Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-01-22
TOO LATE.
A DOUBLE EXECUTION.

murder of coal operator named
George K. Smith, at Audenried, Car
bon county, in 1863.
"I 1t was twenty minutes after ten,
on the 18th inst, when the cell doors
opened and Sharpe and Mcdonnell
were led out, Father Bunce walking
by Sharpe and Father Heinan with
the " Hairy Man" As they moved
from the cell to the scaffold, a dis
tance of only q few steps, the priests
said prayers, which the men repeated
after them. On the scaffold the Sher-
iff faced Mcdonnell and said: "Is
there anything you wish to say, James
Mcdonnell, before this execution is
proceeded with Z" McDonnelrs S white
hair had fallen into his eyes a little
and he threw it back with a motion
of his head, and spoke a few sen
tences, declaring his innocence.
When the Sheriff asked Sharpe il
he had anything to say, he also de
clared his innocence.
After which the priest directed
them to their prayers, and that in.
slant the caps were drawn down and
the priests and officers moved from
the platform The Sheriff took the
trigger rope in bis hand and glanced
at the two men above. Both were
standing erect and apparently with
out tremor of fear Another in.
slant, and the bolt was drawn and the
men fell. McDonnell's was broken,
but Sharpe died hard. He drew his
legs up till the knees rested almost
against his stomach and struck out
with them till the scaffold, firmly
built as it was and strong, trembled.
When he had done this twice. he was
attacked with a tremor that shook
him violently, and as he ceased and
grew still the bell in the outer room
began to ring fiereely. 1t was
RETRIEVE
from the Governor, staying the exc
cution till Monday, the Goth, but the
messenger came too late, by less than
a minute.
By this time the man Sharpe had
ceased to move or struggle, and the
doctors pronounced him dead nine
minutes after he fell The Sheriff
turned toward the swaying bodies
AMI ssid: Il am es sorry as any one.
1t is too late to be helped. Where is
the underta kerr" At this point the
terrible Strain of feeling that had
kept the thrCng silent was lifted and
a perfect Babel of voices broke out.
McDonnell's brothers, John and Dan
lei, stood near each ether. and Peter
Sharpe, brother of CLar.es, joined
them, and together they cried In
loud voice that the execution was a
murder, that the Sheriff knew the re
prieve was near at hand and fastened
his movements for that reason Tie
Sheriff said: "No; 1 did not name
the hour. To Father Brunce l said
that when he was ready the execution
should go on He could have stayed
with the men, praying for them till
two o'clock, had he chosen to do so"
Its not you 1 blame" shouted
Not you It was the
the murderers, who held the
dispatch back It's our hearts blood
they're after. They want it all, and
they will have it
''Yes," chimed in Sharpes brother;
" there hangs as dacent lad as any
He never thought of dom wrong,
and there he is, murdered Curses
on them as did il.
The McDonnells and Sharpe had
been joined by quite a number of
their sympathizers and friends, and
the aspect of affairs was threatening.
The people in the gallery, that runs
around the second or upper tier of
cells, looked down upon the excited
crowd below, and fiom that vantage
point of observation the McDonHells
and Sharpe were seen apparently
about to attack the Sheriff. S deputy.
Father Bunce, the Catholic priest
,lad in cassock, surplice and stole,
and raising his hands, said in loud
md commanding voice: "Stand back,
men; so far as man can be RESPONSE
Die 1 am for the hour those two men
pointing to the gallows) came there.
The Sheriff did not hasten the duty
ne had to perform 1t was 1 told
lim the men were ready. Stand back,
[ say, and be silent. 1 hope their
souls are in heaven"
In an instant the noise and tTlrnult |
we're still, and silently the crowd, in
.luding the brothers of the dead men,
who had directed the spiritual well
are of the two men, stepped forward,
lied out of the corridor and into the |
street.
The HISTORY
# the crime. for which they We're
lung, was set forth in McClures
Tunes, as follows:
Charles Sharpe and James Melon
lell, alias "the Hairy Man"-so called
because of the heavy growth of beard
hat covers his face even to his eyes
lung at Mauch Chunk were convicted
# probably the most atrocious murder
With which Mollie Mcguire assassins
rere ever charged. In 1868 George
(. Smith was well-known and we'll
iked coal operator of Audenried, Car
oil county. During the war the an
hracite coal regions we're greatly ex-
tied over the successive drafts that
Dllowed the call to arms, and the
forts of the Federal authorities to fill
be ranks of Union army were forcibly
esised by bodies of men known as
Bucksbots" In the the light of lat
er day revelations 1t has been found
hat "Buckshot" was but another of
be various names by which "the sons
f Mollie" distinguished themselves
he "Buckshots" became so violent in
leir demonstrations that soldiers we're
snt into the coal fields. George X.
NTH at this time did that or was sup
osed to have Gone that, which caused
70 be said of him that he had given
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