Wichita eagle., 1888-08-03
The Execution Takes Place Imme.
diately After One O'clock
thes Morning.
The Condemned Man Made no Statement
But Protested His Innocence to
the Last Moment.
The Death Scene One of Horror, the Fall
Not Being Successful and the Pris-
oner Was Slowly Strangled
Until Dead.

COLUMBUS, Aug. 2.-Charles, alias
Blinky Morgan, the principal figure in the
Ravanna rescue and the murderer Of De
tective Hulligan, of Cleveland, was exc
cuted at the state penitentiary at an early
hour this morning.
The procession started for the annex at
a. m. The execution was witnessed by
about thirty persons. Morgan was on the
scaffold when the spectators entered the
execution department. He looked like a
high toned gentleman dressed for an even
ing ball. The warrant was read to him
and Morgan refused to say a word, but
stood like a statue as the ropes were ad-
justed. A friend of his raised some
disturbance and talked loud until he was
put out, but was readmitted at the re-
quest of the condemned. When all was
ready and the cap drawn down, and the
rope began to tighten, Morgan spoke in a
loud tone: ''Good-bye, Nellie" and he
passed the trap. The work was not sue
cessful The body writhed in greatest
agony and the legs jerked. while the arms
swung and the hands clut ued. He slowly
strangled to death. The scene was a
horrible one.
uc SpCuO ud), ICiuSAuS
to see visitors except those with whom he
had been intimate and who had taken an
interest in the Communication of his SEN
tence To all with whom he has talked he
protested his innocence of the crime. He
interested himself part of the time in
writing autographs and preparing souv-
enirs to send to friends. These consisted
of buckeyes on which were painted the
names Cleveland and Thurman, 1888, and
in the center a neatly painted bandana
handkerchief. They were made by one of
the prisoners and are strung on blue rib
bons. Yesterday Morgan made out an
order turning his body over to DR.. Clemer,
the prison physician, with the request that
it be used for the benefit of science and af-
forwards cremated, though he did not
want it used in way that would cause
notoriety. After giving the order, how
ever, he received letter from Nellie Low
cry. of Cleveland who is reported to have
been his mistress, asking that his body be
sent to her. She had been refused the
she claimed it was no more than
right she should see his face after death.
Morgan changed his mind after reading
the letter and asked the physician to re-
linquish his claim which was done. A
post mortem, however, will be held in the
morning. There has been a wonderful
curiosity to see the prisoner. and the war
den this evening had received more than
500 applications to witness the execution.
Nearly all had to be refused as the officials
tried the number to the limit of the law,
twenty-five. The force OF guards was
doubled last night on the walls,
and the number increased tonight.
This was to provide against an
emergency and to allay the feeling
created by wild rumors of possible at
tempts to save Morgan. Nellie Lowery ar
rived tonight and is with friend waiting
to receive the body.
Morgan furnished the warden with a
long statement tonight denying his guilt
and declaring that he was in Philadelphia
at the time of the murder
II D. m.-Moroan has been lying down a
part of the evening up to II p. m, and a
portion of the time has been writing
statement differing from that given to the
warden. 1t has been arranged to have the
execution take place soon after l o'clock.
The demand for early action by newspaper
men is pressing, but the officials seem I'M
able to move faster. A later report is that
Nellie Lowery, of Cleveland, is not here,
but that she will arrive at a. M, and that
young Hulligan. whose father was MUIR
dered, is following her and watching all
her movements