Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-11-21
those very near could hear him, ssThis is the
way you murder men for fifty dollars a head.

lnose very near could hear him, .This is the
isn't ity ""'
He compressed his lips, contracted his eve.
orows and looked down sullenly on the crowd
more red in bis face than his predecessors on
ina trap. His hands hung, limp, lifeless
ana trembling. They looked as If they had
Deen scalded. His eyes were fixed in his head
Tor the nrst moment but after a while they
moved little, and their lids moved naturally
Inc crinkliug alpaca pants showed that his
Thighs shook violently. At signal from
Sheriff Irish, Chaplain Towers stepped upon
the scaffold, whispered in Wikinson's ear.
pressed his and, stepped back and began
ih'oning the last service. 1t was the book of
prayer, headed, "Visitation of Prisoners"
and beginning, ''In the midst of life we are
IN DEATH" Wilkinson listened intensly but
his face did not change. 80 Lord lift up thy
countenance upon thee and guide thee both
now and forevermore, Amen" These were
the chaplain's last words
1t was under the platform between the two
shops. Half dozen officers stood on the
platform. There was an unusual stiffness in
the prison yard. Every prisoner except Will
kinson was in his cell. The solitary convict
stood there in the once glad, but now solemn
sunshine, and the only sound he heard was
the dropping of a little stream of water that
flows out of stone embankment back of the
scaffold.
g Have you anything to say, Mr.. Wiikin-
son?" asked the sheriff "No, SIR" said the
prisoner.
The Black Cap was Drawn
down over his head, the officer who did it
heaving deep sign as he stepped off the trap
The box was taken off the spring, and Sheriff
Irish took his hat from his head He was
self composed and dignifed, and in a clear
voice he repeated the usual formula and
touched the spring.
The object in black shot down through the
trap. and at just one-half minute before l2
o'clock VIM. Lawrence's murderer passed
from life to death. The body did not whirl
around as did the Italians.
The head fell to one side, the body swayed
little, and for one minute commissions were
noticeable. The contraction of the legs
moved the rope little. Fifteen minutes
after the man fell no pulse could be felt and
three minutes later he was put in his coffin.
Three minutes after falling the pulse was
SO; minutes, hardly distinguishable; min
utes, 60 beats; minutes, A beats; 8 min
utes, SO BEATS 10 minutes A beats; IL min
utes, could not count the pulse; 10 minutes
heart ceases to beat, and II minutes cut down
the body. No crepitus at the neck more mott
ceabe than ordinary.
The doctors are not certain that his neck
was broken. He will be buried in the prison
yard in accordance with his request. The
execution was performed with decorum and
skill. | feel positive that Wilkinson was not
this mans name, and that an unknown man
has been executed.
Mrs. Knowles is sanguine that this is the
case. She begged the man to tell her his
nj md nll har
mother. He refused such request at their
last meeting.
WilkinsOn's Last Letter.
Before leaving the prison Mrs. Knowles
gave the reporter the last letter she received
from Wilkinson, and also one which he sent
to her little girl. The letter to Mrs. Knowles
read as follows:
Kind Friend-I received your kind and
welcomed letter on the Goth and it was with
sorrow that heard of your continued poor
health | did have hope for a few days, but
it is all gone, You asked me to speak to
you as should to mother or a sister; but
ask you how you could think | could talk to
NV mother, surrounded with people with
their eyes and mouths lde open to pick mp
every word for ridicule and scoffing to fit it
| to their own ideas and set it agoing like a
SNOWFALL down a hill. for so do feel it is
with me. don't know who or how many
read this before it leaves the prison. You
say go to Jesus in supplication and prayer.
| | am sorry to say that is what | cannot do,
1 believing as | do As l now believe, |
should feel myself hypocrite if did. You
ask me if wish was such as you say
/ christian should be, from my heart | can
honestly say yes, for think it an honor to
any one that can say he is a christian.
wish cond, but do not think | ever can.
| Y You ask me to write you some of my past
| life. When | got into this trouble resolved
that my past life should die with me. Not
that it is so black as it has been painted, but
| have an aged father and mother, who if
they were to know the manner of my death
think it would be the cause of their own
death. | had rather die than that they should
know that they had son condemned for a
crime such rs mine. Life would have no
pleasure for me if thought prolongng mine
shortened theirs one day. November Goth,
between the hours of eleven and two, is the
time appointed for my farewell to this world.
You can tell if you have been instrumental
in giving one word of cheer, when tell you
that you are the only person that l feel
sincere regard for. Since eighteen years
ago have thought l could l could never
have any belief on any one belonging to this
State, much less friendship such as l feel
for you and your family. In fact. you do not
seem to me at all like Maine family; for
what have seen of Maine people they all
like. when they see a foreigner under cloud,
to do all they can to keep him under, and
when one is suffering for what he did not do,
and the good citizens of Maine knew he was
suffering wrong, have yet to see that one
put out his hand to right the wrong done to a
foreigner. In regard to forwarding your let
ters, | will see when the time comes.
Your friend,
DANIEL WILKINSON.
The letter to the little girl told of his dis
obedience in running away to sea instead OF
going to school as his parents wished and of
his adventures in salt mines, lumber mills
and at sea. He expressed regard for her
and said he never before hid been blessed
with a little girls love. He compared himself
to a strange dog that everybody kicked as he
passed along the street and drew moral for
her from his bad life.
Fire at Bath.
| BATH, Nov. 90.