The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-03-29

OF curious thousands outside disturbed the
awful quiet Such was the impressive scene
that closed tragedy begun over twenty
months ago
A little before 10 o'clock the examining
board Of physicians. consisting of DR.. Ames,
DR.. Kilvtngton. DR.. Burton. DR.. Towers. Dr.
Quinby and DR.. Dunn, came in and took
their places in front of the scaffold
Several other physicians. Dr.. Spring among
them. were present. OF course all eyes were
directed to the scaffold The unpainted pine
structure with its awful suggestions of death
and doom was anything but pleasant to look
| upon, and yet the scaffold architect, Chris
spiel. who was on hand oil the time, regarded
1t with quiet satisfaction as triumph Of his
art.
Finally the ends of the dangling nooses
were thrown to one eide and rested upon the
braces Of the cross beam. The ladder was
taken down and everything was positively
decided to be all right. The carpenter then
stepped forward, and. taking his rule and
pencil out Of his pocket, marked the space
upon the traps within which the men were
to stand. He did 1t with the cool business
air with which he would have marked out
the pattern for bootjack.
At two minutes past IL o'clock the silence
| in the room of execution had become i'm
prcssive. the doors were thrown open md
the doomed men were ushercd into the scene
Of their execution. They were &C.
oompanied by the deputy sheriffs
and by three Roman Catholic priests
The priests were Father James McGo!rick,
Father Henry McGoIrick and Father Corbett
They were in their churchly habiliments,
aud as they passed up the steps Of the scaf-
fold held aloft the crucihx and repeated
many times, sJesus have mercy on us." Tim
Barrett was given the place on the right side
Of the scaffold. He knelt at once and Father
Corbett kneeling by him Administered the
spiritual hope that the occasion demanded.
The priest held his face close to that Of tho
doomed man, who, under those awful cir
cumstances, was encouraged to implore for
divine mercy. He was not able to rise alone.
but was assisted by Deputy Sheriff Rauen.
who then bound the straps about his arms
and his legs after the usual custom. Tim
was very much agitated 1t was with dim
Guilty that he could stand and ac each motion
Of the deputies he shuddered convulsively
and rolled his eyes about In despair. And
yet he repeated with tho priest the petitions
pulled down over his eyes bis voice could be
mercy upon "a" At the other aide of the
scaffold stood the younger brother, Pete.
PETE THE FIRM ONE.
He was much more composed than Tim.
He looked all about the room. and even in
spscted the scaffold. 1t was only at the very
last that he seemed on the point of giving
for him the offices that Father Ccrbett did
Inn
James Riley adjusted the straps and black
caps One of the last things that Pete said
was to ask that be be placed lit
Ito further forward 60 that bis b.ck
would not strike when he went down. At
one time he wos about to fall and asked the
deputy to hold him up. Finally the nooses
were adjusted md oil was in readiness ex-
cept for the priests to finish tho litany. All
but the deputies who supported the men
stood back. The low moans Of the men could
be heard from beneath the sable covering of
their faces. still asking for mercy
sOh. Lord, am innocent Pete was heard
to say.
Asked II they had any fual request to
make each Of the men made some whispered
statement to bis spiritual comforter.
THE LAST MOMENT
The last moment had come. The fathers
stepped back, still uttsrtng their prayers for
the salvation to the two men, when Sheriff
Eye touched the fatal lever, and ut exactly
1l:14 the trap fell and the two bodies
dropped into the yswning gap beneath
them. As was shown afterwards the
necksof both men were broken instantly.
Pete made more Of . struggle. He conyul.
slvely lifted himself up several times IN
spasmodic efforts At respiration. But thoy
were alight, aud In moment the body wa.
almost notionlesA The pressure on Tim's
neck must have been greater. He s.iRh,ly
raised himsslf, drawing mp his knees once o,