The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-17


der. and that he was paid $50 or s25 to remain
quiet.
Coffee was cautioned repeatedly, while making
this confession. to tell nothing but the truth, but
truth, he said. II couldn't tell you anything
but the truth. know that am going 70 die.
and don't want to die with lie in my heart"
During the previous night he was asked by w.
ID. Gregg one of his attendants. if there was
anything that be had withheld-if the thought of
committing the murder had not been proposed
to him. He replied that it had. but at the mo-
ment he was in great distress of mind, and said
that he could not tell until this morning.
BEGGING FOR LIFE.
After Coffee had made his final confession,
Elder Philips endeavored to direct his thoughts
TO the future, into which he was soon to be
launched. bat all efforts to console him
without effect. He continued his moaning and
sobbing almost necessarily. He was induced to
join. however. in singing the devotional hymn
Jesus, lover of my soul,' and afterwards
Nearer my God to Thee and his deep bass
voice could be heard distinctly outside the Jail
The prisoner spoke of his mother, and said that
he could see her before him: that he be-
lieved he would meet her in heaven.
MY poor mother died three years ago." he said,
land her last words were Children, live right
and try to meet me in heaven When the
minister withdrew, the dressing of Coffee began,
but it was with great difficulty that his clothing
could be got on him. The attire in which he was
led to the scaffod was plain black suit. The
stepsister of the condemned man babe him fare
well in the Jail in the presence of the guards and
the minister, and her grief at parting with him
is said to have been heart-rending. 1t was
fifteen minutes after II o'clock when he was
taken from the cell-room of the jail into the
outside corridor and with the little strength
that he had he struggled desp erately with the
guards as they half carried him out He
almost exhausted from excessive grief, and
could not stand without support. He was given
chair in the corridor for rest during
the formaity of the sheriff reading to him the
death warrant. He writhed and struggled. and,
amid his continuous moaning, pleaded with the
guards for his life, repeatedly exclaIming, This
amt right! this amt right" and. Boys. like
you; why do you want to kill mel' He paid no
attention to the reading of the death warrant,
and during the brief prayer for his salvation,
before beginning the march to the scaffod, he
did not cease his hysterical demonstrations.
When the sheriff had concluded the reading
of the death warrant, Coffee lifted
to his feet, and half carried and half
dragged to the Jail door, He continued
to plead with the guards to not take his life, and
he seemed to cling with desperate tenacity to
some faint hope that he would be spared.
Boys, this is terribly sad thing" he cried as
he was brought to the Jail door. A SLOUGH hat
was placed upon his head as he was carried out,
but he threw it off saying st don't want any
hat now" After getting out into the open air.
ne grew calmer, but he continued his pitiful
moaning as he was led up on to the scaffold sup
ported On either side by the guards. The dis
lance which he had to walk, from the Jail to the
scaffold, was only about thirty forty feet
ON THE DEATHTRAP
The scaffold was in the rear of the JAIL and
was surrounded by an incosure twenty-five feet
high, which completely obscured the execution
to those on the outside. The scafold was 12x16
feet in size, the platform being 81 feet from the
ground and the suspension floor It'll feet. There
were two trap-doors, 2x8' feet, which swung
back from each other and caught under the
platform. The scafold was made for the execu-
hon of two. as it was supposed that Dennis and
Coffee would be hung together Coffee was
calmer on the scaffold than it
was expected he would be, but the
anguish of dread which he had
already suffered. and the realization at the last
moment that there was no hope for his escape.
seemed to have rendered him. in measure.
lnsensble to the horrors of the execution as he
stepped into the shadow Of death. II am not
afraid to die" he said, with sekly effort to
muster up courage as he assembled the scaffod
in the presence of the assembled spectators.
Sheriff Harper, half dozen deputies, and Elder
Philips were the escort of the doomed man, and
they accompanied him on to the platform of the
scaffod He was unable to stand, and while the
others stood with uncovered heads during the
prayer. he sat quietly. with his head bent for
ward. He had ceased to weep, and with the
exception of his mournful signing noise
escaped him. The prayer of Elder Philips,
which was delivered with most impressive
solemnity, was as follows
Thou great and just God. Thou who did give thy
only begotten Son to suffer public crucifxon in
treme pain and agony, that whosoever believeth on
Him should not perish, but have everlasting hfe And
having, dear Father this source for hope and mercy
in deep humility of heart and clothed in the habia
ments of sincere repentance and the greatest of sor
row. we humbly approach Thee, Lord on this sad
occasion, and impore Thy divine aid and through the
sympathetic Savior. who came to seek and those
who were lost to beseech Thee. in Christ the great
Redeemer to have mercy the soul oe this unfortu
nate young who right in the very bud of promise
of his young life, overcome by temptation and
ed astray by wicked and confesses himself
guilty of being accessory to the horrible crime of
Ter and soon must give up his life to appease the
majesty of an offended law. and he soemnly conesses
and declares before God and these witnesses that he
not guilty Of this h dark crime only in being present.
infinite loving, tender Father Thy unworthy servant
in his behalf begging Thee most humbiy to have
mercy him. and in the abundance of Thy great love
hear the prayer of Thy servant for mercy pardon
on his poor SOUL And God if he has not fully re-
vealed the whole truth and has not fully told ali the
sad facts in that horrible tragedy, while the last
ment of the lamp of his life is measured by only few
more feeble pulsations pray Thee, God he may
portunty between this life and awful eternity to con-
TESS it all TO men and God. And o God aid the kind
sheriff: who has such a solemn and lamentable duty
to perlorm by virtue of his Office. And now, thou
just and mercfu God, commit the soul of John
Cofey into Thy hands and implore pardon for all his
sins And may God the Father, and Jesus Christ Thy
dear Son, and the Holy Spirit have mercy upon him.
Amen.
At the conclusion of the prayer, Coffee was led
upon the trap-doer and his hands and feet tied
after which he was given permission to speak.
His words were uttered as he had talked during
the day-plaintively, and without intelligent
connection. He had said during his confne
ment that if he felt all right on the day of the
execution he would make speech which would
make all that heard him cry. Ladies' and gen.
temen, he said, Il am here between heaven
and earth, and you about to take my life
away. Them that taketh life cannot eiveth it,
| will be well off in paradise. Mr.
Harper may kill my body, but he
can't kill my soul. God is drawing near to me