Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10
The Dayton Tragedy.
\ Graphic Account Of the Hanging of
GcPher>On.


son one Il the mur,i-ier, 81 T.. n.
CnmmIn> at New York bar, was
hung by Tue vigil ntes at Dayton last
night at lO:'0. Upon the j., ceip; OF
lie news III Dayton that McPhcisou
had teen G,ani,d new trial. AMI of
Governor N"weil's rerri. sc, Re !.
ing cuminenced growing upon The
People 'ha; something wou!.I be done
10 defeat McPherson's new lease OF
HE. When an order came from tie
lnd9e OF the district commiuiln.
the sheriff to remove the PRISONER to
Naila Wa,ia, the deternIin atom of
the people 10 hang the Murderer h =
came tiX"i fact, specially af;ci
t"ry had learned that he Was to he
removed to his new quar- ers oI Sun
day mornings train. .Abou, $40
ias' night, crowds, consisting of from
Jour to ten persons, all well arIn, /
with rifles, pistols and shotgun-,
BEGAN assembling in the vacant
grounds close 10y Ih~ ] Ill. At 1879
the vl5iiaaies were ia ~ organized,
wheh they matched to the jail Yard
! through the door which they found
/ unlocked. Entering the yard they
! immediately went to the Jail door
and demanded Abundance of the
guards, which was peremotorily re-
fused At the same time the guar d
oraeled the mob to dcsist. Find
ing the viSilantes were determined
III their purpose, the guards. six in
number, drew their pistols and
FIRED SIX SHOTS.
but none of the assaulting parties
were injured. With the aid of crow
bars the Jail door was forced open.
In Tie mean time the guards, seeing
they wtre to be overpowered, Ind
their keys under the stairway. On
etfecting an entrance into the prison
the vigilantes surrounded the guards,
and ordered them to throw up their
hands. Mcpherson cell door was
then pried open W tn bars, when the
murderer was brought face to face
with his executioners. Mcpherson
though visibly affected, gave no out
ward sign of fear Two of the vigil
lantes Brought files to bear on Me-
Pherson's shackles, and in an incred-
lille short space of time they were
cut loose, and Mcpherson was in
the hands of the mob.
While all this was going on inside
OF The jail, the Jail yard was also
carefully guarded 10y
s1xrY-FIvE vIGILANTEs, WELL ARMED,
Who paraded their beats in regular
time, as punctually as if the proceed
Jugs had been performed by regular
troops. A few feet away from the
Jail yard detail of sentries were
placed to keep back spectators.
When Mcpherson was marched out
of the Jail he was clad IN check shirt
and overaIls. His feet were bare,
his hands were securely fastened be-
hind and in that way he was marched
up ON the scatfold prepared for
Snodderley's execution. McPher-
son went up the scaffold step with
on, apparent effort Escape was
made impossible by row of sentries
ON each side of him. As Mcpherson
was taken from his cell the leader of
the NSilantes said, turning to Snod-
derley and Owenby, Fellows. your
time has not come yet; one of you
will be hung next Tuesday and the
other will have to be worked on vet -
When on the scaffold Mcpherson.
turning to his executionsrs, SAID ::
Fellows, am an innocent man und
God knows 1t,
AND DIE GAME.
He was then marched under the
cross beam and a half inch rope was
brought to the eXecutiOner. After
placIng the moose around McPher-
son $ neck the rope was placed over
the cross beam and the crowd below
began pull Ing until Mcpherson was
dangling about two feet over the
scaff"ld platform. Those stationed
a short distance from the scaffold
could hardly discern d movement of
the body outside of ;he swinging
motion given it by the twisting, and
untwis;ing of the rope. A l,ntern
was hung close &c the body, bringing
! 1t out in bold relief with the dark
mass of masked men on and about
! the death dealing structure. After
Mcpherson had hung long enough
to make death a pretty sure thing
the leader addressing all hands,
said" Fellow citizens: You can
new do as You please"
THE vIGiLASTEs THEN DISPERSED,
And the crowd made a rush fol the
scaffold, but no one, offered to modest
the body, which at that time was
gently swinging with the wind. A
few seconds later Sheriff Hostler
rushed through the crowd on to the
scaffold and quickly examined Nc.
Pherson. He then rushed into the
Jail. and looking around the place.
he quickly said to the bys,anders:
Il guess he's dead" A coroner's
Wuo luCu dlU,
br eff dehbern,ion, verdict was
rendered that Mcpherson died from
hanging at the hands of unknown
persons. There was no exci,em
manifested, and sholt time after
the verdict was rendered the streets
of the city resumed their wonted
quietness.
Mrs. Mcpherson up to late hour
this morning knew nothing of the
hanging. Ga Saturday night she
visited her huband in his cell and
remained with him until 8 O'Clock.
The unfortunate woman Sc, med to
have gained considerable spirit by
the reprieve and the new trial grant
ed her husband. The entire pro-
ceedings from the time the vigiuntes
entered the prison yard until the
rendering of the coroner's verdict