Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-03-01
THE FIRST HANGING IN
INDIANA COUNTY.
lanes G.. Allison Dies DOgged-
Iy Protesting his Innocence
and Refusing the Offices
of the Church.

was one of the Guietest and best con-
Quoted executions that ever took place
in this country. James G. Allison was
hanged for the murder of his father In
1880 and he died like a brute OF the
lowest type. On Thursday morning
workmen began to erect the scatfold In
the northwest corner of the Jail yard,
which is only twenty-seven feet square,
with wall twenty feet high. The
platform is reached by steps ascending
from behind, and most of the few per-
sons present to witness the execution
had to stand at the rear of the scatfold,
the face of the prisoner being from
them. The height from the ground is
six feet. with four feet drop, giving
two feet of clearance During the erec-
tion of the scaffold the prisoner was re-
moved from his cell, where had been
confined since June, 1880, to dark
cell below, as his cell window opens
toward the jail yard, in full view OF
that awful instrument of death which
was awaiting its victim. Allison slept
but little on Wednesday night, walk
ing the floor nearly all the time, al,
though he ate a hearty breakfast on
Thursday morning but refused to say
anything, even to the Sheriff. On
Thursday night he was visited by the
correspondent. He stood about 5 feet
| 10 inches in height, his weight being
13O pounds. He had no prepossessing
appearance. He wore a little dark
mnstache and thin chin whiskers ano
had dark complexion with dark hall
and eyes. The latter were small and
piercing. His hair had grown long
and he would not have it clipped
His face was long, thin and cadaverous
He wore an old dirty flannel shirt, ano
certainly presented hard appearance
He said, when asked if he had many
visitofa. Yes, too many
DO the ministers visit you, anc
don't you like to see them comer
No They paid no attention to me
before, and / have been kept bere like
| a hog. don't want them to bother
me now
DO you believe In hereafter p
Il guess so,' he replied Being ask
ed if he had made his peace with hi;
God and was prepared to die he replied
That is none of your business
DO you wish to see any OF you
brothers or sisters or mother before
you die?'
Rising up quickly he said, Yol
know what trouble mother caused US
NY mother was killed there when
was young
A queer story is affoat, which may
be key to some of Allison's speeches
When asked about the msrder he hal
almost always said, I did not kill my
father and once when allusion wa
made to his mother he said shortly, 8,
have no mother 1t now turns ou
that Allison told some persons il
whom he had confidence that his fathe
and mother were both dead, and he ex
planned this by saying that his father
died shortly after his birth, and tina
his mother gave her children to Mrs
| Allinson's care when he was O few
months old This was kept as secret
until now.
In the evening all the clergymer
and editors and many prominent mer
| of this village sent the following mes
sage to Judge Blair, of Greensbug
who tried Allinson =
There is deep feeling here tha
Allison's execution should be postpon
ed. If he is unfit to live he is altogeth
er unprepared to die. The public opin
ion is stirred to the deepest sympathy
for him. We have telegraphed tt
Governor Hoyt for respite Will yol
not send him despatch at once urg
ing this action p
NOT INCLINED TO RELIGION.
Allison was perfectly stoical all day
Father Allwan, the Catholic prizes
who has been visiting him for some
time, said this morning AS to th'
crime be don't deny it, but he won
profess religion. have visited hin
five times and / don't think | hav,
accomplished much. The first time
visited him be seemed willing to reat
the Bible and profess religion. On
my second visit | found him gruff
sullen and obstinate. / could do moth
ing with him. On my third visit h'
talked as though he would join the
Church and thought I had him on &
fair way to be converted, but the mex
day when I went back | found my
several days. work all undone anC
could get no satisfaction out of him a
oil, and / am now on my fifth visit ant
am sorry to say am no further or
than when | began
HIS LAST DAY.
This morning Allison ate a moder.
ate breakfast, mincing over it very
slowly. He would eat a few mouth
fuls, then stop and be lost in thought
for short time and then resume
About seven O'Clock he was allowed te
take walk in the Jail corridor, anC
when there he took q look at the scaf
fold. He raised his head, surveyed il
minutely, then went back to his eel
and never said word Before he was
locked in his cell he bade all the other
prisoners that are in the jail goodbye
Returning to his cell he sat down on
his bench, dropping his head and no,
| saying word to any one. He had
refused all along to be shaved and
have his hair cut. When the attend
ants brought him clean clothing he
would not submit to any change, and
1 IL