Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-04-22

tlngulsher. The caps were put on
before the ropes were adjusted.
From the time they left the Jail until
the fatal drop fell they hardly took
their eyes from their crucifxes. AS
soon as they were seated on the scaf-
fold and the crowd became quiet, the
priests began the devotions. During
the exercises, the prisoners kept their
eyes on the crucifix and repeated
after the priests portions of prayers,
&c. They did not seem to be think
ing of ought but what they were say
ing. Jake seemed and did have a
great deal of faith. Nathe seemed to
have more than we think he did have.
We hope their faith saved them.
Their works were no good in that
line.
At z minutes of 2 p. M, the Sheriff
read the death warrant and the Gov
ernor's respite of two weeks, during
the reading Of which the priests en-
gagged the prisoners in spiritual talk,
so that they heard not line of their
death warrant. Now we don't want
any lawyer like sharks" to jump up
and make emotion for a new trial.
because they did hear their death
warrant, which the law says must be
read to them. Immediately after the
reading OF the warrant the arms of
the prisoners were tied close to their
bodies, and their legs fastenrd to-
gether. Their feet were still fastened
to each other by manacles. Nathe
about this time began to look wild.
Jake continued to gaze with dazed
look at hls cross. They made no
confession on the scaffold or else
where. Nath wanted to make little
talk on the scaffold sometime since,
but was persuaded by Father O'Leary
that it would do no good and only
put his mind in bad condition to meet
death. When Sheriff Glascock and
his assistants adjusted the black caps,
Nathe could stand 1t no longer. He
almost shouted, so, my God, l love
Thee with all my heart and soul.
To Thee l commend my SOUL Jake
SAID nothing. The last words Nathe
said were: "Jesus have mercy on
me- This was precisely at 2 p. M,
and before another word could be ut
tered the fatal trap was sprung by the
| firm hand Of the Sheriff After the
caps had been put on, Deputy-Sheritf
HOoton and ex-Sherlff John j Steele
adjusted the ropes. They completed
this just as Nathe closed his last
prayer, and when they nodded to
Sheriff Glascock that all was ready
Nathe happened to turn his head the
least little Tit just as the trap fell,
and by the movement of his head he
brought the knot under his chin, while
it should have been under his ear,
and the consequence was that the fall
did not break his neck. Jake's neck
was broken by the fall, and he died
quickly and easily. In II minutes he
was cut down dead. Nathe died hard
~r.i by stra"Gnlatinp, You could
hear him catch his breath with 9
Wheeling sound that WAS terrible
Nathe used always to say it would bt
hard to kill him, and he was correct
For fully eight minutes you could ses
and hear him breathe. He was un
conscious and did not feel it, but i
, was rather hair-raising to watch hin
drawing his breath as it were through
his ears, In l5 minutes he was pro
nounced dead and cut down. Ths
bodies were given to friends, by whom
they were removed to their mothers
Jake and Nath being halI brothers
Jake was about - years old. with ,
dull and british look on his face
He had very poor powers of appreci
alton. Nathe was 35 years old, ant
, left u wife and one child. He hat
, been in trouble before; in fact, hat
, been in the penitentiary. He wa
about one-third Indian, which &C
counts for his sneaking stealth
Father O'Leary deserves much credi
for the faithful manner in which b,
labored for his converts, being witt
l them ard encouraging them even t.
, the end.
The scaffold faced the east. Nath
J was on the south and Jake on th,
north Of the center of trap. Whel
, cut down they were laid on tn
' ground on their respective sides O
the scaffold, when the physicians, as
sisted by Mr.. J. F. Llewellyn, pre-
fceeded to experiment on them witt
an electric battery, to see If the,
| could put life in corpse. We no
ticed the following physicians aroun'
= the bodies trying to blow breath int
4 them: DIR. Lennon of Boone, DR.
Matthews Of Ashley, DIR. Vance Q
Littleby and DR.. Davis of Sturgeon
3 while Mexico was represented b,
: Drs. Keeton, French, Macfarlane
e Rothwell, Rodman and Russell.
If they had succeeded (Which wa
h imposslble), the result would hav
S been another hanging at once. Th
= Sueriff had been commanded to han
1 them until they were dead, dead, dead
l.. and if he had failed the first time b
!. would have had to try again withou
e any further orders.
n The crowd was nearly twice a
|. large rs was at Kilgore's execution
! and not as well behaved. 1t kept tn
y guards busy to keep the crowd o
!. The seaffold. We trust there wi
never be another hanging in Mexico
n Thanks to the foresight of Sheri
n Glascock, both of Audrain's execr
|. tions have passed off quietly an
D smoothly without that tumult an
r excitement winch generally attend
d an affair of that kind. We trust tb
Il lesson has been taught plainly in th
! county that the law must and will b
a respected. Parties appreeiating tn
q there will be no need Of hemp, an
!. Audrain's scaffold will crumble an
Is rot away with age and not with wea
"a Around the World.
- We see an article entitled, "An
n thing in the post Office for Watts
% from the Mexico LEDGER-Bol
t. Whites paper--copied extensivel
t. in the eastern and northern paper
te One of them credits the article to Il
ID Mexican Ledger; Glasgow pap
heads them all by giving the cred
to the Mexico, New York, Ledge