St. Paul daily globe., 1888-02-11
The HANGMAN'S ROPE
John P. Hart Ends His EX-
iStenee at the End of
One in Helena.
His Crime That of the Cool
and Premeditated Murder
of John Pitts.
He Met Death Coolly, but
With Nothing of the
BpavadO.
Graphic Description of the
Closing Scene at the
GalloWS.

HELENA. Mont, Feb. 1o.-Patrick
John Hart was hanged to-day for the
murder of John w. Pitts, at Boulder,
Jefferson county, in November, 1885.
The execution took place in the Jail
yard, in court house square. The gal
lows was erected in small space in
the rear of the Jail, totally incloSed from
outside view. On the invitation of the
Sheriff about twenty-five gentlemen
witnessed the execution. The Scaffold
consisted of two upright posts, twelve
feet high, surmOunted by transverse
beam ten feet long, from which hung
two pulleys. \ half-inch rope passed
over these pulleys, ending on one side
In a moose, and on the other in
weight of 2S6 pounds. Hart arose and
breakfasted at o'clock this morning.
Afterwards he was shaved, and changed
his everyday clothes for neat suit of
black. At 10 O'Clock his spiritual adj
wiser, Father Vanderbrock, arrived,
heard his confession and gave him
communion. The priest remained with
him, paying all morning. At II o'clock,
the hour set for the execution, your
reporter visited Hart.
HE WAS CHEERFUL
and resigned to his fate, and said he
had no statement to make. In a few
moments Sheriff Hathaway entered and
informed Hart that everything was in
readiness. The death warrant had been
read to him previously. Hart offered
no opposition and accompanied the
sheriff without delay to the gallOws.
Here were already grouped an assem-
blage who awaited in deathlike still
fNR. fhn iofl S1a1, 80 IA
at 1:20 O'Clock, and the melancholy
procession headed by the sheriff issued
forth. They proceeded through the
corridor of the Jail into the yard. Hart
betrayed no trepidatiOn as the gallows
caught his sight for the first time, but
walked with his head erect and firm
step to the gibbet, where he took his
stand under the moose. Father Van
derbrock accompanied him to the plat
form and stood by him to the end. The
under-sheriff and deputies then bound
Harris legs together with straps.
Leather bands were also strapped about
his arms and shoulders.
HART'S LAST WORDS WERE:
81 wish you restful conscience and
useful life on this earth. hope when
you come through this door YOU will
bring some little child that has no father
or mother on this earth for protection.
That is all L have to say. Goodbye"
His remarks were scarcely audible, and
were heard only by those standing i'm
mediately by him. What he meant is
not known, but it is supposed he re-
ferred to his own condition as an orphan.
After Hart had delivered those strange
words, which were addressed to an as
semblage as from the dead, Sheriff Hath
away with his own hands adjusted the
moose about the neck of the doomed
man. Hart stood the ordeal bravely and
never fiinched as the rope was put over
his head and drawn tight about
the neck. He only inclined his
head toward the pri st, who whispered
some words in his ear, and then the
sheriff said: Ready" Suddenly Hart
shot up into the air and in a second his
body was dangling to and fro about two
feet from the ground. He gave three
cOnvulsive struggles, drawing up his
feet few inches and then hung per-
fectly mOtionless. His neck was broken
in two places, and his heart ceased to
beat in eleven minutes, when the body
was lowered into the coffin.
THE CRIME,
Hart shot and killed John W. Pitts, in
Boulder, Nov. z, 1855. The cause of the
shooting was damaging stories about
Hart's character which Pitts had set
atiOat, that Hart was paying attentions
to Pitts stepdaughter, Miss Start
weather, and Pitts objected to their
intimacy. Hart, supposing that Pitts
had gone to Boulder to have him ar
rested for his seducing his stepdaughter,
followed him thither and shot him.
Hart was indicted for murder in the
first degree III May, 1886, and his trial
continued TO October, when the Jury on
the case disagreed. He was tried again
In May, 1887. pronounced guilty and
sentenced to be hanged in July of last
year. His counsel appealed to the su-
preme court and obtained a new trial.
This came off last November at Helena,
on change of venue, and Hart was
again convicted, and sentenced to be
hanged Feb. 10, of this year. His coun-
sci again appealed to the supreme court,
but the death sentence was affirmed.
The governor was then appealed to- but
refused to interfere, and Hart was exc
cuted to-day. Hart was twenty-four
years of age and had been labOrer at
the ElkhOrn mine. His execution makes
tho fifth Ianol hanOi,1Cr in