Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-01-31
A DoUBL.lE' HANGING.
Two Young Murderers Executed at
t-, Mt Vernon, Indiana.

Mt. VERNON, IND, Jan. 25.-Ander-
son and Snyder, the doomed men, re-
tired at ten o'clock last night. During
the night Anderson's nose commenced
bleeding, and became 80 serious that
the guard was called. Itcontinued sew
eral minutes, after which he slept
sOundly. Both were called at five
o'clock and ate heartily. The Catholic
priest who had been with them was de-
MED admission. They had asked for
Methodist ministers, ]. w. Ashbury
and III. K. Walsen. These gentlemen
were sent for and promptly arrived and
conducted appropriate exercises. At
$3.50 the death warrant was read and
listened to- without emotion. o At ten
o'clock, Anderson was shaved by q pris-
Oner. Singing, led by Snyder, who also
delivered o prayer asking Divine mercy
and expressing confidence that his sins
were forgiven. During this scene the
prisoners were very composed; Snyder,
nervous and excited, talked freely of
the, crime and frequently cried. Ander-
son was much affected but under great
self control, freely conversing with Wis
itors and occasionally smoking. This
concluded they returned to their cells
where they were again attended by the
ministers and the last preparations
made. At 11:40 they were conveyed to
an inclosure near the Jail attended by
Revs. Ashbury and Walsen. Anderson
was very composed, Snyder emotional
and prayed aloud constantly. Ander-
son made brief prayer. The trap was
sprung at 11:5O. Snyder's neck was
broken. Anderson struggled and
twitched moment. Life was extinct
in Snyder in seven minutes, in Ander-
son in eight minutes. The bodies were
cut down and put in cOffins and con-
veyed to-. Weisinger's undertaking es-
tablishment and exposed to public gaze.
The arrangements were very complete,
there being no hitch from first to last.
The crime for which Anderson and
Snyder were executed was the murder
on August 18th of James Won Weyer,
seventeen years of age. The latter was
known to have $lS on his person. He
was enticed to the spot selected for the
crime on the river bank, a mile east of
Mt. Vernon, and while his attention
was directed another way Snyder struck
him on the head with club and felled
him to the ground. He then held his
head, while Anderson, sitting astride
the body, cut his throat from ear to ear
with a pocket knife. At the first plunge
of the blade the victim revived, real
lied his awful position, begged for mer-
cy and struggled desperately. He was
Overmatched, however, and was soon
overcome by the loss of blood. After
rifiing his pockets and before life was
extinct the body was thrown into the
river and taken some distance out into
the stream, the murderers swimming
each side of it. Blood stains and the
disturbed condition of the ground were
discovered next cry and the body, after
a search, was recovered Sunday after.
noon. Suspicion was at once directed
to Anderson and Snyder, who were ar
rested. Before line of denial could be
agreed upon between them, and by
skilful manipulation by the officers q
confession was obtained from each
charging the commission of the crime
upon the other. The trial was brief
and conviction prompt. Executive
clemency was invoked in vain. Won
Weyer was d native of Kentucky and
had resided in Mt. Vernon only a few
months, doing odd jobs. He was an in
dustrious and well behaved boy. Sny-
der and Anderson are both from Mt.
Vernon. The former is twenty-one
years Of age, shiftless, idle fellow, but
previous to the murder was never con-
sidered vicious. Anderson is seventeen
years old, bootblack and inclined to
be industrious, but his associates were
bad. Snyder's mother and both the
parents of Anderson are alive and re-
side in Mt. Vernon. ..,g.s.4