Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-12-12
THE END OF ANDSOME AIRY
The Noted Criminal Pays the Penalty
for His Crime.
Meets Death on the Scaff0ld With
Brazen Audacity.
His Gray Headed Father Refused Adj
mission to See Him.

New YORK, Dec 5.-Henry Carlton,
alias Handsome Harry, was hanged In
the Tombs court yard for the murder of
| Officer Brennan, at 1923 this morning.
! He met his fate untlinchinglv. Five
minutes after the drop fell he was pro-
nounced dead. His neck was broken and
his struggles were slight At A o'clock,
| Under Sheriff Sexton arrived at the Tonbs.
| He went at once to the murderer's cage to
awaken Carlton, but found the doomed
man sleeping soundy, and decided to let
him rest until ) o'clock, at which hour he
was called. He had been sleeping since
IL 80. He sprang out of bed and with a
smile upon his face babe the deputies
good morning. He dressed himself care
! fully, and spent much time in arranging
his necktie and hair. He attired himself
in suit of black sent him by Sheriff
Flack. He carefully BACKED his shoes,
and, walking by the men who composed
his death watch, asked them how he
looked. After chatting pleasantly with
the deputies and keepers, he asked what
time his breakfast would be ready, order
ing coffee, boiled eggs, hot rolls and toast.
He then started for the chapel. On either
side of him were deputies, while Father
Gelinus administered the sacrament and
said mass. During the observance of this
religious ceremony Carlton prayed fervent-
ly and seemed to be deeply affected Over
half hour was spent In prayer and it was
nearly 6 clock when the condemned man
left the chapel At % minutes past 6 his
breakfast was served and he ate heartily
and with apparent relish. He then prayed
with his spiritual adviser asking God to
look after his wife and child and his aged
father and mother At 1920 Under-Sheriff
Sexton and his posse arrived and the
death warrant was read. At the con-
clusion of the reading Hangman Atkinson
adjusted the knot alb ut Cartons neck,
his arms were then pinioned and the pro-
cessiOn to the gallows begun He was
supported on either side by priests while
the sheriff marched In advance and a.
number of deputies brought up the rear.
Upon arriving at the gallows the hangman
adjusted the moose and the black cap was
drawn and a second after Carlton was
launched into eternity. Itwas exactly 1923
when the drop fell, and life was declared
extinct at 1874 Shortly after the body
was lowered INTO a coffin and removed at
once to Calvary cemetary
While Carlton was eating his breakfast
very sad scene occurred at the door of
the prison. Cartons old gray-haired
farther called into the Office and piteously
begged the warden to allow him to see his
son. The warden, fearing that if Carlton
saw his father he would break down, re-
fused. The father finding that his appaals
were in vain, sank upon chair and
sobbed as though his heart would break,
exclaiming: My boy, my boy, they
won't hang him; they can't hang him.
Two deputies finally ed him from the
prison, and he went away
Cartons crime was the killing on Oct.
%. 1888, of Policeman James Brennan.
Carlton with two companions named Eddie
O'Hearne, and Yule Burke, forced a
quarrel on Julius Ressler, waiter, and
Policeman Brennan coming up, was shot
by Carlton at short range Carlton, who
was % years of age, had been practically
a criminal all his life.