Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-24
bad FRIDAY.
p les Wassen and Joseph Jackson
2 Hanged for Murders Committed
in the Indian Territory.
Execution Postponed Until Last Mo.
ment In Hope of Respite AT.
tempt TO Cheat the GaIIOws.
Both Assert Their Innocence Five Thou
sand People Witness Neck.Break
ing scene In Indiana

'aAtNfA AANN ~ ihhl NMlIlis
Special 10 the Gazette.
FORT SMITH, ARK, April 23.---.James
Wassen and Joseph jackson, two out Of
eight men sentenced to be hanged here
to-day, met their fate at $40 O'Clock, the
execution having been delayed to the last
moment awaiting dispatch from Con-
gresham j. IL. Rogers, who had been
telegraphed in behalf of Wassen. At2:i5I
no message had come TO hand, and Mar
shal carroll, accompanied by several dep
uties, entered the jail and gave each OF
the condemned men new suit OF cloth
ing, coat, pants, vest, shirt, drawers, un-
dershirt, socks, slippers and white neck
tie. They proceeded at once to dress
themselves for the grave. They were as
sisted in DOMINIC their attire by their fell
lowprisoners, and were soon ready to be
led forth to death. Wassen had been in
hopes of getting communication
or respite, but last evening telegram
from the encouragement announced that
the president would not interfere, after
which he gave way somewhat, and wept
when conversing in regard to his fate.
His taking leave OF his tellow-prisoners
was very touching indeed Crow, Nc
Laughlin and several others embraced
him and wept bitterly, but he bore up
bravely. The condemned mer all along
refused the attention Of a minister, and
they marched forth TO death with stolid
indifference, and mounted the steps lead
Ing to the gallows with frmness, In the
presence of several hundred people
Once on the gallows, Wassen asked for
minister, and one was procured who con
Quoted appropriate ceremonies, at the
conclusion of which the condemned men
were placed ON the trap, their arms PIN
Toned, the rope adjusted, and at 40
O'Clock the drop fell. Both their necks
were broken Wassen's last words were
I that he was innocent, as also was John
Mclaughlin, now awaiting trial for the
same crime for which he paid the death
penalty,
| jackson wss morose and had nothing to
say. just before leaving the jail he at
/ tempted to cut his throat with some sharp
INSTRUMENT, but aside from drawing con
| siderable blood the wound amouuted to
nothing.
Wasseu slept but little last night If
any, and spent the forenoon talking TO his
fellow prisoners and guards. For at least
an hour before he was called upon to
dress for the grave, ne lay motionless on
his bed apparently asleep. A short time
before the drop fell some excitement was
caused by the telegraph messenger hurry
ing over to the gallows with dispatch
for the marshal, but 1t proved to be in re-
gard TO other matters and the preliminar-
les for the execution went on, Wassen's
statement left with Jailer Pryor for your
correspondent is to the effect that it was
either Bob Birdsong or the prosecut-
ing witness in his case who killed Henry
Il, L., eFa r.NN h.n a a
deny killing Watkins, but says he did IL
in self-defense, and from his statement OF
the case in which he gave minute details,
he certainly does the circumstances sur
rounding his crime given below full JUS
tice. His statement caused many to sym
pathize with him, and the general opin-
ion is that he should have been respited
till the Mclaughlin case was disposed of
JAMES wAssEN,
white man, and fair specimen OF the
dashing, reckless frontier cowboy, being
little over six feet in height, and OF
splendid physique. Possessed of that
stole disposition aud fearless nature 50
often encountered in men of his class, he
has displayed almost total Indifference TO
his fate, never utterlng word of com
plant, or asking any favors at the hands
Of the court officials The near approach
of the fatal day appeared TO have no
| terrors for him, and he has patiently
awaited his doom, having been in jail
here about eighteen months He was
convicted on the 30th of July, 1885, OF
murdenng Henry Martin, also a white
man, in November, 1851, near Harvey, in
the Chickasaw nation. Martin was a
young man, about thirty years OF age,
and at the time of his death was
! living at the house Of Mrs. Brooks, q
! widow lady OF some wealth, On the day
of the killing Wassen and Johnny Nc.
Laughlin, a citizen of the Territory, came
to Mrs. Brooks late in the evening, both
armed with six-shooters, and asked iol
Henry Martin, who was absent, having
gone TO the store during the day, shorl
distance away. Wassen and Mclaughlin,
who were under the Influence Of liquor
got on their horses and started off Ia The
direction OF the store. They had only
been gone q few minutes when several
shots were heard in rapid succession II
the direction they had taken, and in few
minutes afterward Martins horse came
trotting up TO the house minus his rider
Some Of the men abAut the premises i'm
mediately started out Ia search Of
Martin and foung his dead body
about two hundged yards from the house
, perforated with several bullets. Nc
Laughlin was ayoung man OF consider
able influence in the community, being
highly connected in the Territory, conse.
quently there appears ito have been NJ
, effort made TO have either Wessen or him
arrested, Notwithstanding a deputy mar
shall was camped near the scene at tina
time, and the two suspected men quietly
left the Territory, seeking safety amops
the cowboys in the Panhandle country o
Texas. Wassen came back into thu
country in about eighteen months, but 81
he was known to be very dangerous anS
desperate man, and one whose Ill VIII n'
one cared to engender, he was no
molested, but rode around the country a
will, merely keeping little shady whei
deputy marshal was known Z
be In the locality, and none OF them caret
to attempt his arrest under ordinary cir
cumstances. Thus the matter stood unit
July, 1884, when he and posse Of men