Arizona weekly citizen., 1889-05-25
EXECUTION OF FIRIMIN0.
He Died Like a Man of Steel.

At one o'clock to-day, Firimino, the Papago Indian who murdered old man Ford last June, and who has three times been respited, paid the penalty of his crime. Ever since his condemnation he has been perfectly indifferent to his fate, and when the fatal hour arrived he pre- sented fortitude and courage deserv- ing of better end.
 For the past two days he refused food or nourishment of any kind, and as he sat in his cell he looked as though he cared not how soon his trials were over. It was thought by some that he would weaken when the fatal hour arrived, but no white feather was displayed by Fri mimic.
 Precisely at 12:3O Deputy Sheriff Chas. Kresham approached his cell door and read the death warrant, to which the In dian listened with the utmost attention and calmness. He had nothing to say he spent the last half hour looking out of his cell door at inquisitive faces, he appeared more like man waiting the approach of expectant friends, than a sheriff's guard to lead him to his death. At l o'clock precisely the large iron door of the jail swung open, and Fri mino, headed by deputies Kresham and Moore. followed by Sheriff Shaw, ap- peared. The prisoner presented rather neat appearance, and as he gazed at the structure of death before him, he displayed not the slightest fear. He walked up the gallows stairs with the tread of
 and as he turned around and faced the upturned faces in the jail yard he looked as calm and contented as though he was but a spectator, rather than principal, of death scene. Whilst standing on the trap door he put faint smile on his countenance as the photographer took his picture, and it may be truly said he was the steadiest man of those standing in his presence. He was very obliging in all his movements, and when the rope was being placed upon his neck he bowed his head for the accommodation of the party adjusting the fatal moose. Precisely at 1:02 the trap was sprung, and the prisoner, standing firm and col lected,
 FELL LIKE A PLUMMETT. Not quiver did the body display, not even tremor, and the black mass hung in mid-air as though it were but a DOT ton of the deadly edifice surrounding it. Undoubtedly the neck was broken in the fall, and ended the cares of the Papago like flash; and those present could not but exclaim that the execu. tion was one of the easiest and best conducted methods of putting an end to | the life of human being ever wit | messed.
 | At 1:15 the attendant physicians pro
 nounced life extinct, and Firmino, ths
 slayer of Ford, after paying the penalt.
 of the law, was handed over to his Pap
 ago friends, request he had asked th'
 sheriff to perform.
 When asked how he would like to ap
 pear on the scaffold the prisoner stated
 that his idea would be to appear in
 pair of new red-top boots, which wer,
 furnished him, and the poor fellow
 whilst standing upon deaths trap, coult
 not refrain from casting an admirin, glance at his cowhides. What hi
 thoughts were, he alone could tell, fo
 after mounting the scaffold he neve
 opened his mouth, and although he wa
 cold-blooded murderer, those presen
 could not but admire the true courag,
 he displayed when brought face to fac'
 with death.
 Too much credit cannot be awarded
 Sheriff Shaw and his deputies for thu
 manner in which they conducted tn,
 execution. Everything worked perfectly
 and good order was maintained, anC what was an occasion very few care tt
 witness, was robbed of all its hideous
 ness by good management.