Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1886-12-29

lsilling sssas u - Death u y 4artsssr
tNew fork fimeS.l

BAN DOMIEGO EXECUTION.
1Asirins sssas u - DsAtA vi Marasssr
tNsw forH fimes.l
Senior Blanco, i man noted for hi,
desperate character, had in Dajabou
brutally and in q most cowardly man.
ner murdered IN inoifensive person fol
some fancied slight The murderer es-
capped into the swamp at Ell Cupey, hui
tho Governor, with commendable
promptitude, exerted himself with great
vigor, and after . search Of ten days
one OF the searching parties sent out
by him ran across the fellow in . part
OF the swamp inhabited only by ALI.
gators, and, tying him up, brought him
back. He was tried for the murder
and sentenced to death. San Domingo,
more advanced than America, doesn't
use the rope tn execute its criminals,
but shoots them, and . part OF the
public plaza is set apart for that un-
pleasant ceremony. The criminal il
brought ont. and, placed with his back
to low brick wall built for the pur.
pose of stopping bullets, receives his
leaden death.
At the appointed time Blanca
magnificent specimen Of q man, tall,
powerful, ands with all the courage of
desperation--was taken from his place
OF confinement in the little Jail and pre-
pared to be marched out to his fate.
The heavy irons which manacled his
wrists and ankles were removed, and
he was allowed to make his last toilet
This he did, Tightening his collar q
little and touching up the set Of his
wristbands, and then, with as firm q
step and as unfaltering an air as if he
had been going to receive the highest
honor, he stepped into his place be-
tween two armed soldiers, and waited
quietly until with measured steps the
rest Of the rifled guard-twenty-fiye
in number-closed IN upon all sides of
him. Obeying the order to march"
with as much military precision as those
who guarded him. the condemned MUIR
derer started to his death. The march
was straight through the heart of the
town, the streets crowded with people
who were going to see him die, and
Blanco glanced ut them with palpable
sneer, disfiguring his handsome mouth.
His courageous bearing impressed even
those people. accustomed Is they are
to scenes Of the kind, and, with q won-
derful forbearance, they did not throw
stones at him or even attempt to de-
ride him. Arrived at tho plaza, where
the Governor and his staff, all in full
uniform, and a crowd Of people were
waiting for them, the guard and their
prisoner halted. They stood at Just
the right distance from the fatal spot
upon which Blanco was to stand, and
which was already marked by the
grisly-black coffin which was 80 soon to
receive it's burden. At q movement
from the Captain, Blsnco stepped firmly
forward, and in long strides walked up
to his position. and, stopping. turned
around and faced his executionerH.
There was . pause, broken by the
clear voice of the murderer asking for
permission to give the word to fire. The
request was SO unusual that the Cap
tain was for moment nonplused, but
at sign from the Governor he simply
bowed his assent, and Blanco, APP
parently satisfied, began calmly to take
off his coat. This being accom- plished,
he slowly opened his shirt-front, and,
barring his protruding breast, braced
himself to meet his death-blow. There
was rattle Of muskets as the file, at
sharp command of their officer, brought
their pieces to "aim, and there was
another deadly pause as the men
waited for the doomed to give the word
to fire. 1t was again broken by Blanco's
clear voice: "Shoot at tho breast OF
q man. Fire!" The blast which rang
out from those twenty-five deadly
weapons was deafening. Through the
cloud OF smoke / saw Bianco For q
second after the discharge he stood
perfectly still, not . CULVER distorting
his placid features. His arms hung
loosely down at his sides, and his
hands were tightly clinched. Then,
without any bending of the knees, he
fell forward on his face. As he did so
his arMs-the hands unclinching as he
fell-rose slowly above his head, and,
reaching the ground. his fingers buried
themselves in the soft, grassy earth.
For more than ten seconds did he re-
main in that position, when, with the
last convulsive energy of life, and by
movement which no athlete could re-
peat, he sprang straight upon his feet,
his hands tearing away little punches
OF earth adhered to grass as he rose.
Glaring at his executioners with look
Of hatred that shall never be effaced
from my memory Of this scene, he,
with quick movement, raised his two
hands and flung with wonderful power
the dirt straight at the heads OF the
soldiers in front of him. Before the
earthly missiles had reached their desti-
nation Blanco sank down upon and
across his coffin and was dead.