The New York herald., 1879-03-15
Full Confession and Contiton for His Crime and an
EIhortahon 10 All 10 Ehun Rum.
PlNKHAM, WHO SHOT AN aged WOMAN.
Henry Grayelin Suffers on CircumStantial Evi-
dence for the Murder Of Herbert 0. White.
EXECUTIONS ON THE PACIFIC SLOPE.

CAMBRIDGE JAIL. March H. 1879.
Deputy Sheriff Eben w. Fiske, on whom devolved
the painful duty Of executing William Henry Devin.
OF Lowell. for the murder Of his wife. December 8.
1877 on account of the recent death of Sheriff Kim
ball. at forty-seven minutes past ten A. NJ to-day
touched the spring which sent the condemned man
to his final account. The work was done in neat
dignihed and business-like manner, although
It was Mr.. Fiske's first attempt. The wretched man
confessed his crime long and on the galows to.
day said that he hoped all his friends would forgive
him and avoid the Of rum. Just before the pro-
cession started for the scaod the relatives of the
poor victim Of the laws rigor took leave Of him.
The adieus very sad and solemn. the scene be-
ing very impressive.
Immediately after their departure, the last re-
lgious services conducted in the cell by Rev.
Father O'DonnelL The services consisted Of the
recitation OF the ltany Of the dying the prisoner
responding on his knees The service lasted
twenty minutes. after which the reverend
Clergyman pade the prisoner adieu. at the
same time exhorting him to remain steadfast in his
faith in the Saviour, the Redeemer Of all men. I'm
mediately afterward tho crowd awaiting in the office
Of the Jail allowed to pass into the corridor. and
after all had taken their places quietly tn solemn
procession appeared at fourteen minutes to eleven
A. NJ.
UNDER THE PATAL MOOSE.
The prisoner appeared in black pantaloons and
vest and white shirt he took his stand the drop
with a remarkable degree of firm mess, and looking
on the sea Of faces before him made brief address,
giving the advice above quoted. The man
was then pinioned. the black cap adjusted
and Deputy Fske read the death war
rant. Just the last word uttered.
the spring touched and the trap fell. The ma
chinery acted like clockwork. and the only motion
of the body the rope frightened slight
convulsive twitching at the extremities His neck
wss broken almost instantly. The doctors made an
examination and pronounced that the work was done
well; and departed murderer to meet his victim.
DEvLINs CRIME.
The crime for which Devlin executed
probably brutal any that can be imagined. and
although he in state of intoxicaton and partly
oblivious to the full Nervousness of his act the jury
act and ought to die. On December 8. 1877, Devlin
came home and found that his wife. to whom he had
Ave cents Of one Abiel W. Sheldon to whom he had
made assignment Of mis- to satisfy unpaid
grocery bill. He immediately sought out his wife
and asked her il such the case. He received
affirmative answer; he said angrily that he wanted
TO know what she borrowed 1t for. She replied that
progress Of the conversation Devlin had approached
from the door. where he had been at first standing.
till he close to his wife. When she made the
last reply he told her. in rather strong language.
that she was telling the truth. He then without
% d ns the ana
to leave the room avoiding the blows aimed
at her head as best she could and trying to
carried from harm. Devlin kept close behind her.
and she neared the head Of the stairs he struck
her. knocking her down the length of the flight Of
steps. He did not then desist. but having
reached the place where she lying he kicked her
and stamped upon her. nurng at her % all 1.-The the while
lying the floor some distance from its mother.
moaning. .piteously The other two children
and tmplored their father not to kill her. Devlin
dessted for minute. because. perhaps. he was tired
from his own exertions. As he stood over his wife,
neditating whether again strike her not his at
was attracted to the moaning OF the baby
sed up the child and & placed Dit it on , two chairs hairs
the opportunity and began TO ascend the stairs Dew
lin. seeing this. followed her and pulled her down
again. He then began TO boat her. stamping on her
In the most brutal manner.
''yoU HER,"
The neighbors interfered, and woman
claimed:-''Oh. you will XIII her." Dcviin replied
s1 don't care IL do; wish she was dead; would
be willing 70 go to Jail for life for doing it,"
fenceless woman and dragged her along the floor by
the hair The poor woman got up as soon as he
husband. after thinking for minute. grabbed q
shocmakers knife. which he used for cutting to-
bacco. and stabbed the woman with it in the head.
inhictng ugly looking wound. Mrs. Dcvln
asked tor mercy, and begged him not to kill
her and the children Joined in the appeal But there
was no mercy now from the heartless wretch. He
again stamped on and kicked her. When he found
that she did not move nor attempt to resist him he
with tho Devlins. said to him:MaMr. T DevIin, your
wife is dead" This remark elected from him tho
IN State Prison for rI III or % Hs them tSrsW
basin of water on her TO bring her to her but
It was Of no avail He then closed the door
Devlin, friend. came in soon after. and.
seeing the condition Of Affairs. asked what
wife drunk. They went out and took drink
pf whiskey each. After while the husband re-
urned alone. put the baby to bed. took look his
PROSTATE wife, which the last in her life. The
child had been injured by the fall from its mothers
He placed 1t In the bed and pulled the clothes
ovor md hen To had and
soundly till eleven o'clock next day Sunday.
~ DYING. NELLIE"
daughter, Nellie Frances, awakened by the voice
of her mother calling to her to and kiss her.
who was lying In about the position as when
the brutal husband left her. After the girl had
kissed her, the mother SAID Nellie am dying.
Goodby. Remember long you live" She
kissed her daughter again, and then her spirit
passed away. The dcathbed scene WAS as.sad and
grim as can be described or imagined. Here was a
poor woman dying uncared for. taking leave of her
children. who must be at the mercy of her own muir
dcrcr.
The brute who stamped out her life was lying in a
drunken sleep in the next ROOM. The other two
childron were also asleep. aud only one. seven
Of the cord OF life. The will be forgot
turned to bed and. after several hours of terrible
agony. she fell asleep. At eleven o'clock ON
the Children leaving the bed. He fod the
baby with starch and milk and also got q
little 1000 Tor tho children and himself. He took q
drink and returned to bed looking ut his wife
to see whether she was dead alive but he pre-
pared to lie down again. the daughter told him that
her mother was dead. Ho paid little attention to
this, but went to slccp again. only giving instruc-
tons to the children " stay where they The
whole party remained In bed all day sunday and
sunday night. excepting that occasionally Devn got
up to takee drink. and once twice during this
time fed the baby. Monday morning dswned ON tho
blood-stained house and tho sun struggled into the
room OF death. The murderer had sobered
OF, and now he hogan 10 realixc what he
had done. His wife doad and his child dying
His first thought was TO give himself up TO the police.
His next to hy The latter course he adopted. He
sent the children TO their grandmothers, with in
structions to tell hor that mother had fnlle down
stairs and broken her leg. and that she ought TO
como and look after her and the baby. Then hc gave
the boy ten cents TO spend, and said that no was
going out the street tor little while. His inten.
ton was when ne left tho house TO 40 TO his
sisters in Rutand W. Tho children went TO their
grandparents and told them what had
taken place. An autopsy tho woman's body
ahnwed that there were about thirty wounds on tha