Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-30

away 10 mis- Death
From the st. Paul Pioneer Press.
The Jail at Durand, a common two-story frame
house, with iron gratings at the windows and
wooden ones inside, a flimsy, insecure structure,
stands on little eminerce about block and a
haif from the court house, and the latter is sur
rounded by large yard, in which are several
small trees and one large one with projecting
limb reaching to the walls of the building.
When reached the yard found number of
people therein. all talking about Maxwell and
all waiting patiently, though it was far from
warm and there was several inches of snow on
the ground, for sight of the prisoner when he
should be brought out for his preliminary hear
ing Most of those gathered there seemed like
farmers or lumbermen from out Of town, and
there was fair sprinkling of women and chill
dren.
AS the minutes passed the crowd augmented,
and when o'clock came the courtroom up
stairs-a small apartment at best-was crowded
TO sufocation. AS Maxwell-coOl and collected
as he was yesterday when he landed from skifl
IN the midst of a crowd on the river bank, and
not showing the faintest trace of nervousness
was led through the aisle between Deputies
Knight and Coleman, the crowd serged and
pushed to get better sight Of him, and threats
grew from mutterings to menaces: but he fiinched
not whit, and stood before Justices Dryer and
Huntington as unconcernedly as if he had been
on the bench and they in the dock. His eyes
roamed a moment over the crowd and saw his
lips move into half sneering smile.
To the formal question he pleaded not guilty.
and then told Of the killing of the Coleman
boys. This was delivered in a conversational
tone, as if it were a recital of the most ordinary
adventure: and / could see, as the story pro-
crossed, that the spectators were edgng nearer
and nearer to him. He had scarcely finished
indeed. l am inclined to think he was about to
cont que the story-when, with a growl like
wild beasts, dozen men sprang on him. WO-
men shreked as the melee grew greater. and it
was impossible to tell, for a moment just what
was being done. The officers made resistance,
but not a very determined one and in less than
minute the prisoner was dragged through the
yelling crowd to the door rope had made
its appearance as if by magic, and when he
reached the outer door the moose was round his
neck. / caught one glimpse Of his face as he
was going down the stairs. It was pale as
marble. but his eyes glared defiance. and every
look betOkened the agOniZing wish: ''If had
but my Winchester and a seconds freedom
But arms and freedom Omnpotence alone could
have given him then. The crowd, the initiative
having bean taken, was wild with passion.
Hang him, Burn him." ''ChOke him." were
heard on all sides, and if pity was felt by sin
gle creature it was not expressed
1t takes minutes to write this-it took sec
Onds only to reach the tree. The end of the rope
was over the projecting bough in an instant,
and shuddering sob went up from the On-lOOk-
eTs as the Dody OF the desperate was Jerked IN
TO air, score OF willing hands tugging at the
other end of the rope. There were few spas
modic clutches of the irOned hands, the feet
were drawn up once or twice, and then the head
fell over with that sickening droop familiar to
all who have ever witnessed such death, and
all was over. The end of the rope was made
fast, the crowd dispersed in the awesome
silence that fell after the deed was done. and
the body, so full of muscular energy a moment
before, swung to and fro in the cold wind.
The body was cut down after hanging ABOUT
half an hour. and an inquest was held with the
following verdict: ''Came to his death from
falling from the court house steps and breaking
his neck" The body was taken in charge by
the town authorities and given decent burial.