Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-01-15
THE DEATH PEN Atty.
EXECUTION or TWO PENNSYLVANIA
M0lLleS,
Sharp and kc0onnelI-A Reprieve Granted,
but II Arrives 0ne-Half Minute too
Late Hanging Of Thomas Dowd,
at ST. Andrews, N, B.

victed Of the murder OF George K
Smith, a coal operator at Audenreid, OIL
the night OF November 5th, 1863, wa,
expected TO be quiet affair but ha'
proved most exciting. A repiieve from
Governor Hartranft arrived one-hali
minute after the drop fell, just thirty
seconds too late To save the lives of the
men adjudged guilty of the murder
The doomed men slept peacefully last
night. Mcdonnell, when retiring, asked
to be called at midnight for prayer. At
that hour Sharp was fast asleep. Neither
of the men took breakfast this morning.
The priests, Fathers Brunce and Helm
ON, arrived about Z o'clock and mass
was said in McDonnell's cell, i'll the pres
ence Of number OF relatives. At half
past nine the doors of the prison
were opened TO those having passe $, and
the corridors were soon well filed with
a crowd who examined the ropes, and
looked on at them being fixed to the
scaffold beams and other preparations.
The sheriff had given strict orders to
his assistants To allow no levity, At
1925 the sheriff knocked ON the doors
OF the cells as u signal that he was
ready. The condemned men didn't ap-
pear for some time, but when they
came forth they did not show the least
signs Of fear. Sharp and Mcdonnell,
priests, policemen aud sheriff, at once
went upon the scailOld. After
a short service the sheriff
said; james Mcdonnell, have you
ANYTHING to say before | proceed
further?" Mcdonnell replied i'll firm
voice; clam rs innocent OF the murder
of Smith as a child unborn. | have
already told you OF the only crime /
was engaged in referring to the Burns
murler). | am sorry | ever alienated
myself from the holy Catholic church,
and | forgive everybody"
In reply 10 the Sheriii'S question
Sharp said he was innocent of
the murder of Smith. lie said he had
intended to have read statement
written ior him by Mr.. Boyle, Of the
Coal Gasette, but he would not and
asked that gentleman to be sure TO pub
.lish it. The men then were shackled
and the priests kissed them goodbye.
The sheriff was about to put on the
white caps, when Sharpe said he wished
10 leave his thanks with the sheriff and
the officers of the Jail. Mcdonnell said
the same. The men then kissed their
cruci6xes, and the priests whispered In
their ears as the white caps were drawn
over their heads. Everyone but the
victims left the scaifsld. The sheriff
took hold of the rops attached to the
s9TiRg. ,RHd, awaited tbs. signal .lral1
handkerchief iell from the latter's hand,
and the sheriff pulled the drop. The
fall was over three feet, and the men
came down heavily. Mcdonnell seemed
to die instantly, but Sharpe struggled
violently. The reprieve Was received
i'm Mauch Chunk by telegraph at lO:E,
and the manager of the office rushed To-
the Jail with il. He rang the bell ylo'
lently about half a minute he-
fore the drop fell, and started
for the doorkeeper. Mrs. Mcdonnell
and her children were at the door weep
ing loudly, but the dOOT-keepcr did not
seem To understand that the dispatch
was reprieve. Ii was from Governor
Hartranft, and granted reprieve until
Monday. There was great excitement
in town when the news of the reprleye
was made known. The friends OF the
prisoners took charge OF the bodies,
which were put into cotfins IN the Jall.
The sheriff said he had no idea that
reprieve would be granted by the Gov
ernor, nor did any Of the authorities an
tcipate such contingency.
HARRIsBURG, January l4.--Goyernor
Hartranit, who returned from WASH
ington early this morning, finally agreed
to extend the time for the execution ol
Sharpe and Mcdonnell to the 10th inst,
hut the news OF the execution IN answer
to his telegraph reprieye put an end tn
further efforts tn save the men. No
hopes were entertained Tor hnal par
don, and the Governor would only
grant reprieve for few days. The
Governor did not reach his office till
a quarter before ten this morning. Attcr
hearing the attorneys plea for a respite,
he decided, about lO:30, tO grant 1t. The
telegram WAS then written and tiled IN
the telegraph Office at lO:35, and sent at
1875.
An Exciting Scene.
MAuCH CnuNK, January li.-When
the Governors reprieve arrived at the
Jail this morning n scene OF intense eX-
citement Of prevailed, but although the
culprits had only been hanging iew
seconds, there Was no movement to-
ward cutting them down. The tele-
graph messenger reaehed the jail door
before the drop fell, but no heel was
taken OF his Knocking and ringing, az
the wife Of one ot the Culpnts
had previously been extremely
violent outside. When the drop fell,
the knocking and ringing continued,
anil the sheriff sent ont a man 10 arrest
the parties, whom lac imagtned
to he creating a disturbance.
Ii was then found "a be a telegraph
messenger with reprieve. \ brother
Of Mcdonnell, Who had been kneeling
by the sahoid aruse, and eXcilcily
charged the sheriff aud bystanders with
the murler at his brother. The excite
nIant spread. and the sheriff Appealed
Ia one Oi the priests who eNOnerate'l
him from the blame. Amidst
this excitement the repneches OF
the maddened brother Of Mcdonnell
and wsilings uf the beraved families
outside, the culprits SEEMED n have
been forgotten, and they remained
hanging for thirty minutes after the
drup feh. There i no reasonable doubt,
however, that they were both dead after
the reprieye caine, Alter the bohes
were cut down, they were Placed ia
cOfiins and given TO their iamilIes,
whose cries Could b. hsapt ios several
blocks, adding greatly 10 the prevailing
excitement.
Hanging of Thomas Dowd, of 81. An
drsWs. N. b.
st. JoHSs, y. H., January lI.--Thoinai
Doxd wss hanged al 81 Andrews, Char
lotte eUnnty, 81 Sis this nlcnling, ioi
the murder Of Thomas Edwani Nart. al
New River, 0n the sih Of September last
His death N&s instantAnepus. Aboul
sixty perscAs were Ife=tni. D0Td
slept well during the night and arose al
6 O'Clock. Father Doyle shortly alter
wards joining him IN his cell DOwt