St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-03
MORGAN is NO MORE.
The Ravenna Murderer Hangs
in the Ohio State
Prison.
How the Condemned Man
Passed His Last Hours on
Earth.
He Leaves a Letter in Which
He Asserts His limo
cence.
History Of the Burglary That
Led to the Murder and
Execution.


alias ''Blinkey'' Morgan, the principal
figure in the Ravenna rescue and the
murder of Detective Hulligan. of Cleve-
land, was executed at the Ohio peniten-
tlary at 1:20 o'clock this morn
ing. The prisoner spent a quiet day,
refusing to see visitors except those
with whom he had been inti-
mate, and who had taken an interest in
the communication of his sentence, and
with whom he talked he protested his
Innocence of the crime. He interested
himself part of the time in writing
autographs and preparing souvenirs to
send to friends. These consisted of
buckeyes, OH which were painted
the names of cleveland and
Thurman, 1885," and in the center
neatly painted bandana handkerchief.
They were made by one of the prison.
ers, and are strung on blue ribbons.
Yesterday Morgan made out an order
turning his body over to DR.. Clemmer,
the physician of the prison, with the re-
quest that it be used for the benefit of the
sciences and afterwards cremated,
though he did not want it used in way
which would cause notoriety. After
giving the order, however, he received
a letter from Nellie Lowery, of Cleve-
land, who is reputed to have been his
mistress, asking that his body be sent
to her. She had been refused the privi-
lege of seeing him alive and she claimed
it was no more than right she should
SEE HIS FACE AETER DEATH.
Morgan changed his mind after read
ing the letter and asked the physician
to relinquish his claim, which was done.
A pOst-mortem, however, will be held
in the morning.
There has been wonderful curiosity
to see the prisoner, and the warden this
evening had received more than 500 ap-
plicatiOnS to witness the execution.
Nearly all had to be refused, as the Off
cials tried to keep the number to the
limit of the law, about 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 attempt to save
Morgan. Nellie Lowery arrived tonight,
and is with friend waiting to receive
the body.
Morgan wrote the following letter
to friend in New York and gave it to
fellow prisoner with the Injunction
that it should be mailed only in case he
should be hung. 1t is of interest as
giving for the first time.
MORGAN'S REAL NAME.
Ohio Penitentiary, Columbus, O.,
June 2, 1888: Mr.. Tom Draper, Thir-
tieth street and Fifth avenue, New
York City: Friend Shang-ln view of
the fact that my chances for dropping
through a trap appear inevitable, have
concluded to pen you line and ask
you to attend to few simple
matters for me in case the
worst comes to worst. Of course, old
boy, you have been awake all the while
about the party called Blinky Morgan;
if not. l may tell you now. It is
"MacDonald." They have me done up
wrong here and the prejudice is strong
against me. | feel sure they intend to
put me away for good. / would
LIKE MY SISTER
in Liverpool to know what my fate is,
providing | am hung. Also send word
to the people in Hoboken and Jersey
City. and whatever may be found in my
apartments in Philadelphia would like
sent to Mrs. Nellie Lowrey, Cleveland,
0. If the parties who were with me
the last time visited your place come
there again advise them for me
to give this country wide
berth, for they will certainly sdo
them" if they flash up in this direction.
Well. Shang, the press will keep you
fully posted as to the result of my attor-
ney's effort in my behalf, and if all eff
forts prove fruitless, please attend to
my requests. Remember me to friends
in FOrty-second street and the Bowery;
o. fn
street, Buffalo, and tell him
WHO "BLINKY" MORGAN IS.
would like to see yourself and the
boys once more, but l fear the red let
ter day is here. will bid you farewell,
wishing you the best success in life.
Your Friend,
CHARLIE MACDONALD,
Morgan spent the day quietly and ap-
parently in good spirits, but as the
day ended, evinced some nervousness
and lost his appetite. A few people
were allowed to see him, and with them
he chatted cheerfully. A supper of
delicacies was set before him at I o'clock.
He invited
A NEWSPAPER NAN,
who was preSentto join him in his last
supper, and the two sat at the table and
talked for ten minutes. but not morsel
stolidly refused the ministrations
of clergymen who called to
see him and while refraining
always from talking ON religion, he has
been regarded as a free thinker. After
supper he was left alone with the
guard, the warden declining to allow
any one to see him. The prison of
ficials had
DOUBLED THE GUARD
on all the walls and at all the gates. so
that strong besieging force could have
been withstoOd.
At LILO o'clock the prison war
den informed Morgan that the time
had come for him to execute the SEN
tence, and the party at once started
from the cell into the execution room.
Morgan was as cool as he had been all
day, and walked up the scaffold with
a firm step. On the scaffold he said he
had no statement to make. The moose
was adjusted and at l 20 the drop fell,
Morgan saying just before: ''Go0d bye
Nellie," referring to the Cleveland
woman, Nell Lowrey, who was his
former mistress. His collar caught the
rope in some way and prevented the
moose from drawing as it should and
his neck was not broken. He was
strangled. AT l Al he was pronounced
dead.
NOT AFRAID TO DIE.
The following was written to the
warden some time ago, with the request
it be not made public until he (Morgan)
was Off deck:
'God knows everything-past, pres
ent and future. have taken review