The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-07-20
A HORRIBLE AFFAIR.

The Execution of Thomas Eagan, the
Wife Murderer, at Sioux Falls,
Dak-Tho Drop Falls Three Times
Before tho Culprit is Deprived Of
Life, Owing to Rotten Ropes.
On Thursday, July -, 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
a quarter Of a century. From evidence pro-
duced at the trial it would appear that they
had frequent quaTrels which at length Gull
minated on this fatal morning in her death.
He deliberately sent the children away, and
while shew 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 trap door
into the cellar, where it was found three
was fractured and the head was covered
with frightful 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 wall of the cellar,
which added to the horribleness Of the crime
Eagen was arrested and tried and although
there was everv effort made by his attorneys
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 a hearty
breakfast, hearing the sentence read,
and some, religious exercises by Catho-
lie priest, Eagan Vas taken to the gallows
All eyes were intently fixed on the prisoner.
His face was somewhat pale, but his lips
were firm and be seemed to exhibit no sign
offear He was straight heavy-set man,
weighing 1870 lbs, with retreating forehead,
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 scafold,
taking his place on the fatal trap,
turned around and faced the crowd below.
The sheriff now asked him If he had any
sealed to his secret, and he shook his head
| and answered in a low voice, mo" 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
| 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
| were holding their breath in silence, the
sheriff touched the trigger which alone kept
| 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 dull thnd,
partly on its back, and rebounding rolls
over on its face. The crowd are paralyzed
with establishment and fear. An unearthly
gurgling sound now breaks forth from the
prisoner. His neck is not 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. Its seventy-fve feet from the ground
where he has fallen, back to the jail-door,
and and around ocnd,a to nd the platform mr;ed %
conveyed through the crowd, the broker
rope in the meanwhile dangling from his
neck, while his horrible groaning strikes ter:
ror to the bystande1s. Once more on the
scaffold, another rope is adjusted and the
sickening details once more gone through
with, the trap falls again and the half deat
man drops once more; but worse. The rope
was not fully adjusted before the excited
sheriff again touched the trigger and dow1
the body goes second time but not witt
sufficient force to accomplish the desired re
sult
His neck is still unbroken, and the slow pro
cess of suffocation is all this time going on
The attendants seize him by the arms ant
again pull him on the scaffold while tn
!. death struggle continues. The first rope il
Topping from his neck and he still ha! Life
enough, 50 one says who was on the scaff
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
his head, it would have been al
act which would have certainly
been appreciated by the crowd. TIN
rope is finally fixed, the door drops one
again, the man shoots down, and there is
snap which is heard all around the yard ant
outside. There is struggling of the shout
ders, a twitching of the legs q convulsiv
shudder and all is still. The body swing
slowly around There is no motion of ley
or arm or muscle, and in eight and one hal
minutes the doctors pronounced him dead
and shortly after the body is taken down
: Yes, he is dead at last and the sight-seer
) heave genuine sigh of relief. The corps
was now cut down and the pin'oned arms
} and legs released. The dirt was brushed from
the clothing and the body laid in coffin
where it was afterwards viewed by the crowd
both outside and inside the Jail. The effect
of the strangulation were fearfully eviden
about the neck. The first cord had imbcddet
itself, but the action of the heart had forcet
the blood under it and the flesh was swollen
purpled and discolored. There was a sight
less stare to the eyes and blood was flowing
out of the corners Of his mouth. After al
those desiring had seen the corpse it wa
boxed up, and early in the afternoon it wa
/
it was buried, and with it the club and core
with which he killed his wife.
Death of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln.
Mrs. Lincoln, widow of the late presiden
Lincoln, died. in Springfield, ILL.,, at SIS O.
clock Sunday night. She has been very il
for a long time. A few days ago she grew
worse and Saturday evening she suffered
stroke of paralysis, and from that time la,
in comatose state until she died. Rober
Lincoln left Washington Sunday night ant
reached Springfield on Tuesday morning.
Mrs: Lincoln was daughter of Hon. E
S. Todd, of Lexington, KY, and was borl
December 81 1918, in the nei ghbsrhood o
Louisville, Ky. She was woman of G K.
IRENE good nature'and was loving wife ant
mother. She was known by her class o
friends as an ambitious woman, and doubt
less spurred on her husband to seize oppor
tuniti = and advance himself that, had h
been left alone he would probably not have
thought of. 1t is generally believed by he
friends that her reason was seriously dis
turbed by the assassination of her husband
She was weighed down by woe, and the bur
den was greatly increased by the death o
her youngest son, Ted. She be
came possessed of Some yer,
peculiar whims. Among others was tn
idea that she would suddenly come to want
and she could not be shaken in this belief
despite the fact that she had some $50, 0OO
and was entirely free from debt. Anothe
queer fancy she had was for accommodating
windo curtains, and while she was staying
at a hotel in Chicago, without any idea o
ever again living in house of her own, sh'
had piled up about her room over sixty pair
of window curtains. There were many 9th
er things which indicated insanity as ia
| back as 1865.
Sensational Murder in Chicago.
l. Chicago was shocked Monday morning b,
the most sensational murder that has beef
committed there for many day. The vic
tim was Charles A. Stiles, man who's
| c+op1;prr hoo b;tborfo boov, copo;loroI l;cI,