Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-21
AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR
HARRY R0BERTy ROBs TEE R0PE
AND THE RABBLE OF II REAL
RARE CHOKE.

#S
HARRY RoBER1s R0Bs TIE RoPE
AND THE RABBLE OF Il REAL
RARE CHOKE.
Many People Are Disappointed. But q
Great Many More Are Not-How the
Condemned Man Took the Reprieve.
An fo Being Made to Have His
Sentence COMMITTED to imprisonment.
His General Appearance Not That of a
Typical Criminal.
Harry Roberts, the mar who was to have
been hanged in this city Friday. is still
in the land OF the living, a respite OF one
week having been granted him by Governor
White. sa 81
At'12:30 p. m. yesterday. while the i'm
mense crowd was waiting in the rotunda Of
the court house for the purpose OF catching
q glimpse Of the doomed man while being
conveyed from his cell to the place Of execu-
tion, Sheriff Lloyd stepped to the front and
read the following dispatch:
DEER LODGE. August 16, 1889.
To John e. Lloyd, Sheriff, Butte:
At the request OF John Caplice, Mayor
Keny on and others, I have granted a re-
spite to Harry Roberts, under sentence to
be executed to-day, until Friday, August
23d. You will therefore postpone the execu.
tion until that date.
The proper papers will be forwarded you
from Helena tomorrow.
I BENJAMIN f. WHITE, Governor.
! The crowd OF people, many OF whom had
been hanging about from early morn,
seemed to be greatly disappointed at the
turn affairs had taken. and contenteni
/ themselves with q view OF the 'jerker.n
Others of the throng, whose duties COM
PEELED them to be present, felt greatly re-
lieved when the announcement al made.
When the sheriff, accompanied by
attorney O'Donnell and the district attor-
ney, read the dispatch to the prisoner the
latter said nothing, but tears gathered in
his. eyes, which is evidence that he still
possesses a heart. A few minutes later he
shook hands with the sheriff, remarking as
he did SO that he could stand all the hard
knocks, but kindness caused him to
weaken. Although he has MAIN
tanned a stoical demeanor since the SEN
tence OF death was passed upon him, he
has not refused spiritual consolation from
those who have prevailed upon him to pre-
pare himself to meet his maker. On Thurs.
day evening q clergyman spent some time
| with him, and offered up prayer for his
spiritual welfare. A Catholic priest and
two Sisters OF Charity have also attended
him on several occasions, the two lat
ter paying him q visit about 3 O'Clock
yesterday evening. A MINER reporter was
at the Jail when they called. Roberts
II ry@~ ~144-Al - - Ak~- ia r Al
entered the cell in which he is confined be
had been at the door joking and laughing
with some of the other prisoners confined
in a separate apartment. He did not look
like a. man who had suffered mentally to
any great extent but rather like q person
who had been confined only a few days.
Judging by his face-which is said to be q
true index to character in many csses-
Roberts is strong in his likes and dislikes.
Hehas~ evidently seen q great deal OF the
world and the people in it. and a man
would have to prove himself q friend be.
fore he would be acknowledged as such.
He doesn't have the appearance OF the
typical hardened criminal, but rather like
a man who has been knocked about con.
siderable. @s..a-. IT,.
THURSDAY NIGHT.
Thursday night was passed in various
ways, a portion OF it being devoted to re.
ligious talk, and a part Of it being taken
up in writing and conversation with his
guards, He did not retire until late, but
soon fell asleep and slept soundly through.
out the balance OF the night. At about 6
O'Clock he awoke, but it was not long be.
fore he was again in the ARES of Morpheus
| where he remained until about 10 O'Clock.
He then arose, dressed himself and ate q
hearty brea fast OF beefsteak and eggs.
1t was through the efforts OF the clergy
men that the respite was granted. The
ministers visited him several times before
they could induce him to properly prepare
his soul for the other world, but as it is
said that perseverance conquers, they
kept up the good work. They thought,
however, that the time would be too short
in which to accomplish the work, and the
following dispatch was sent to Governor
!! White at Deer Lodge: .s., ~
BUTTE, August 16.-To his excellency,
Governor White, Deer Lodge:
We, your petitioners, solicit and beg a
reprieve OF eight days of the sentence of
Harry Roberts, condemned to be hung to-
day that the good Offices and consolation
OF religion, which is s~oftening his heart to
penitence, may finish it's good work.
J.. H. LEYsoN.
JOHN CAPL1cE.
JAS. H. LYNCH.
M. B, BRowNLEE.
w. R. KENYON.
J. R. CLARK.
FATHER VAN DEN BROCK.
After the dispatch had been sent to the
governor, Attorney De Witt called up his
royal highness by telephone and conyersed
with him regarding the reprieve, impressing
upon him the authenticity OF the dispatch
and the necessity of an affirmative reply.
When the answer came the three persons
mentioned above lost no time in notifying
the condemned man.
As the case now stands there is some pos
sibility that Roberts will not hang. Not
only are the clergymen asking for reprieve,
but an outside pressure is being brought to
bear upon the governor OF the territory to
commute the sentence to imprisonment. A
prominent mar left for Helena yesterday to
interview the governor on the subject, and
there is reason to believe that in a measure
he will be successful. Governor White was
in Deer Lodge until 4 o'clock yesterday