service the Sheriff said lanes
McDOnneI have you anything TO say before I
proceed further?' Mcdonnell replied. SPEAK
murder of Smith as the child unborn. | have
already told OF the only crime was engaged
Id, referring 10 the Burns murder: am sorry
ever alenated myself from the Holy Catholic
church: forgive everybody" In reply 10 the
sberlfis question, Sharpe said he was innocent
OF the murde, of Smith. He said he had in
him by Mr.. Boyle, OF the Coal gazette but ne
would not, and asked that gentleman 10 be
sure to publish it. The men were then shackled
ana tne priests kissed them goodbye.
THE CLOSING SCENE.
The sheriff was about to put on the white
caps when Sharpe said he wished to leave his
thanks with The sheriff and the officers OF the
jail. Mcdonnell simply said the same The
men then kissed their crucifixes passionatpIy
and the priests whispered words OF consolation
In thelr ears. AS the white caps were drawn
over thelr heads every one left the Scaffod but
The doomed men. The sheriff took hold OF the
roIe attached 10 the spring and waited a signal
from Father Bunce. In a moment a white
HaHdkefchief fell from the latter'S hand. and
tne SheIliI pulled the drop. The fall was over
Inree 1eet. and the men came down heavily
Mcdonnell seemed 10 die Instantly, but sharpe
struggled violently. A reprieYe was received
IN Mauch Chunk by telegraph at 1895. and the
manager of tie Western nion Telegraph Office
rushed 10 the Jail with it, He rang
the bell violently about half a mnute
before the drop fell, and he then shouted
loudly to the doorkeeper. Mrs. Mcdonnell
ana hef children were also at the door weeping
loudly but the doorkeeper did not seem 10
understand That the dispatch was a reprieye
III was from Governor j. F. IIauranfi and
granted reprieye until Monday
THERE WAS GREAT EXCITEMENT
IN tne town when the news of the reprieye was
made known The friends of the prisoners took
chaTge OF the bodies, which were put INTO cof-
ms inside the jail. The sheriff said he had no
idea that repffeye would be granted by the
governor, nor did any OF the authorities here
anticipate such contingency.
The Delay i'm the Reprieve.
HARRISBURG. Pa. Jan. 16.-Gov Hartranff
VINO returned from Washington early This
morning. finally agreed TO extend the time for
lhe execution OF sharpe and Mcdonnell to the
2uth lnSt., out the news of the execution i'm
answer TO his telegraphic repreye. OF course
put an END to all further efforts to save The
men NO hopes were entertained for a
nhal pardon. and the Governor would
only grant a reprieve for a few days.
Inc governor did not reach his Office until
quarter before ten O'Clock this morning After
nearing The attorneys plea for respite he de-
clded about 1890 to grant il. The telegram was
written, nled in the telegraph Office at 1926 and
sent at 1895. No further reason for the delay
Ia issuing the respite is given, but the fact that
the governor did not reach his Office until the
time above indicated shows that very little time
was lost after hearing the reasons for the re-
quest for repTieye