The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-03-24
Heilwagon's Execution This
Afternoon.
His Demeanor as He Mount
ed the Scafold.
He Protests His Innocence In
a last Interview. .
The Story Of the Crime, Trial
and Execution.
Incidents and Events of the
Afternoon.

y
fore an audience of about one hundred and
twenty-five persons including the members
of the grand jury, the petit jury engaged
on the trial, the supervisors, and few
outside individuals.
The exercises were of a very brief char
acter, as the object and aim of all persons
interested were to make the execution as
short as possible.
The death warrant was read by the sher-
if to the condemned man before leaving
the Jail, and on concluding the march
from the Jail to the scaffold The exercise
were simply the prayer of Rev Irving "A
Searles and the preparations for the last
drop.
THE SCENE OF EXECUTION.
As one O'Clock drew near the crowd
around the Jail grew thick and those who
held tickets of admission struggled with
those who did not for admittance. The
order was to keep all out for time, but
finally as the stated hour grew near, the
ticket holders were admitted in couples.
The spectators as they filed into the Jail
yard first inspected the scaffold and hand
led the rope, as if it was q curiosity and
there seemed to be strong desire to
finger all sthe implements of OF death
The spectators comprised the members
of our city and county government, Sheriffs
and deputies from adjoining counties and
representatives. of the press. When they
first came into the jail yard there was loud
talking and jokes and loose remarks few
fast around. but the sight of the stern
scaffold and the thud of the drop, as it
was tried by Deputy Mclean soon brought
al to realizing sense of the awful tragedy
so soon to be enacted. Silence was pre-
served and although the condemned had not
yet made his appearance whispers only
were interchanged
was placed in the barn to the left of the
exposing it to open view, but there was
enough of solemnity in the scene without
the added sensation of the waiting recep-
tacle for the dead body.
THE PROCESSION,
consisting of Sheriff Ankrum and the pris-
oner, Rev. living A. Searles. Bailiffs Laf |
ferty, Nicholson, Mapes and Harris, and |
Deputy Sheriff MacLain and Turnkey Bru-
ner, filed out of the jail door promptly at |
/ AS O'Clock. The march was taken di- |
rectly to the scaffold where the constabu |
larry attendants assumed their positions |
which had previously been arranged, for
not word was spoken, as the prisoner
and his guards wendell their way to the
gallows.
The prisoner was dressed in a neat suit |
of clothes, which had been purchased for
the occasion. His face was Clearly shaven,
except for the chin beard, which always
his appearance. His face
was quite. pale, but his movements were
firm and decided as he proceeded to the
steps of the scaffold. He passed up the
stairs unaided, although the guards were
on the alert to prevent his fall
ng. and to assist him in case he should
break down.
ON THE PLATFORM.
The prisoners arms were pinioned with
strap, but otherwise he was at liberty as
he mounted the scaffold On reaching the /
platform Rev. Irving A. Searles made a
,rief. prayer and shook the prisoner by the
land
Mr.. Searles said, you have nothing
more to say to me?" to which the prisoner
tire or,d sbroly his hand (
The Sheriff then pinloned the prisoners
egs with strap during which Heilwagon !
onversed with Turnkey Bruner. He'll
vagon made the following statement:
i hspe yon win find the right man after .
am dead, it was put on me by Otto {
ann innocent. Goodbye ALL /
The blackcap was placed over his head, |
ne safetypins pulled from the bolts, the
leriff pulled the rope, the drop fell, and
ne life of Heilwagon passed into eternity. b
HIS DEATH ]
The drop fell at exactly two o'clock. !.
efore the moment of execution his pulse 4
eat an even hundred and his demeanor i
as cool, much more SO than any one J
JUN CApCCt- 4AC Liz ufOp Iell 4
Ia pulse was taken and recorded as fol /
,ws: Y
Minutes, 1st, 55; Cd, 60; Sd SIS; 4th, S
J, weak and intermittent; 5th, g.
At the end of the fifth minute there was =
n entire cessation of the rodist pulse and
feeble action of the heart was only t
erceptible until the end of the seventh E
linute when all action ceased, except some =
.eble beats At ten minutes all motion i
eased and at fourteen minutes he was j
dead.
e.
Death was instantaneous his neck being "
islocated by the drop and there was not b
liver or tremor of his body. At twenty n
x minutes from the time the drop fell the !,
pc was cut and the body of Heilwagon b
as put into the coffin that viii be his 81
ernal resting place. q
LAST NIGHT.
Heiswagon was in excellent spirits last =.
gening for man who had only one night n
etween him and horrible death on the
allows. Atsupper time he requested that n