The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-05-13
beneath. None were present pre- but officers


THE DETAILS. ~
CLINTON, H., May .10.-The execution
of Patsy Devine occurred here to-day at
precisely Ii O'Clock One hundred and
fifty persons were present in the debtors
room Of the jail in which the final scene
was enacted. Devine swung from the
same gallows on which Debur died at Pom
tiac on March 1, 1878 and on which
Kuster was worked off at Kankakee year
later. He had been che erful and pleasant
all the proceeding days. At $40 a. M. he
dropped asleep and reposed until 5 o'clock
his morning Upon awaking he took a
cup of tea and some toast He requested
them : not to admit the Priest until z
o'clock; and 'conversed freely and chearful-
ly. At o o'clock Attorney Phelps of the
prosecution arrived and informed him that
his information regarding Will Jams, his al
legged acccmplice, could be of no avail, and
that no interfearance. could take place.
Rev. Nathen Weldon, of Bloomington,
After having heard the sacramental con
| fession Devine prayed with evident earn
estness. The death warrant was read to
him in his cell by the Sheriff. He was
dressed in neat suit of black with low
shoes. He walked steadily frsm the cell
on the lower floor and up stairs into the
debtors room He was assisted up the
steps to the scaffold and then stood firm
and calm. = He stepped carefully ON the
trap and when asked if he had anything to
say, spoke deliberately aud withouta quiv-
er of the voice, saying that he was entirely
innocent of any accomplicity in the muir
| der of Larry Goodfellow; that if he had
been granted stay of proceedings he
could and would have secured the arrest
of Williams; the, real murderer, as 1T was,
he said, ne forgave every one, and was
ready to enter the next world. The Sher-
riff then bound his arms and legs and was
about to put on the black cap when Patsy
quickly saids s'Hold en- moment let me
were his last words The chew was spit
out, the cap adjusted and the Sheriff say
| ing, May God have mercy on your soul,
pulled the lever and launched him into
eternity. He dropped i've feet but the
rope stretched and owing to the dampnes'
the knot, though freshly creased with lard
did not run smoothly, and Patsy died from
strangulation, in twelve minutes, as hi
body whirled and
l. sPAsMoTIcALLY JERKED
at the end of the dreadful
cord no sound was heard save the neryou
breathing of the assem- blage, the whisper
ling of the reporter, IS who noted his pulse
and the intonations o the devO ut priests
who recited in Latin the service for tn
dying.
| Devine died game, if ever ma
died game. He was as cool and eollecte
as though he were but stepping out t
greet passing friend The remains wer
!, placed in neat coffin and will be bsirie
q 'hhere;. Telegram from Alton asked that thi
disposition be made.
i Devine was hanged for the murder Z
r Larry GoodfelIow in Bloomington Aug
+ 4th, 1879 at 8 a. m. Goodfel1ow was she
almost at his own gate by two men. VIII
), suddenly ordered him to throw up hi
hands. The tive pistol balls were of di
ferent. calibre. Patsey was tracked frol
Alton, H., his former home. to Kentuck.
and thence to Morssetten N. Y, was ,here,.a
: rested by Alton and Bloomington dete
. tives. May Sd 1880, first trial here, in Jun
with verdict of guilty and sentence {
death. Supreme court granted a supe
cedas and later ordered a ne
trial. The second trial here also in Fe1
ruary. Gov. Cullom and the Supren
s Court both refused to Interfere