The daily gazette., 1879-01-15
oi NIoilie Maguircs.
A REpRIEvr THIRTY sEcoNDsroo LATE,

n RETRIEVE w La 1 Il.
MAUcH CHUNK, Pa, Jan. l4.--The
execution of the Mollie Maguires, Chs.
Sharpe and James Mcdonnell, took place
within the precincls Of the ia here to-
day under painfully peculiar circumsan-
ces, reprieve from the Governor having
arrived about half a minute after the
drop fell. The reprieve, however, was
Only intended TO give them few days
more of life. Still, the incident has oc-
casioned a profound sensation, and what
was thought would be one If the quiet
est executions which ever took place in
Mauch Chunk has proved the most eX-
citing.
At 1925 the sheriff knocked IN the
doors Of the cells as a sighal that he was
ready. The condemned men did II ap-
pear for some time, but wien they did
they did not show the least tea.. The
prisoners, the priests, policemen and
sheriff at once went upon the scailold.
After a short service the sheriff said :
"James Mcdonnell, have you anything
to say before | proceed further" Me
Donnell replied speaking in firm voice,
Il am as innocent of the murder OF
Smith as the child unborn. | have
already told of he only crime was IN
gagged 10 referring to the Burns murder. ]
/ am sorry ever alienated myself from
the holy Catholic Church. forgive
everybody" In reply to the sheriil's
] question Sharpe said he was innocent OF
| the murder of Smith. He said he had
| intended to have read "A statemen , writ
ten for him by Mr.. Boyle, Of the Coal
Gazette, bat he would not and asked that
gentleman to be sure to publish il. The
men were then shackled and the priests
kissed them good-by.
| THE ILL-FATED REPRlEvE.
| A reprleve was received in Maucl
Chunk by telegraph at 1877, and the
manager of the Western Union Tele
graph Office rushed TO the Jail with it. lie
rang the bell violently about half a
minute before the trap fell and started tC
the door-keeper. Mrs. Mcdonnell and
her children were at the door, weeping
loudly, but the door-keeper did not seen
to understand that the dispatch was a re
Iprieve. 1t was from Gov. }. F. Hart
raft, and granted "A reprieve until Mon
ldiy. There was grea; excitement il
,town when the news of the ieprleve wa
Imade known. The friends of the prlso
ntrs took charge of the bodies, whicl
were put into pine collins in the jail
The sheriff said he had no idea that ;
reprieye would be granted by the Coy
crnor, nor di ! any Of the authorities here
anticipate such a contingency.
SCENE OF EXCITEMENT.
| When the Governors reDrieve arrived
at the Jail scene of intense eXctemen
occurred, but, although the culpri's hat
only been hanging for few minutes
there was no mouement made TOWARD
cutting them down The telegraph mes
senger reached the Jail door b. fore th'
drop fell, but no heed was taken 10 hi
knocking and ringing, the wife of one o
the culprits having previously been cS
tremeiy violent outside. w henthe dro
fell the knocking aud ringing continued
and the sheriff sent ont man TO arres
the parties whom he imagined to be ere
atiDg the disturbance. II WAS then foun'
to be a t. .legraph messenger with the r.
prieve. A brother of Mcdonnell, VIII
had been kneeliug by the seaiso!d, aros
and excitedly charged the sheriff and by
ISLANDERS with the murder OF his brothe
The excitement spread and the sherl
appealed to one of the priests, who eH
ouerated him from blame. Amidst thi
, excitsmcnt-the reproacbrs of the mac
, dened brother of Mcdonnell and TIL
wailings of the bereaved tamilies-th
culprits seem to have been forgotten ,an
they remained hanging thirty minute
T, after the drop fell. There is no reasoni
= Bile doubt, however, that they We're bot
dead when the reprleve came After III
: bodies were cut down they were place
=, in cofins and given to their familie
whose crles coult be heard for severi
: blocks, adding greatly TO the prevailli
IL sXtlteIueut