The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-02-04
THE GALLONS.
THURSDAY TURNED INTO HANG.
MANA DAY.
Execution OF Six MurdeEers Yester.
day-Mrs. Miller and Her PaFamOur
Hanged atil wIIRmSpOFI,IPennsyI
VRnia, for the Cold Hooded Mur. \
der OF HeF Husband.

WILLIANsPoRT, Pa, February S.-Mrs,
Catherine Miller and George W. Smith,
the murderers Of Andrew Miller, husband
OF the woman, were hanged here to-day,
The murder, which was committed on the
18th Of March last, was brutal, cowardly
one, and the case has attracted great
deal Of attention all over this portion OF
the State. Various sympathetic reports
have been sent out In regard to the iHnor-
ance and unaCCountRbility OF these per-
sons ior the great crime committed, but it
is believed that nothing but absolute JUS
tice has been done In carrying out the ex-
ecution Of the law. The Board OF Par
dona reviewed the case carefully and
found nothing 10 warrant interference,
On Saturday morning last the carpen-
ters commenced the erection OF the gal
lows in the Jail yard, and from the time
the first sound OF the hammer was heard
there was large assemblage OF men,
women and children on Willow street, at
the gate leading to the Jail yard. There
was not the smallest opening imaginable
for an eye to get view OF what was going
on inside, and yet this crowd, instead OF
being diminished, was largely increased be-
fore night, Those people stood there and
looked, with full eyes and open mouths,
upon the heavy gate before them. On
Monday the scene was repeated, and
even on Tuesday, during heavy fall OF
snow, many were seen on the same ground
during the day.
Both culprits had prepared themselves
for their final exit. Mrs. Miller received
the rite OF baptism from her spiritual ad-
wiser, Rev. ], A. Bright, and Rev. 7. I.
Resser administered the last words OF con.
ISOLATION 10 Smith. Mrs. Miller made q
statement yesterday In which she solemn.
ly declared that she had no hand II the
crime, but Smith made q full confession,
Ia which he said that the woman sat at
the window with light TO give him the
signal that her husband was In the house;
that she furnished the rope TO hang him
up after he had been assaulted, and that
she had proposed to him before she gave
him the rope that the murdered man be
thrown into we'll.
The two were hanging at 1l:20 this
morning. Both prisoners passed the
night comfortably. They received the sac.
rament from their spiritual advisers, and
expressed themselves as ready to die.
Both made confessions on the scaGoId,
Smith admitted the killing Of Miller by
striking him with club and then hang.
ing him up In the barn alone. He eclaimed
that the woman CoRxed him to do the
deed, and furnished him with the rope
and an apron to wipe up the blood from
the barn floor. Mrs. Miller, In her COMES.
sion, said she tried 10 d!ssuade Smith from
killing her husband. She made q will
giving her silver watch to her eldest
daughter and few small trinkets to the
other two children. Smith also made will
devising bis small personal effects TO his
two little boys. Both wills were regularly
drawn up by the attorneys. The weather
was intensely cold, and both prisoners
shiyered terribly on the scafold. Mrs.
Miller tottered up the steps supported by
two deputies, and uttering means and
cries. Smith was quite firm, and bid good
bye 10 oil around him. Both their neCks
were broken by the fall, and death was al.
most instantaneous. The relatives OF Mrs.
Miller received her body aud will bury 1t
by the side ol her murdered husband.
Smith's brother took charge Of his remains
and will have them decently buried &C.
cordlng 10 the rites Of the Lutheran church.
About one hundred and fifty persons wit
messed the execution and hundreds were
congregated outside around the Jail and In
the BtfeetR.