Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-07-03
A%WOMANs. HANGED.

!. ASWOMANss HANGED. ~
Mrs. whlsslins; Dies onsthe Gallows,a :. |.
Penalty for Poisoning Her Husband
and Children" Rcd Nose Mike" Swings
for the Murder OF Paymaster Mcclure.
PHILADELPHIA. Juno 20. Mrs Sarah Jane
WHEELING was hanged yesterday In the
corridor of tho county prison. The drop
fell at 1907 o'clock and the body
was lowered and removed at 1O:4l.
The woman's bearing throughout tho
terrible ordeal was most remarkable
exhibition Of fortitude and resignation to
her fate. During the entire morning she
never for moment showed the slightest
evidence OF Weakness and frequently ex-
pressed her pleasure at the prospect Of
meeting her husband and children"
1.-THE crime, or series of crimes that Mrs. Sarah
Jane WHEELING committed was the most re-.
voting ever recorded IN the annals of crime OF
the peaceful city OF Philadelphia. She DELHI
erately poisoned her husband and two children
for the paltry sum of 1850. Mrs. WHEELING
was formerly the wife OF Mr.. Brown, from
whom she was separated. After the
separation she entered o hospital where che
gave birth to an illegitimate child. In 1880 or
1881 she married John WHEELING. Little Willie
was the fruit Of this marriage. The husband
was sickly man, and often the support OF the
fam ly fell upon the shoulders OF the wife.
She soon became so discontinued with this
sort OF life that. partly to get rid OF it and
partly to obtain the insurance upon their lives
she administered series Of doses OF arsenic 10
the husband and two children. The three died
at different times, the husband expiring April
"a, the daughter March 20 and the son NAV
rs, 1885, She did not confess her guilt
until the authorities disinterred the bodies
and made an examination. November "a,
1888. she was brought up for trial before
Judge Allison. The trial lasted three days.
The jury, after being out two hours, brought in
verdict OF murder In the first degree, and
March q, 1883. was the day fixed upon for her ex-
ecution. Her motion for a new trial was over.
ruled by Judge Allison. Mrs. WHEELING was
granted respite March q until June Is.
When the sherir read the death notice to the
condemned woman Mrs. Whiteling broke down
and became hysterical. Mrs. WHEELING was be-
tween IS and 40 years OF age, and had been
twice married, her former husband having
died in prison.
"RED-NosE MIKE" HANGED.
WlLKEsBARRE, Pa, June e. - Michael
Rizello, alias "Red-Nose Nike" was hanged
In the prison yard here for the murder of
Paymaster Mcclure and Hugh Flanagan
last October. The drop fell at 10 o'clock,
and Rizello was pronounced dead in eight
cen minutes The murderer met his doom
with tolerable composure, and there was no
sensational incident in connection with the
execution.
One of the clergymen who attended
Rfzzolo In his last hours states that the
murderer left long confession, written in
Italian, admitting that he shot Mcclure and
Flanagan and believed his bullets caused
the death of both, though Bevevino and
Vallela also fired Rizzolo adheres in his
<~ !t1 c<ot1
under the compulsion of his accomplicea
IL. B. Mcclure was paymaster for Contractor
McFadden at Wilkesbarre, Pa, and with his
assis, ant, Hugh Flanagan, started on the morn
Ing OF October 10, 1883. He had 81, 600 with him
OF the time to pay the men employed in the
construction OF y new road from Pittston to
Fairview. Contractor McFadden left his Office on
the mountain few minutes after II O o'clock for
Miners Mills He drove about mile and
half along the mountain road and was aston
lshcd to see standing in the middle OF the
highway his paymaster's horse and gig. The
horse was bleeding from number OF
wounds. Between the wheels lay the body
OF Paymaster Mcclure. McFadden jumped
out OF his carriage, turned Mcclure over
on his back and found that he was
dead. A number OF ugly gunshot wounds in
various parts OF the body showed the cause Of
death. The contractor drove back Immediately
to his works and told his foreman, Alexander
McQutnn, and they, hastily arming themselves,
went back to the scene OF the murder. Aftera
short search they found the dead body OF the
guard, Hugh Flanagan, alongside OF the road
and 400 feet from the rig. The murder was
committed about one and q half miles from
Miners Mills, near what is known as Bull Run,
q desolate place. Mcclure had been shot twice
in the body, both bullets going entirely through
him. He had also received a bullet
wound in the head and had been struck by an
axe, his skull being crushed in. Flanagan
had been shot three times in the breast,
head and shoulder. The crime was imme-
diately reported and detectives went to
work on the case, but without any sue.
cess until after some days "Red-Nose
Nike an Italian laborer, was arrested on sus-
piclon, but as there was no evidence to hold
him he was discharged Mike was rearrested
January 3, 1889, and confessed that he and two
accomplices, who had escaped to Italy, had
committed the crime ONLY $500 was recovered