The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-10-17
BY THE ROPE ROUTE.
Feculiurities of People Who Die by
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Pungent
Points by Persons Who
Have Witnessed Official
Murder.

Have Witnessed Official
Murder.
Last night a number of gentlemen were
talking about hanging Sad one, i
saw a fellow hung once in West Virginia
He had long been known as IA hard case.
He drank heavily and gambled incessant-
lly. One day he got into quarrel with
companion and killed him. He was ar
rested and in due time tried by jury.
He had a splendid lawyer to defend him,
but the jury found him guilty and he was
sentenced to be hung. was one OF the
Jurors and of course | was invited to at
tend the execution. | went, but hundreds
lof times have | wished that had not
gone to that hanging. | was very ner-
vous before the time arrived for the exc
lcution There were other jurors present
who had passed upon the case besides
myself, but nevertheless | felt shaky and
| acknowledge it now. Finally the time
came for the execution; the prisoner was
lead out from the Jail and he walked up =
on the scoffoId as brave rs lion. | shall
never forget the look of resigned despair
that he wore upon his countenance. His
face was of an ashy pallor and his eyes
had CLASSY stare He stood upon the
death trap and faced the assembled crowd
with a look of defiance He seemed to
feel the truth of the fact that his time had
come, and he was ready to meet his fate.
In voice tremulous with emotion he bid
good bye to all, but declared that he was
innocent of the crime he was about to die
for. The trap was sprung and his neck
was broken His death was easy, but at
the same time it was horrible. l shall
never forget it,
: The writer of this has attended three
executions and has seen the life strangled
out of three human beings. AS is GUS
ltomary with criminals each of the three
went upon the scatfold bravely and met
their fate unf1inchingly.
: The first was VIM. Heilwagncr, who
C was hung in this city on the Gath day Of
= March, 1882, for the murder of his daugh'
: terinlaw, Dora Heilwagner, who lived OF
the Hampton bluffs. The murde
o was cold blooded affai
II and caused principally by drink
y VIM. Hcilwagon was arrested, tried ant
;. convicted of the crime. He always pro
d tested his innocence, and on the day o
e his execution he walked up on the scat
n fold without tremor, and standing OF
L. the death trap he again declared that h
+ was innocent, and hoped that some da
l. the right murderer might be discovered
The evidence by which he was cOnvictc
y was purely circumstantial, and who pos
y, itively knows that the man was guilty
= One of his peculiarities was his aversio
0; to photographers. He would never hav
4 his picture taken, and although he wa
n, offered inducements to sit for his picture
he positively refused to do so.
7 The next was Sylvester Mackinson, VIII
" was hanged at Cambridge on May It'll
1888. Mackinson was farm hand, an
murdered the wife of man for whom
was working near Kewanee. He at fir
ne admitted his guilt, but subsequently IT
of tracted all he had said and stood trial. I
no was found guilty by the jury, ana Juds
re Glenn sentenced him to be hanged. c
If, the day of his sentence there was b
nd crowd of citizens present from the vicr
nv its of the place in which the murder toe
mt place. They had well laid plan
he lynch Macknson if he had not been COZ
is. demned to death. On the day Of his eX
Il cution he shook hands with the husbaI
Ii of the woman he killed, and on the sca
mt fold declared that he was innocent. Ii
n tie doubt exists of this mans guilt. |
ot died painless death.
do The third one was Christian Reiblin!
y Last Christmas day he killed Albert Luci
,er young man, at Lyndon, Whitcside cou
.be ty, forty miles from this city. He "
ate tried and convicted. The plea was insa
DIV ity but it did not have any effect upon Il
mo Jury, and he was hanged at Morri@- MA
county seat of Whiteside o-on converted
.no 10Th, last. Reiblir-s going to heaven Il
- and ,bopol,..s full of religious ecstacy
orc. - night before his death he was
happy that the time was near for him t.
Y leave this vale of tears, On the sca(folC
he admitted his guilt and asked forgive
ness, and expressed the hope that h
would meet the assembled crowd il
II heaven. His execution was neat lob
d and his death was instantaneous. A sin,
S gular fact in connection with the eXccu-
e tons mentioned, was that all of the Grim
: inals went through the same trap. 1t is
n trap that has been used in this part oil
c Illinois for years 1t was first used il
y Peoria several years ago. and worked 81
k perfectly that all sheriffs who had the dis
e agreeable duty to perform of officially
q numbering fellow man, were anxious tC
get this trap.
Pe0ria's Water.
Last week We chronicled the fact thai
. Peoria was in bad straits on account Of
, her drinking water supply. The quality