The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-23
FOUR ON THE GALLONS.
THE DEATH Tree ON EACH SIDE
OF THE OLD TONES.

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of Death.
For the first time in the history of the
New York Tombs four murderers ex-
plated their crimes ON the gallows within
a few minutes of each other this morning.
The situation of the gallows, on each Of
which two men were hanged, was such
that an interval of five minutes was ne
cessary between the two executions.
Though the gallows were a consider
able distance apart the noise of the drop
on the gallows which first sent Packen-
ham and Nolan out of the world must
have been plainly heard by Lewis and
Carolin.
The scene in the little chapel where
mass was said this morning. and the sub
sequent farewels between the men were
very impressive. The two Catholic
priests who administered consolation to
the men during their last hours stayed
with them until the last minute The
noise accompanying the hangings inside
the prison must have been plainly heard
by Giblin, the respited murderer.
Preparations for the conducting of the
first of the condemned to be executed to
the gallows were commenced about half
the jury, composed entirely of newspa-
permen, were placed in position. At
forty-four minutes past six Carolin and
Lewis were taken across the prison yard
to the Boys Prison, where they were PIN
ioned. Carolin was smoking, putting hard
at big cigar. AS soon as Lewis and
Carolin had been transferred, the Sheriffs
and priests that conducted them returned
and moment later the hangman was
summoned to make the preliminary prep
arations for the hanging of Packenham
and Nolan. AS soon as these were COM
pleted the hangnaan returned to his place
under the gallows tree.
THE FIRST TWO TO THE GALLONS.
In a few minutes Packenham and Nolan
were led out to the scaffold. The Sheriff
and Under Sheriff led the way, while the
condemned were flanked on one side by a
priest and on the other by an officer. They
walked with firm step, but their faces
wore anxious expressions.
Both men looked around as they walked
to the gallows, glancing from one re-
porter to another as though searching for
familiar face. They had only about
forty feet to go, and were soon placed
under the cross beam. Both had already
been pinioned, and the black caps were
on their heads ready to be drawn over
their faces. The nooses likewise were
around their neeks.
The men had emerged from the prison
at forty-eight minutes past six, and two
minutes later the nooses were adjusted,
the black caps drawn, and the rope hold
ing the weights was cut.
In Jwinkling the bodies of the two
murderers shot up into the air distance
of about four feet and fell back to within
two feet of the ground The contortions
of the culprits were very feeble, and it
was evident that both their necks had
been broken. Packenham died i'll seven
minutes, while Nolan survived minute
! longer. They were allowed to hang some
thirty minutes before being cut down and
placed in the coffins provided for the re-
mains.
The most moving thing about this
hanging was the awful expression upon
the faces of the men as they took their
places under the gallows Nolan's jaw
hung down, his lips quivered and for q
moment he looked as though he would
collapse. He quickly recovered, how
ever. and although his lips still trembled,
there was regular motion which showed
ham was also evidently praying A priest
stood by each of the condemned men
whispering words of consolation in their
ears to the last
Both the condemned were staring fix
edly ahead at the bare wall of the prison.
when the caps were drawn. The knot of
the moose ABOUT Nolan's neck slipped q
little to the back.
The bodies were finally cut down after
hanging a little over q half hour, placed
in their collins and turned over to their
friends. Both men were in their collins
within fifty minutes of the time when
they marched out to the gallows.
THE SECOND DEATH SCENE.
Almost on the stroke of seven o'clock
Lewis and Carolin came out from the
boys prison, whittier they had been taken
when their companions went out to die.
The arrangements for their execution
were in every detail the same as those on
the other side of the prison, except that
Carolin and Lewis were given a less
weight than the first two.
When they marched into sight of the
gallows Carolin turned pale and tightly
clutched the hand of the priest by his
side. He looked neither to the right nor
left, and made determined effort to as
sumo the courage and GOODNESS he mani
festly lacked, while he puffed hard at
half-smoked cigar. Under the gentle
guidance of Father Gelinas and the less
tender handling of the eXecutioners he
took his place on the scaffold.
In strong contrast to the demeanor of
the German WAS the manner in which the
negro Lewis approached his fate. His face
beamed with smiles, and he shook hands
right and left with several members of
the death watch, bidding them good
bye'i in cheerful tones. In short, he
seemed to consider his hanging as the
proudest period, and the crowning honor
of his life. He looked at the miserable
Carolin by his side and grinned, but there
was no responsive smile from the Ger
man.
Suddenly Carolin relinquished the
crucifix, and moving his pinioned hands,
began to jabber excitedly in German,
speaking SO rapidly that his words could
scarcely pe caught.
As nearly as could be understood this is
what he meant to say:-''I die an innocent
man. Cd d--n it, I didn't do this
thing" The three priests in attendance
looked shocked, but made no reply
to the dying mans exclamation. Lewis
scanned Carolin contemptuously and re-
marked in the manner and with the
accent OF the typical Bowery tough:-
"Ah, watts der matter wild yer; die like
man" :" with which words he curled his lip
and spat to accentuate his contempt.
II will die like a man." exclaimed
Carlin excitedly, "but I'll die like an in
nocent man."
THE DROP FALLS.
He was still mumbling when Hangman
Atkinson blackcapped him, while the
assistant drew the cap over the head of
Lewis. Then Atkinson gave the three
rap signal on the partition which con-
cealed the actual eXecutioner, and with
crash that must have been heard all over
the prison, the latter severed the rope.
Down came the weight with bang, and
the two unfortunates were hurled into
eternity.
1t was three minutes past seven O'Clock
when the drou fell and the whole scene