The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-14

1aillloI 4n4s 70
worked at tlae time the murder was committed
The story was grossly improbable and was
contradieted by knownfae but he persisted
| In it, even when confronted in Jail BY young
Cole
| His assertion of innocence on the scaffold is
| thought to be due to determination TO shield
his sisters from the stain OF numerous
| brother, that idea having dominated him for
/ a week Iaat Ills plea to the public closes as
| follows: Vow leave behind six sisters and
four brothers to mourn for me, and one sister
that has been sick for some years aud good
| part of the time III her bed. My dear friends,
/ II is hard, but the world looks at me as though
/ l was some kind OF an animal They don't
look at me as human at all; but nevertheless
| think there is a little human
blood in my veins yet Well, dear reader,
once had wife and loved her as my life, and
i what little time we lived together we
| lived happy. She would come to meet
me when i would come in from my work,
and l thought she loved me, but found
out better in the course of year. All seemed
! to go well with us, till one day when was not
| at home she took all that l had gained and my
dear little girl and left me foTlorn, and when
returned home how do you think felt? No
dear wife little girl to greet me with a kiss
| or welcome. Oh! my dear readers, you know
not how 1 felt 1t is impossible for me to ex-
press my feelings, and from that day to This my
fife has been total wreck, and it will not be
long till l will be past all earthly trouble
though die for another mans crime. But
dear reader, would rather die innocent than to
be guilty and live, for we all have to die some
day, and | will mot be condemned i'll
the next world for something l have
not done, although l may be here,
for there in no justice in this world for |
man that has no money and when he has all |
his enemies to swear against him-to condemn |
to deathbut all Will be right some day after it |
is too late Dear reader, l always wanted to |
live and to do what was right but it seems as /
though have had bad luck ali my life. BY |
some means-I can not tell how it comes-I |
have always been considered peaceabie man.
1 been DIaCeS
have never had any trouble, only what was
forced on to me by some one that thought he
was better than any one else, but they were
fooled.as bad as was when took Joseph Cole
for man of his word. l have always been
able to take my own part until now. never |
thought had much sense, and now think
haven't any.
VAIN STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
New YORK, May 12.-When Angelo
Cornetta summoned into the jail yard at
White Plains to be hanged, yesterday morning,
he fought the officers of the law like mad
man, and the strength of half dozen men
was required to pinion him. Sheriff Horton
and about dozen deputy isheriffs entered the
prison at 80 O'Clock, Their appearance was
the signal for all the deputies to close around
Cornetta, while ailer Duffy and two deputy
sheriffs advanced to pinion him. "You must
be bravo now, Uornetta," Mr.. Edgerton, said
these ropes are to be placed on your arms. !"
Cornetta gazed about him for moment with
startled look, and then with a hoarse shrek,
which echoed through the prison, and was
heard in the yard outside, made deperate EFF
fort to break through the line of the 7
deputies, but Duffy, tho cool jailer, had him
firmly in his arms, while two deputies seized
arm by the wrists. With almost superhuman :
strength, Cornetta persisted in his struggle for
ale and dragged the men to and fro. His q
lead was thrown back, his long hair futtering {
,ver his shoulders, and his eyes protruding
While he endeavored in vain to fix his teeth in
he hands of some of the men who had grasped
lim. lie continued to fill the air with his
hrieks. lie had often said that his long hair
would prevent his being hung, but it became
powerful weapon against him. for strone
nen seized him firmly by his locks and others | ~
'ressed a handkerchief over his mouth, .
shle has arms were pinioned after
ude fashion some distance above
lis elbows. In spite of all efforts to quiet him
e continued to struggle. LET me be-" he
RED Don't you see 1 am dressed to go INTO
he court house. You soil nv clothing Me
10 die; memo die" he shouted: mo power of
nan can kill me-" His face became Iivid from
he violence of his struggles. AS quickly as n
osslble the short moose slipped over his | b
cad and adjusted to his neck and the black | III
APP was placed on his'head His torture was | ~
errihie to witness. Jailer Duly and his as q
stants dragged him to the door and as they | -
assed into the jaii-yard the iailer and Deputy .
lawrence seized him by each arm, while oI
equity Maylee walked behind him. Nearly | II
iIee hulldfed men were assembled III the yard. pa
large circle had been formed at some dis | a,
NEE from the callows, and the lines were | a.
reserved by squad of fourteen of the Yonk- =,
: police ~Cosa fate2" ~Cosa fategS @what WI
e You domgg) Cornetta shouted as he was lid
jagged under the Gallows. 1t was evident | OF
lat has condition was such that it was doubt m
IL If he ever saw the structure which he so |
uch dreaded, and his refusal to talk about |
: execution had left h,m in ignorance of the -
ethod Ia be pursued IN an instant the ex VI
iItloneT had hooked the moose into the iron
lg of the rope above, pulled down the black i
p, and the Ratchet Of the sheriff had released
G IRON weight before the condemned man
HId appreciate his situation -