Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-04


Guiteau win be executed, Il the motion of his
counsel for a new trial is refused and the court
in banc afiirms the rulings of Judge Cox, is now
standing in the Washington Jail. where it has
been used for its deadly work before. 1T was
CONSTRUCTED in 1879 for the execution Of James
PeytOn. Il colored man. convicted Of the murder
of JACOB Day and sentenced to be hing June
20th 1879; but on June 18th OF that year his
sentence COMMITTED TO Imprisonment for
life. and he thus escaped the rope prepared for
him. Peter Lewis indicted for the same offease
was triel at the same tine, convicted OF man
slaughter and sentenced 10 the Albany penten-
tiary for ten years.
DEcAPIrATIoS BIZ THE ROPE
The first time the new scafT0d was used was
for the execution of James Madison Wyatt
Stone, April I'd 1880. and his head was
literally severed from his body by the rope.
Stone was convicted Of the murder of his
wife October 5th 1879, and sentenced to
be hung December 20th. 1879 While the case
was pending in General Term this day passed.
and the execution of the sentence was saspend-
ed until February 9th, 1880. The President
granted reprieye until March 25th- This be-
ing Good Friday further respite was granted
for one week, and the execution took place
April I'd About week before the execution
Stone explained to his counsel, Mr-A-K- Browne,
the workings of the structure, and pointing to
the trap. said. Yes; there is where III stand,
was so fat and heavy that the rope cut his head
off. and while the blood from his trunk was
squirting against one OF the upFirhts of the
structure, his head rolled of on the ground in
another direction. This execution took place in
a yard made in the northeast ANGLE of the build
ing. bull of Is feet boards and there was COM
parativelv but small number of spectators (not
over 150) present.
DOUBLE HANGING.
The last case of murder in this District in
of Joseph NeyersOn, alias Babe Bedford. Edward
Queenan and Sandy Pinn. the three colored men
who were convicted of the murder OF George
Philip Hrth, January 18th, 1880. This case prob
ably excited more interest than any preceding
trial for murder in this District. excepting per
haps, the Schles-key case. " h.ch resulted in a
verdict of acquttal. The Bedford Queenan-Pinn
trial was commenced at the December term,
1879. before Judge Haaner. and Is in the case of
Guiteau, it was the last trial of the term. Only
nineteen days were consumed In this trial. how
ever, the jury finding verdict of guilty
Indicted on the lSt of March. 1850. The counsel
of the accused men, H. II. Wells. jr. and RAN
dOlph Coyle, Goth of whom had been assistant
u ). attorneys, the latter being one OF the
assistants at this time1 Aiessrs I. T. Miller c.
VI. Smith, j. F. Riley and J. 4. Hayward filed
motion for new tIai. which was argued and
oyerruled. and sentence was passed on March
18th that they be hanged within the walls Of the
jail on the 3Jth of April The case was tnen
thereupon suspended. IN compliance with the
terms Of the statute. until alter the next General
Term On hearing in the General Term tie
judgment below affirmed June 9TH. Efforts
were then made by counsel and friends of the
parties To have the sentences COMMITTED, and
twice tile men were respited by President HAYES
and communication of the sentence of Pinu to
imprisonment for life having been secured. the
other two. Bedford and Queen.n. were executed
November 18Th, 1SS0-the drop falling about "a
ociOck p. N. on that day
DESCRIPTION OF THE sCAFF0LD.
The scdifOld is now standing in the north
wing of the building. where iE was last used in
the execution of Bedford and Queenaa. since
then it has been thorough painted drab
shade. 1t Is ct GeOrsa pine and stands twenty
one feet IN height. The cross beam is Of six 10y
eight timber strengthened by = heavy top piece
for double work. supported by timberS eight
inches square The platform is thirteen feet
from the ground, and is made of two inch
boards. or stout jOsts. mOTticcd and bolted and
Is eleven feet square. 1t Is supported by SIX
eight-inch uprirhtS in addition to those sun
porting the cross beam About three and a-haf
feet above the platform there is a surrounding
rail The trap is five feet square, framed in the
center OF the platform. and is flush with it, 1t
Is attached to the platform By two heavy strap
hinges and - held In place By the ends Of the
shaped iron. At the bottom olthe iron attached
small bIit strong rope passing over pulley at
the back 0i the structure into a box about four
inches square, through which the rope runs
INTO one OF the cells. where some person IN
known 10 outsiders, at the signal from the war
den usually a motion with q handkerchief
gives the fatal pull. The platform is reached BIZ
a fight Oh steps with railing on either side
The steps are somewhat peculiar for they have
rise Of about inches and a tread of nearly II,
making them about the easiest steps in the Dis
trict To ascend under ordinary circumstances.
HOW THE DEADLY MACHINE Is WORKED.
To complete the structure and make it ready
for IL
attached and the hinges oiled For single
hanging it is customary TO use rope of Man
lila seyeR-eighths of an inch in diameter and
thirty feet long. 1t is not the custom here, as
IN Some cities. to use rope specially made for
the purpose and have it prepared outside the
building, for the officers of the Jail here are
always equal To the OCCASION In fact with the
exception OF the manufacture OF the rope aud
tue iron the structure has been made in the
building. There are or hand now several ropes
purchased for hanging purposes and recently
several nave been received at the Jail contrib
uted by persons anxious to have them used on
Guiteau- When 1t is necessary to rig" the
Scaifoid, rope will be selected and the hang
mans knot will be made by one of tine guards
who Is quite an expert at It. Then it will be
run through the center hole of the cross beam
thence to the side. passing down one of the
uprighiS to a eleat on the side where it will be
made fast Generally the slack is four TO six
Ieet. anu commencing peaT the knot the rope is
1t may slip easily. In some parts of the conn
Try tallow or other grease is used. but Gen.
Crocker and his associates prefer the
soap. There is also on hand a full
supply OF small rope to in pinian-
Ing the arms and legs of the victim of the law
and black caps to draw over his face It il Gus
tomary To rig the rope the day before the execu-
uon aud test II by letting drop bag of sand
weighing from 80 10 80 per cent more than the
doomed man. Never having met with an acct
dent or Hishap in hanging the jail officials look
on this test IA almost useless: but it is ALWAYS
made as a matter of precautiOn. To make sure
however, oil carrying out the sentence within
the hours specified therein Casually two hours
being ailuWed) the prisoner is brought on IN
time to allow fifteen or twenty minutes for ser
vices prior To the trap being sprung and with
thirty minutes or more To spare besides Tins
should there be misiap Of any kind. there
would still be ample time 10 prepare ami rig an
other rope if necessary
THE DISTRICT LAW As To EyECuT,oSs