Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-07-01
DISPATCHED!
THREE YOUNG MEN HANGED
The Execution of Mann, Orr and
Sammet Last Friday.
SCENES At THE SCAFFOlD
The Story of Their Crimes--Com-
mtting a Murder to Escape a
Conviction for Burglary
Protesting Their
Innocence.
4 MOCK HANGING STOPPED

|
CANTON, Ono, June 2j.-Mann, Ohr
and SamEet were executed in the jail of
this place to-day. They arose early, eat
hearty breakfasts, and were remarkably
self possessed and calm. Sammet told
reporter Of the Repository early in the
morning that he had TO die and there was
no use OF making fuss about it. The
parting with his grandmother and women
friends broke MAJ down, but he rallied,
and never 1inched upon the scatfold.
When the ropes were adjusted Sammet
and Ohr cried out goodbys TO their friends,
whom they recognized in the crowd, and
| just before going Sammet said -
" May God bless my poor grand
mother"
The drop fell at eleven. Of the party
of three, Ohr was dead in thirteen minutes,
Sammet in ten, and Mann in eight. Mann
struggled great deal, the other two
less. They were cut down in about thirty
minutes.
The execution took place in the county
| Jail in a corridor six feet wide. The
culprits are all under 20 years of age.
They all died courageously. Forty per-
sons witnessed the execution. -Four COM
panies of militia guarded the prison.
| Coup's circus had advertised to give two
or three performances within half mile
of the jail, and, in anticipation of large
and possibly unruly mob, the militia were
ordered out to preserve the peace and an
extra force of police was on duty. Four
military companies formed hollow
square around the court house and jail
and no one was permitted inside the lines
without pass. All the saloons were
ordered closed. The boys who had main
tanned an air of braverywhile there was hope
Of Executive clemency, began to weaken
when it became known that Governor
Foster would not interfere, and that he
had gone TO New York to remain until
after the day fixed for the hanging. Mann
and Ohr Were convicted of the murder of
John Wattmough. Ohr is native of
Germany, and wss brought up in Chicago.
Mann is from New York.
The murder WIS committed on June
29th, 1869, in grove near Alliance, Ohio.
The victim was an aged man who lived in
Philadelphia, but who had walked to
illinois to visit friends, and was returning
the same way. He had fallen in with his
murderers, and had given them of his
little store of money to buy food and
4 silver watch. While asleep he was
attacked by Ohr, who struck him on the
head witt a car coupling pin. Mann then
stole his watch ard money, and the muir
derers fled. Wattnough crawled to n
house and told Of the attack, but died
without revealing his name. The mur-
derers were soon arrested, convicted and
sentenced.
Johu Sammet, boy of II years, was
convicted of numbering Christopher
Spuhler, a boy of 1G, who was an import
ant witness against him in a trial for
grand larceny. The boys met the even
ing before tae tsial was to take place, and
Sammet shot Spuhler through the breast
Sammet was tried OH the burglary charge,
and sentenced 10 five years imprisonment.
lie was then taken out of the penitentiary
ana tried for murder, convicted, and sen
tenceG
Mann has all along maintained that he
never struck old man Wattmough a blow,
and that Ohr is guilty Of the actual mur-
der. Ohr admitted his own guilt and de-
clared Mann equally guilty with himself;
and, since mann has told several stories
and Ohr but one, the chances are that the
latter's is the true one. The evidence is
with him also Ohr was recently appealed
to by the Rev. Mr.. Kuhn, his spiritual
adviser, to tell the whole truth and moth.
ing but the truth in regard to the con-
nection of Mann with the crime, and he
replied that he had told the truth and
could do nothing more.
In recent interview Sammet declared
his innocence OF the murder Of Christie
pher Spuhler. lie said that he did not
know anything OF the murder until in
formed of it by the officer who arrested
him. He said that he was willing to die
II necessary, and that, while there was no
use Of making any fuss about it, he would
die an innocent man. He spoke very bit
terly of some Of those who testified against
MIN on the stand, claiming that they had
perjured themselves TO convict him. ANY
one familiar with the case knows that he
was convicted upon abundant and over
whelming testimony. The plea of insanity
set up by his friends in their efforts to
secure commutatIon did not seem to
have any more basis than the young mans
declaration of innocence.
Since they have been in Jail here hun
dreds of people visited them daily One
day two thousand persons entered the
jail Among these were many ladies
specially young ladies'. Mann is
Ruulan Catholic, AID he being the most
youthful! AIS Roman Catholic friends
exerted their iuHaouce for Executive
c,emeney. Tie daughter OF Judge Myers.
who sauleuced al the boys has been very
active IL behalf OF Iaun. Simmet il also
u Catholic His relatives in STARK county
hborod hard iur him. Oar is Of Protestant
FAITH, having been brought up IL Lutheran.
When the ProtestuntS saw the Cathonc
influence oN.rt,d they declared 0hr shouid
be saved, ahd the affair assumed the
aspect of religious rivalry Protestant ys
Catholic. A months yepriuye WAS granted
hy Gov, Foster and ihu strongest pressure
brought 10 bear for pardon Judge
Myers daughter went TO Columbus again.
nj did other friends, including ,ho aged
aunt Of Mann, and tho boys had hopes uf
clemency.
meek hanging was advertised 30 eomu
OF at the fair ground last Saturday, tho
protector nf this spectacle having had tit
PgllGws erected The ropes adjusted, aud
everything Ia readiness for the counterfeit
pre7eutmtnt OF a triple banging. His
plan was to nave three boys mount the
snahold, w,th their arms and legs tied
lhelr death warrants were to be read,
prayers uttered and ''th heart-rendiug
scenes Of the gallows enacted" when 10
away ever al the outskirts OF the large
crowd which WIS expected to gather at -
cents a head, a cry would be heard and
q messenger come rushing forward.
Saved saved - would bo the cry, and
TIE eommutation, which was to arrive Just
il the nick of time, was to send the crowd
home happy, and confident that full value
had been given for the quarter. But this
scheme was foiled Several indignant
Oantonians broke into the fair grounds on
Friday evening and demolished the gal.
lows, thus putting eu end to the proposed
hanging for fun. had the mock show not
been interft red with ia this manner, it
was the intention Of the authorities to
suppress il on some pretext OF law.