The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-10-24
PAID.IHE PENALTY.
Pietro Baranovski Hanged for
an Awful Double Murder
THE HISTORY OF THE CRIME,
The Tragedy in Which Mrs. Put
Iavitch and Agnes KaIch Lost
Their IIvcs-Tho Confession,
Conviction and Execution.

PoTTsvlLLE, Pa, Oct 23,-Pletro Bar
anovski, or Peter Baranovski, as his
name is commonly given, was hanged al
the county prison, this city, this morn
ing, for the murder Of Mrs, Putlavtct
and Agnes Katch, at "Busky Tract" on
May l9, 1888. The condemned muu
slept soundly from IL O'Clock last night
until 6 this morning, when he arose and
donned new suit OF back clothes pro-
yided by the authorities for the occasion,
At s o'clock st, Joseph's mass for the
dying was celebrated by Father Len
arkawiz, OF tho Polish Catholic church
Of Shenandoah, assisted by Father DuI'
flee, Of ST. PatriCE's church, Of this city,
and Father Patterson, OF Ashland. After
the religious services Baran0Yski par.
took sparingly Of substantial breakfast,
aud was then again taken in charge by
the priests.
Al l0:22 the march to the gallows
commenced, BaranOvski assembled the
scatIold with firm step and stood upon
the trap without tlinChing, His face was
pallid aud lips Quivered slightly, The
priests engaged in brief religious exer.
cises, the condemned man joining de.
voully. After the moose had been
placed about the Culprits neck and his
legs pinioned, the bolt was, at 1880,
drawn by an unseen hand, and the drop
fell. In seven and half minutes he
was pronounced dead and ut 1850 the
body was cut down. Death was caused
by fracture OF the neck. Between 400
and 500 spectators witnessed the exeCu.
ton.
The double murder for which Pietro
Baranovski suffered death, was commit.
ted on Saturday, May l2, 1855, and was
one Of the most atroCious in the criminal
record of Schuylkill county, unenviably
distinguished for crimes OF violence aud
blood. At "Busky Tract, an isolated
spot near Middloport, eight miles east Of
POttsvllle, in humble dwelling lived
Anthony Putlavtch and his wife, with
his brother John PutlavtCh and Agnes
KatCh, n domestic, and the aliauCed Of
John. Tho men were miners, working
at the big vein coliery o mile or two dis
taut. Upon his return from work on
the evening OF May l2, Anthony Put
lavtCh found his home burned to the
ground and in the still smoking ruins,
he was Mortified to discover the charred
rcmaius OF his wife aud Agnes Katch.
Robbery had evidently been the mur.
derers motive, as q bureau had been
broken open and some $500 extracted.
A cash in Mrs. Putlavtch's skull and an
axe lying by her side, revealed the
method Of the double murderer. Sus.
piCion was snon directed TO BaranOVski,
who had worked ut Big Vein GOllery and
boarded at FutlavtCh's and who had
drawn his pay on the day Of the mur.
der and disappeared,
On Tuesday afternoon, May 10, Bara.
nOvski was arrested on atraii at Maunk
Chunk. He at once confessed the MUIR
der aud robbery, but said the murder
was not premeditated but the result Of IL
quarrel with the woman. He was
lodged in jail at louisville, and at the
next term Of court was tried aud con
victed OF murder in the first degree.
During tue trial and ever SINCE Bara'
novsK gave strong evidence OF real or
ivigacd insanity, and efforts to obtain q
ney trial have failed. His counsel Sc.
cured respitGS With view Of showing
his mental inCapability. Failing in this,
last effort was made before the Board
Of Purdons, but that tribunal refused to
interfere aud the pentence Of the law was
carried out to-day. Harapovski was
born in Poland In 1864, was u single man
and had been in this country about four
months at the time Of the murder.