Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-11-19
EXECUTION OF FEI.Ix ~.
SHOWER.
From the Frederick Time.

hof'c VI n."'e" anu Pro'estIng his innn-
cenee. The execution was Witnessed -
about four or nve hundred people.
Mnnshower's last night ION earth x..
spent without any extreNe mental or ~
steal excitement. At s o'clock ThnrId!-
night, Rev. Osborne Ingle, rector OF ,H
Saints +. Z. church Of this CITY yis;.N s
him and administered the Sacr,m. ,eu
After prayer the minister left. Im,ia".
the evening the condemned man was S;ras
the liberty of the corridor upon wM,S sIi
cell is, on the second floor and nortb-. .s
side of the Jail. He walked and LIS;
with the prison officers during the ~rse
ing, and did not 90 TO bed until II o'clo.II
In conversation with the Jail physleisn
DR.. Harvey Burhman, he'announ.eJ A.
readiness TO die. He said he thouyh, 10
soul Was safe as he was innocent Of ,nn
crime charged and would die with a r,sa o
conscience. Healso repeatedly protest.
his innocence To Mr.. IHgle. He said IL.
before many days the trath of the crin,"
would come TO light and that IL would -
found that kanodc anu not himself A..
the guilty party. This is merely given :.
the utterauce of the man and musr -
taken for what il IS worth. La law h !.
worth nothing, rs twelve OF the man.
peers found him guilty OF the deed e.
which he died. At II O'Clock be Mas left
to himself.
THE LAST HoUss-
The preparations for the execution wsr.
completed Thursday night. MuYshows,
woke up this morning NJ 8 o'clock. 4,
80 o'clock when Sheriff HartsocL',
brother, James went TO his cell, he found
him making his ablWions. By ! o'cTork
lie had dressed neatly in blue sui;-frscL
coat-with white shirt. Mr.. HartSocl
asked if he WAS ready for breakfast rod
he answered that he didn't care for any
Mr.. HartSock took him the meal thouGh
AZ ! o'clock. Ii consisted of ham aud ecT,.
toast, milk and coffee. He ate sparinsly.
A little later Mr.. Ingle called. LStrr
James Gelwicks, OF Emmittsburg, called
and was admitted 10 the doomed mans
cell. lie remained with him Throughout
the morning. Mr. lugle WAS In aud out
of the cell during the morning talking aud
praying with the doomed man. TO the
minister he expressed repentance and ln-
sisted upon his innocence Nr. lngle VA.
much affected and expressed the belief OF
the mans innocence should he die with
out confessing.
The time lor the execution had been
fixed AT 10 :45, but upon MunShowcr re-
questing an extension OF time IL was Civ
en-. In the meantime large crowd "
people had collected ayoHpd the neigh6or.
hood. Everything was kept In vrlcr
though, Sheriff Hartsock's arrangements
being as perfect rs conbl have been de-
sired The Frederick Rihemen, under
Lieuienants McShcrry and Eichclberger,
were on duty rs u guard and performed
their duty we'll.
81 An READY"
At 10 o'clock IL VAS given out that tho
would not occur until abont II.
In the meantime MunShouer had with him
his spiritual adviser aud number OF his
friends. lie told the sheriff about this
time that Us soon as he felt equal to the
end lac would notify him. The sheriff
showed his mercy aud sympathy by con-
forming TO the mans wishes. AT 1885
the prisoner sent word that he WAS ready.
Mr.. lugle prayed with him and left hi.
cell AT IL 10. when the sheriff appeared
followed by his brother, Capt. Saunders,
deputy sheriff S.aub, Chas. Derr, officer
Joshua Young and warden banner, vino
carried the cap, leather Wristbands aud
other gallvws paraphaualia. Drs. Harvey
Durham and DR.. Geo. Zimmerman, OF
were also Of the party. Ar.
lngle told reporter few minutes later
{ hat MunshOwcr still profcsscd his inno-
cencc. He said he (thc prisoner) had " rit-
ten letter 10 lis sister at Emmittsburg at
. O'Clock on the subject Of the crime, aud
declaring Tie injustice OF tho charge
against himself.
TO 1HE GALLONS.
At ii 40 the officers logan pinioning the
prisoner, when his nervous system gayo
way pcrccptibly. They offered him wbis-
Ky but he declined IL. AT II as the party
came out of the cell, Munshower Ueing
OH either side by Warden Dan
ner and Deputy Staub. Mr.. lngle and
the Sheriff led The way through the jail
corridor, followed by the several friends
OF the condemned, the physicians aud tho
of the press, the whole being
hcmmed in by guard Of Rlilcmen. On
the way 10 the gallOws Munshower walked
alone. lie VAS pale and weak though.
Upon reaching the foot Of the steps Lead
Ing to the platform, he stopped and babe
officer Joshua Young farewell. His ell.
bows and wrists were tied but his hands
could be moved about. lie said 10 Young
that he MAS innocent. Then OF he went up
the steps and 10 the fatal trap upon which
he walked and stood up firmly while Tho
rope was adjusted around his neck. The
the officers aud physicians went
upon the scaflold. The members Of the
press stood at the base OF the steps.
Before reaching his position on the trap
he said he had a statement 10 make aud
said:
''ln the sight Of God am guilty man
guilty of many sins--but before God j
am innocent Of the O. ime for which an
now TO be hung"
This he repeated several times In soms
and with many s.smmerings
Then Mr.. Ingle read the Lords prayer aud
repeated IL after him IN a dis
linct, firm voice. After another prayer.
Mr.. Lngle babe the man farewell aud left
the scafold. Then Munshower sai6 good.
bye alI1 shook hands with the officers and
all the time repeating his plea
VI freedom from gull. Al II 10 Warden
Banner pulled the black cap over bis bead,
tied it aud stepped of the trap. Mum
shower continued his gestures with his
hands and bis pfotestations and was In
the midst ofa sentence when Sheriff HART
sock, at II 80 put his right foot upon tho
trigger and the trap fell AZ Munshower's
body descended like fash Ia drop OF
five and tbree-quarter feet, his hands were
seen to clasp, anu as the end Of the drop
was reached, dull creak and thud was
audible. There were no painful contor-
lions aud his body hung motionless except
for a natural swing 10 and fro.
At l2:ll Drs. Buhrman, Zimmerman,
Thomas and others said the pulse had
ceased to beat. DR.. Buhrman said that
death had been instantaneous and painless.
AT IL ~ the body was taken down aud
put in vanished pine coffin. The rops
had cut way into the mans fesby neck,
W hieh had been broken by the fall. HIS
remains will be inferred at Monteyue.
His age was 80 years.
THE GALLONS AND ROPE.
The fcafIOid IL the SaUle on which W N.