Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-08-12
A Sam pomiugo Execntion.

A San Domiugo Execution.
New York Times.
MONTE CHRIsrI, June %, 1886.
The gentleman whose reception we
had come such long way TO attend
was not to be shot until 4 O'Clock
that afternoon, and, accepting the
Governors offer of a couple of shaded
hammocks, the Colonel and went to
sleep and Sylvester followed our agree
able example.
It might be well to say just here what
the execution was all about. A short
time before, Senior Blanco, a man
noted for his desperate character, had
in Dajabon brutality and in a most
cowardly manner murdered an inof-
fensive person for some fancied
slight. The murderer escaped into the
swamp at FL Cupey, but the governor,
with commendable promptitude. ex-
erted 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 alligators,
and, tying him up, brought him back.
He was tried for the murder and SEN
fenced to death. San Domingo, more
advanced than America, doesn't use
the rope to execute its criminals, but
shoots them, and q part OF the public
plaza is set apart for the unpleasant
ceremony. The criminal is led out,
and, placed with his back to a low
brick wall built for the purpose of
stopping bullets, receives his leaden
death.
At tine appointed time, Blanco-a
magnificent specimen of a man, tall,
powerful. and with all the courage of
desperation-was taken from his place
OF confinement in the little jail and
prepared to be marched 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 lit
tie, and touching up the set of his
wristbands, and then, with as firm
step and as unfaltering an air as if be
had been going to receive the highest
honor, he stepped into his place be.
tween two soldiers and waited quietly
until with measured steps the rest OF
the rified guard-twenty-five in mum.
ber-closed in upon all sides OF him.
0beying 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 at them with palpa-
bic sneer disfiguring his handsome
mouth. His courageous bearing I'M
pressed even those people, accustom-
ed as they are to scenes of the kind,
and, with wonderful forbearance they
did not throw stones at him or even
attempt to deride him. Arrived at
the plaza where the Governor and his
staff, all in null uniform, and O 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 Blan-
co was to stand, and which was al
ready marked by the grisly black cot
fin which was soon to receive its
burden. At a movement from the
captain Blanco stepped firmly for
ward, and in long strides walked up
to his position, and stopping turned
around and faced his executioners.
There was pause, broken by the clear
voice of the murderer asking for per-
mission to give the word to fire. The
request was SO unusual that the cap
tain was for moment nonplussed,
but at a sign from the Governor he
simply bowed his assent, and Blanco,
apparently 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 a rattle of muskets as the
file at sharp command nom 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 the breast of a man.
Fire." The blast which ran out from
those twenty-five deadly weapons was
deafening. Through the Cloud OF
smoke | saw Blanco. For a second af-
ter the discharge he stood perfectly
still, not a culver distorting his placid
features. His arms hung loosely down
at his sides, and his hands were tight
ly clinched Then, without any bend
ing 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
the ground, his fingers buried them.
selves in the soft, grassy earth.
For not more than ten seconds did he
remain in that position, when, with
the last conyulsive energy of life, and
by q movement which no athlete
could repeat, 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
scenehe, with quick movement, raised
his two hands and flung with wonder
full power the dirt straight at the
heads of the soldiers in front of him.
Before the earthly missiles had reach
ed their destination Blanco sank
down upon and across his coffin and
was dead.