Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-08-04
A DOUBLE EXECUTION.
The Hanging of the Talbot Brothers af
Maryville, Mo.

- 6A2AsS
The Hanging Of the Talbot Brothers Nc
Maryville, Mo.
MARYvILLE, Mo-, July 22.-The first legal
execution which has ever taken place In
Nodaway County occurred I'm Maryville to-
day. 1t was the hanging of Albert z. and
Charles Edward Talbot, in the presence OF
10000 people, for the unnatural crime OF
numbering their own father in this county
on Saturday night, September is, 1880, the
details of which have heretofore been widely
published.
All the preparations for the execution were
completed by an early hour on Friday morn
ing, the scaffold being erected in Northeast
Maryville, just west of the Kansas City Road,
at point where fully twenty thousand peo-
pie could have fine view Of the execution,
and on the same site where 1t was placed in
position month ago.
AT HALF-PAsT NINE O'CLOCK
entire new suits of black cloth were brought
into the Jail, and they commenced
preparing their toilet with great Gaze.
An hour later Mrs. Talbot eSd
children, and Miss Maxey, Bua's
affianced, visited the Jail to take their last
leave of the boys. 1t was an affecting scene,
and the agonized parting of the mother and
other relatives was sight which would movo
a heart of stone. When the boys were about
to be started on the march to the gallows
they were very much affected. Mrs. Tai
bott did not go to the gallows. She remained
i'm the Jail, and her screams could be heard
almost all over the town. At O'Clock the
death warrant was read by Sheriff Toel in
the Jail just before their departure for the
scaffold. The boys listened to the reading
with seeming unconcern.
One o'clock having arrived Sheriff Toel in
formed the boys that the time had come
when they must go. just as the procession
was being formed outside the Jail, Albert
told Sheriff Toel that he was hungry, and
wanted some ham and bread and butter to
eat. This was brought him, when he alto
heartily. When offered something to eat
between IL and II O'Clock they said they did
not want anything. At 1:15, after eating,
the boys smoked cigars. At 1:30 they were
taken from the Jail and the march
TO THE GALLows
began. The boys were both smoking cigars,
and looked pale and nervous. At about 1
the procession formed outside the Jail, a
VI ONcT MY duu VI spectai
police acting as escorts. The priests, the
prisoners and the Sheriff and his deputies
moved on to the north entrance to the Court
House square, where a bus stood in watt
ing. They at once got into the bus. The
guards then formed on either side, and some
in front of the 'bus, and the march to the
gallows, about three quarters of mile dis
tant, was commenced. 1t took some fifteen
minutes to reach the gallows. Up to this
time the boys had faint hope that they
would still be saved by the Governor, but
the sight Of the gibbet drove hope from their
breasts, and they looked on the instruments
Of death with blanched faces.
ASCENDING THE sCAFFoLD.
1t Is impossible to picture the wild scene
when the scaffold was reached. There were
10000 swaying people trying flor vantage
point as the large bus containing the prison.
ers slowly drove up. Albert was in tears on
their arrival. Arm-in-ar with Fathers
Anselm and Ignatius,quietly and firmly they
assembled the fatal stairs leading to the gall
lows. Arriving on the scaffold platform, they
kneit in prayer, after which they coolly arose
and seated themselves, each taking n small
crucifix in his hand, while the holy fathers
read the death service Of the Roman Catholic
Church. Both became cool, and looked out
upon the vast crowd with undaunted nerve
and steady eyes. Five minutes elapsed from
the time of ascending the scaffold. Then tho
boys Joined hands in a parting grasp, and
the Sheriff removed the steel bracelets.
Feeling the freedom of their hands, they
each took copious drink from the hands of
DIR. Koch. Then thcv arose and their limbs
were securely piniu.el. Albert swayed
slightly. Edward was firm and immovable,
while the priests held their hands and con-
tinued to read the last service. Ed, from
time to time, moved his feet as il naturally
resting. The crucifix was raised to the lips
of each, few parting words Of consolation
were uttered by the priests, when n small
box was placed under the feet of each and
the prisoners gave
A LAST FAREWELL SHAKE
to those on the platform. The boys ut this
moment were asked if they had anything to
say, when they replied, in a low tone OF
voice, 'Nothing; only that our last confess
sion is true" The black caps were then
drawn over their heads and the ropes adj
justed around their necks, when, at 2:2O, the
drop fell. Edwards neck was broken, and
he died instantly, but Albert struggled vio-
lently, and lived for twenty mine minutes.
Sheriff Toel showed wonderful nerve
throughout the trying ordeal, and performed
his sad duty to perfection. As soon as the
boys were known to be dead their bodies
were delivered to their mother at her resi-
dence i'm MaryviIle, where they will remain
until Saturday, when they will be buried
beside their murdered father on the Talbot
farm.
THEIR LAST LETTERS
July %, 1SS1.-Have mercy on me for my
dear old mothers sake, for / am punished
innocent and have got to die. My mother
has spent her money, and she is now left
alone in the world to die. Yours truly,
CHARLES TALBOT.
DEAR FRIENDS: ] have been in custody
for a long time, and all the officers have
been very kind to income In particular,
George bearing. He Is one OF the
finest gentlemen ever met. / am in
bad situation at present, and have
been misrepresented and misjudged from
the beginning, and 1 am innocent OF the