St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-19

shake as a person in the worst stages Of
ague. But the idea that their man was
near by did not seem to dawn upon the
would-be avengers; and, after haSty
search of the Jail and its immediate out
buildings, they retired. and the sheriff
descended to terra firma with his
charge, and was at once driven to
small town East on the Manitoba, and
later landed his prisoner in the Henne-
pin county Jail, where he remained four
weeks, and then returned in quiet
manner to the Clay county Jail, where
he has since been confined without
further attempts to enforce the edicts
of Judge Lynch. Brown was brought
back to Moorhead, his trial came on,
and, despite the best legal talent, he
was found guilty and sentenced to
death. Gov. Merriam was twice sought
and once granted stay of proceedings,
and it was thought
A NEW TRIAL
would be granted, but it was not, and to
all subsequent appeals in Browns be-
half the governor has shown stOlid
determination to not interfere with the
law. Browns nerve or TeckleSSneSS
throughout the entire time of his trial
and confinement, it is thought, is un-
paralleled in the history of crime of
like proportions. During the entire
course of the trial he assumed an en-
tirely disintereSted attitude and
seemed to treat the whole proceedings as
q huge joke, and regarded the out
come as of little Importance or
concern to him, being ever ready to
pass joke with any of the courts at
taches or spectators when opportunity
afforded. This feeling he still has, and
it was but short time ago that he made
dicker with the coroner to take pos
session of his body for stipulated
amount, and use it for anatomical
studies. The amount, which was $40,
was to be given to certain young lady,
whom he named He also tried to dis
pose of his body to the professor OF the
public schools, to be used for the benefit
of the pupils. he is always ready to
converse upon his coming doom, and
astOniSheS visitors with his reckless dis
regard for sentimental feelings which
are supposed to be present i'll persons
in similar condition. All efforts to
inquire into his antecedents, or any part
OF his previous history, have proven
futile, and further than that he has
served a term in the Bismarck penlten-
tiary. and also in one or two Eastern
prisons, nothing particular is known
of him, and probably will not be until
AFTER HIS DEATH.
It is thought Father Augustine, a
Moorhead priest, who has acted as his
spiritual advisor for some time, is
possessed of Information which cannot
be made public until after the hanging,
which may tend to clear up the mystery.
The jail in which Brown is confined is
located three-tOurthS of mile north of
the city. the nearest building thereto
being the court house. No fence sur
rounds either of those buildings. and
the location is rather lonesome, and we'll
fitted for the death scene which will Fri
day doubtless be enacted. Surrounding
the steel cells inside the Jail is a corridor
about FIVE foot wide. These cells them
selves are about seven feet i'll height.
On the top of these and at the north end
is located the dungeon or steel cage. in
which prisoners condemned to capital
punishment are placed. The only light
afforded through the diamOnd-Shaped
holes between the many croSs-barS. The
interior of this dungeon or cage is about
seven by nine feet, through the
center of which runs steel partition.
dividing the room in twain. The
north portion of this cage is the dun
geOn. while the front is the cage or cell
proper, in which Brown has passed the
last eight months of his incarceration
Within easy sight and to the southeast
of this cage abont fifteen feet the gal
lows has been erected near the head of
the stairs leading to the cage. 1t is
built of pine. Two upright beams have
a cross piece, to which the rope is al
ready attached. The drop is even with
the platform, and two feet three inches
above the top of the cells, and is about
two feet square, Sc arranged that by
MOVING A LEVER
four slides are Withdrawn and the drop
falls. LAUGHING the condemned man into
space. From the top of the platform to
the floor beneath it is nine feet three
inches, and the rope will be SO arranged
that the condemned mans feet will be
about one foot from the floor. The rope
to be used is twelve feet long and five
eighthS in thickness. At the end is the
regular hangman's knot. Brown is
an IriSh-American about tWenty-SiX
wears old He stands five feet eight
inches, and weighs about 135 pounds.
He has lost only about four
pound during his ten months confine-
ment here. Brown is not allowed to
converse with ViSitOTS-in fact, none
but those personally known to the
sheriff, or possessing unquestiOnable
recommendations, are permitted to
enter the Jail. much more get glance
at the condemned man. He looks none
the worse for his imprisonment, and his
expression is as placid as though he
were not to be executed ina few hours.
His hair is dark and well kept. His
eyes are sharp grey and
TREACHEROUS IN EXPRESSION.
He partakeS of his food regularly, and
evidently with relish, and sleeps
soundly. 1t is more than probable that
the nonchalant air, which has all along
characterized his actions, will give
away at the last, and that he will not
be the martyr his intentions and declar-
ations now proclaim he will be. The
only one allowed to witness the eXecu-
ton are deputy sheriff, the coroner.
spiritual advisor and three persons at
the dictatiOn of the condemned. The
latter are George Zimmerman and Mr..
Hannifn. of Moorhead, and Mr.. Kelly.
of Glyndon. Sheriff Smith, of Fargo,
together with the deputies of Clay
county, and Father Augustine, of the
Moorhead parish, are the others who
will be dresent at the time. During the
execution the seven prisoners now con-
fined in the cells underneath the cage,
will be transferred to the ladies' de-
partment. The hanging will not take
place until o'clock Friday morning.
1t is the first legal execution that ever