The Worthington advance., 1882-07-20
A HORRIBLE AFFAIR.
The Execution of Thomas Eagan, the
Wife Murderer, at Sioux Falls.
Dak-Thc Drop Falls Three Times
Before the Culprit is Deprived of
life Owing tn ROtten ROnna

Dak-Thc Drop Falls Three Times
Before the Culprit is Deprived of
Life, Owing to Rotten Ropes.
On Thursday, July 13, occurred at Sioux
Falls the first judicial hanging ever done in
the territory of Dakota. Nearly two years
ago Thomas Egan, who suffered the death
penalty, most foully and cruelty murdered
his wife, with whom he had lived for nearly
quarter of a century. From evidence pro-
luccd at the trial it would appear that they
had frequent Quarrels which at length cul
minated on this fatal morning in her death.
He deliberately sent the children away, and
while she was washing dishes at the table
came behind her, and after throwing rope
around her neck and strangling her, pound
ed the life out of her with club. The
body was then thrown through a trap door
into the cellar, where it was found three
days after, horribly multilated. The skull
was fractured and the head was covered
with f1ightful gashes made by the club. It
appeared also as if she were not dead when
thrown down, as she was discovered partly
reclining against the wallof the cellar
which added to the horriblcness of the crime
Eagen was arrested and tried, and although
to save him; he was convicted and sentenced
to be hanged at Sioux Falls by Judge Kid
der of the Fourth judicial district of the ter
ritory.
On Thursday, 18th, after eating hearty
breakfast, hearing the sentence read,
and some religious exercises by Catho-
lie priest, Eagan Vas taken to the gallows
All eyes We're intently fixed on the prisoner.
His face was somewhat pale, but his lips
irT,l ho ,n1 tr oy1,i -:
cffear. He was straight, heavy-set man,
weighing 1S0 lbs, with a retreating forehead,
heavy projecting eyebrows and an ugly
looking eye. His general appearance was
far from prepossessing. He was dressed in
a plain black suit, with clean white shirt,
collar and tie, and low shoes. He walked
straight up to the platform to the scaflold,
taking his place on the fatal trap,
turned around and faced the crowd below.
thing to day, bnt his lips still were kept
sealed to his secret, and he shook his head
and answered in a low voice, ''No." His
legs were now tied, he himself assisting the
officer by placing his feet close together
The black cap was put on his head, but not q
limb quivered. The moose was adjusted and
and the fatal moment had come. While the
priests were chanting their solemn service
and while the attending officers and crowd
NcIc UEcltu III SllGIlCc the
sheriff touched the trigger which alone kent
Thomas Egan from his DEATH There was a
crash as the door flew back against the
boards, and body, deprived of its footing,
shot through the door; and now, horror of
horrers!
The rope snaps like piece of thread, the
body drops to the earth with a dull thud,
partly on its back, and rebounding rolls
over on its face. The crowd are paralyzed
Nayitn nc%r 81, III
gurgling sound now breaks forth from the
prisoner. His neck is rot broken, but the
cord is wound tightly about it and he is
strangling. A half dozen men now rush for
ward, one sieZes him by the arm, another by
the leg, another by the waist. another by the
head. tits seventy-ive 1ect from the ground,
where he has fallen, back to the jail-door,
and around to the platform OF
the scatfold he is huriedly
conveyed through the crowd, the broken
rope in the meanwhile dangling from his
neck, while his horrible groaning strikes ter
ror to the bystanders. Once more OH the
scattold, another rope is adjusted and the
slckening details once more gone through
with, the trap falls again and the half dead
man drops once more; but worse The rope
was not fully adjusted before the excited
sheriff again touched the trigger and down
the body goes second time but not with
sufficient force to accomplish the desired re.
suit.
His neck is still unbrokcn, and the slow pro-
cess of suffocation is all this time going on.
The attendants seize him by the arms and
again pull him on the scaffOld while the
death struggle continues. The first rope is
Hopping from his neck and he still ha: life
enough, so one says who was on the kcaff-
old, to brace his feet for the third and las,
fall. If at this juncture some one had mer-
cifully stepped up and put bullet through
MS MS head! e;,h!o,, it 2 would have been Ia, an
been appreciated by the crowd The
rope is finally fixed, the door drops once
again, the man shoots down, and there is a
snap which is heard all around the yard and
outside. There is a struggling of the shoul-
ders, twitching of the legs a convulsive
shudder and all is still. The body swings
slowly around. There is no motion Of leg
or arm or muscle, and in eight and one half
minutes the doctors pronounced him dead,
and shortly after the body is taken down.
Yes, he is dead at last, and the sight-seers
heave genuine sigh of relief. The corpse
was now cut down and the pin;oned arms
and legs released. The dirt was brushed from
the clothing and the body laid III a coffin,
where it was afterwards viewed by the crowd,
both outside and inside the JAIL The effects
of the strangulation were fearfully evident
aDOuC the neck. lne nrSt cord hau lMbedded
itself, but the action of the heart had forced
the blood under it and the flesh was swollen,
purpled and discolorcd There was a sight,
less stare to the eyes and blood was flowing
out Of the corners Of his mouth. After all
those desiring had seen the corpse it was
boxed up, and early in the afternoon it was
taken to the Catholic buryirg ground where
it was buried, and with it the club and cord
with which he killed his wife.
John Boyle OReiIly, Boston poet ana
Irish leader, has this record: ''Imper-
ial convict, No. 9,S43; absconded Febru-
ary Is. 1862" He escaped from west
Australia. He has reason to sprinkle
patriotic ink upon the British crown.
is. Mill: Our whole working power
depends on knowino tho laua of+ho