National Republican., 1883-01-20
REACHED THE END OF HIS ROPE
And by it Swung in Confidence from This to
the Unknown Shore.
The Murderer Shaw Confesses His Crime
and Pays its Just Penalty
Scenes and Incidents Of the Execution--0ld Red Cloud
Among tho Witnesses,
A Belief that He wns AFFLICTED with IIoml-
Cidnl Mania.

The unbelicvcr in capital punishment could |
have found some comfort in the belief that
nature wcpt ut the judicial killing that was
committed at the Jail yesterday. for the rain |
came down in dri2zling copiousness and the
weather was cherries and dismal. The Jail
stands lonely upon the commons at the ex-
tremo EASTERN part of the city, and in the dim
mist its brown walls made the place look even
more dcsoatc than usual.
As The REPUBLICAN reporter reached the
building he could not but be struck with the
change from the last execution that took place
there. Then the space outside was thronged
with vehicles and crowded with people drawn
there by morbid curiosity to know, at the
earliest possible moment, when the man who
killed president should cease to be. Now
there were but few carriages, and, barring
half dozen boys, there was no one about the
doors save the policemen who stood on guard.
Within the Jail the change was equally
marked. On June 30, 1881, the vast rotunda
contained nearly 500 persons, many of whom
had come from distant cities, that they might
witness the execution Of the assassin who had
proclaimed himself as Goods man." Now
barely hundred were present, and they were
mostly those who came as n matter Of duty.
Warden Crocker was going here and there
giving orders for the details of the act that
was shortly to take place, and Deputy War
den Russ was assisting in this matter, and also
allowing Some of the spectators to enter the
cells looking out upon the corridor in which
the gallows stood, so that they could witness
the performance from private box, as it were.
THE PRISONERS
from that side had, of course, all been re-
moved. One ingenious convict on the third
corridor on the opposite side had hung n mir
ror Just outside his cell that il reflected the
scailold, and consequently he had as good q
view of the execution as any one. After 9
o'clock yesterday morning the condemned
man rested quietly until 8, when he arose and
washed, and after knceling in prayer for some
time he read and wrote something for one of
the guards. Thursday night he wrote n state
ment, in which he
ADMITTED HAVING KILLED HIS SISTER,
and saying that it was because she had an
gered him. He also gave brief history of
his life, and alluded TO the approaching exc
cution, and said $50 that will be the last of
poor Charles G. Shaw" He said that he
knew that he had done wrong and should be
punished, and added "I am ready to go and
dwell in paradise with my dear beloved sis
ter, brothers. and father, and all my rela-
tions" He said he had been treated well in
Jail, and expressed q thousand thanks to the
officers. Tomorrow shall leave the wicked
to dwell with my Redeemer FOR all eternity.
/ am not brute or n fool. The crime have
committed was for the best; the Lord knows
all things the things the Lord does is always
for the best. This is the way he intended for
well satisfied with my sentence. l have gone
home to rest, so bid this wicked world fare
we'll"
At 9:15 o'clock Rev. Father Cornelius Hur-
ley, who has been Shaws spiritual adviser,
arrived at the Jail and at once proceeded to
hear
THE PRIsoNER's LAST CONFESSION,
and to give him holy communion. His
breakfast, which was substantial one, was
served about 10 o'clock by the Jail cook John
Herndon, and he ate heartily. Shortly after
ward his attorneys, Messrs. Clagctt and Lips
comb, arrived at the Jail and were shown to
Shaws cell, when he thanked them for what
they had done for him, and bade them good
by. From that time until the last arrange
ments and he was called to prepare for the
march to the scatIold, Shaw was occupied in
religious exercises with Rev. Father Cornelius
Hurley and his assistant, Father ID. L. Hur-
Icy.
THE ARRIVAL OF THE COFFIN
at 1895 furnished an incident to the party in
the rotunda. The coffin was in imitation of
rosewood, with neat trimmings, and was i'm
mediately taken to the corridor running at
right angles with the one in which the scaf-
fold was placed, so that it might be ready
when wanted.
At 1890 o'clock the warden and guards en-
tered the south wing and announced to the
prisoner that the hour had come. The pris-
Oner was gotten ready and taken to the gate,
where
THE DEATH WARRANT
was read. As the words fell from the lips Of
Warden Crocker il was noticed that drops of
sweat stood upon the prisoners brow, aud as
the veteran Bob Strong pinioned his arms his
lips moved MS if in prayer. The cell which
Shaw last occupied was No. 3, which was used
as an office by the late Guitcau, and the pro-
cession started from that cell in the following
order, the spectators forming lines on either
side of the walk to the corridor: First came
Gen. Croclier, the warden, followed by Mr..
Robert Strong, of the guards; the prisoner,
with the clergy, Revs. Cornelius and ID. f.
Hurley, of st. Augustine's church Capts.
Coleman, Jones' and w. G. Crocller, and Sid
ney Mcfarland Then followed the jury and
a squad of policemen under Lieut.. BOtcler,
and, the spectators closing in, the corridor was
shortly filed During the march to the
gallows the two priests continually repeated
prayers, in which the condemned man Joined.
After
ASCENDING THE sCAFFoLD
there was n brief pause, during which the
prayers were continued, and this was the
case while his legs were being tied and the
moose was being adjusted, the prisoner look
ing upward as iftrying to penetrate eternity,
upon which he was SO soon to enter Warden
Crocker stood on the right, facing south,
Messrs Coleman, Strong, and Jones standing
in the rear of the prisoner, and Messrs. w. G.
CrOcker and $. Mcfarland at tho foot of tho
gallows. The prisoner was attired in n we'll
worn pair of gray pantaloons u gray vest
and black coat The black cap was then
drawn over his head, Warden Crocller stepped
to the edge of the scailOld and waved his
white handkerchief,
THE TRAP WAS SPRUNG,
and with click, as the bolt was pulled back
and thud us the prisoner fell, Charles G.
Shaw paid the penalty of his murderous
crime. The drop fell at l2i2, and in twelve
minutes thereafter the heart had ceased Ia
beat The body was allowed to hang twenty
minutes, and was then lowered into the coffin
that had been brought out and placed under
the scaflold TO receive it,
"wHAT DO YOU THINK OF HAIP'
asked THE REPUBLICAN of Dr. McWilliams
the physician of the jail who has had con-
stant opportunity for Observance during the
long time the prisoner had been in Jail
nearly two years.
~ think he was victim of homicidal
mania" was the reply.
"Why so?"
"Wel, he has told me that at times he felt
the most violent desire to take liie-a desire
which he could hardly resist-and that il was
during one Of these fits he committed the crime
for which he has now suffered DEATH"
As Bob Strong, the hangman, came through
the cOrridorafter the execution The REPUB'
LICAN asked him:
" How many does this make that you have
helped to shuttle of the mortal coil?"
"Fourteen," was the laConiC response.