The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-11
THE ROPE ROUTE !!
It is Effectually Worked on
s. K. Mackinson, the
Henry County Muir
derer.
He was Shufaed off this Nor
tai Coil at Cambridge
To-Day,
And Sent to the Long
Bourne From Whence
no Return Tickets
are Issued.
A Sketch of His Horrible and
UnproVoked Crime and
His Last Hours on
Earth.
Death Met Without a Ire
NOR of Fear.

HUI VI L CdIs
Again justice has performed its duty
and henious murder avenged by tn
hand of law. Another soul has been sen
to its reckoning, shot through the trap o
a scaffold into the great beyond, where i
is hoped it viii rest in peace, undisturbet
until the day of Judgment. No matte
how terrible a crime man has committed
and how callous heart beats within hi
repugnance you may bear him, when hi
last hours are at hand. Then it is tina
you will be inclined to pardon him, anC
wish that justice was less severe. 1t is
heart rending sight to see him standing
on the unsound foundation with the hal
ter around his neck and hanging on the
brink of eternity. 1t is just at this time
that so many criminals realize their true
position, and know they must die. Many
think they will be pardoned or receive q
| lighter sentence, but when they see the
hangman by their side, and hear the cler
gyman's last blessing, they sicken at heart,
and lose their courage. 1t must be a
horrible sensation to know that you must
| die felon's death, unhOnored and dis
graced The days roll swiftly by, and are
numbered one by one by the death-mark
ed man, who suffers untold fortunes which
racks his brain and makes his pulse beat
| with throb of fear.
Such was the case with Sylvester King
Mackinson, who expiated his fearful
crime on the scaffold at Cambridge, to-
day. During the first portion of his con-
finement he appeared indifferent to his
fate, but as the day of his execution drew
nigh, he weakened perceptibly. At the
February term of the Henry county Cir
cult Court, he pleaded guilty of murder,
but after he discovered the terrible conse-
quences that would follow, he Matched up
all manner of stories. protesting his in
noceGce.
THE CRIME
for which Sylvester K. Mackinson was
hung to-day, was the unproyoked murder
of Mrs. Maggie A.. Copeland, in Wethers-
field township, Henry county, ON the Goth
day of August, 1882 On that day all the
family were absent, with the exception of
Mrs. Copeland. Mackinson had formerly
been acquainted with. the family i'm Ohio,
and came to live with them in Illinois
about two years ago. Mrs. Copeland had
always treated him more like brother
than a stranger, mending his clothes and
acting very kindly to him in every re
spect He used to visit the family every
week when he was not working for them,
and no trouble ever existed between them.
But the devil took possession of him; and
in an evil hour he listened TO his counsels,
and committed deed which sent him to
an early grave. On Saturday August
26th the day the terrible deed was COM
mitted, Mackinson found Mrs. Copeland
alone in the house, and she invited him
to remain for dinner. and he
consented to stay. He went to the wood
pile after an armful of wood, and on his
return found Mrs. Copeland STOPPING
down. looking into the oven. He says he
was tempted to strike her, and not being |
able to resist, struck her severe blow |
on the head 20 th piece of fence board, |
which fractured her skull She begged |
dealt her repeated blows, but emptied T
two barrels of his revolver into her body. |
He then dragged her out of the house and
left her there dead. He went back to the
bureau and took therefrom $50 in money
and note Mr.. Copeland had against him
for money loaned, amounting to $50.
Then he left the premises and sauntered
about the neighborhood until evening.
The murder was not discovered until
about O'Clock p. m, when the sister re-
turned home. The murder for a time was
l mystery. In the evening Makinson
vas seen in the village of Kewanee, and
he was surprised to hear of the crime and
with neighbors ro see his victim
When the money and note were missed,
uspicion fell upon Makinson, and, other
looking SO suspicious, he
vas arrested and put in the Kewanee
,alaboose for safe keeping At that time I
here was considerable excitement in
zewanee about the bank robbery, and
was allowed to spend the night
n the calaboose with Makinson He
represented himself as one of the bank
'obbers, and during the night Makinson
rave himself away sufficiently to warrant
lis commitment to Jail. At the Septem-
Ger term of the Henry circuit court a true
Dill was found against him He pleaded 4
not guilty and the case was continued to
he February term, when he was formally
lrraigned, pleaded guilty, and after hear
ng the testimony of all the witnesses
presented, and taking five days for con- 4
lideration, Judge Peasants on Tuesday, {
March 5th sentenced the prisoner to be
hanged on Friday, May II, 1888, in or
near the common jail of the county, be- /
tween the hours of 8 a. m. and pm. Z