The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1889-11-23
DEATH ON THE GALLOWs.
Pete Sullivan Executed at Canyon
city Last Friday for the Murder
Of John BrUnkee.
From the News Extra

This afternoon Pete Sullivan was eX'
ecuted as per sentence passed upon hin
last September by the judge of the cir
cult court of Grant county.
The crime for which Peter Sullivan
was tried and convicted was that of mur
der, committed in the cary morning OF
the first day of last April. John Bron-
kee was killed in his cabin on Pine creek
few miles east of here, the CABIN being
occupied only by Bronkee and Sullivan,
the latter being much the stronger man
Sullivan after having committed the
deed, repaired to neighbours house and
stated there was a 'dead Duchman up
the creek,' and that he had killed him.
He stated that the deceased had made an
assault upon him and that for sef-preser-
walton he had shot him. Sullivan then
came to town and surrendered himself tn
the authorities. A coroner's inquest es-
tablished the fact that the victim had
been shot once in the center of the back
with Winchester and had two other
wounds abont the breast and side. Evi-
dence went to show that he had been
lying upon his bed Cd his side with his
face toward the wall and was evidently
asleep when shot in the spine. There
fore, at the conclusion of the preliminary
examination before justice of the peace
N. Rullison, Sullivan was held without
bail to appear before the next grand jury
which according to evidence In their
hands, indicted him for murder in the
first degree. The case was tried at the
September tenn of circuit court for Grant
county. District Attorney Rand and NJ.
d. Clifford, prosecuting. s. s. DennIng
was appointed by the court to defend
the prisoner. Insanity was the extenu-
ating effort made in behalf of the ac-
cused, and the only plea for lenity which
could have tempered the degree OF justice.
This failed, however, to bear the test, and
the iury's verdict was that of "gullty as
charged in the Indictment" Judge Ison
pronounced the sentence that he be
banged ON Friday, November 18th. Prior
to passing the sentence, Sullivan was
asked if be had anything to say, and re-
piled that his "life was misery to him" !"
and that he "preferred to have it over
with as earl as possible"
Shortly before o'clock This afternoon
the prisoner, assisted by Sheriff Gray and
deputy Eads, mounted the scaffold.
When asked if he desired to make any
statement, his only reply was to "show
respect to his body" His limbs were
pinloned and the black cap adjusted, and
at precisely 2:01 the drop was sprung,
the knot slipped around under the VIC
TINS chin and the horrible contortiOns of
the body were discernable for eight min.
0E
Drs. Orr and Pruden pronounced life ex-
tinct, and after hanging twenty-eight
minutes the rope was cut and the body
lowered and placed in coffin, and con-
veyed to its last place of repose ON the
hill, without friend to shed tear over
his departure. So ended the earthly
career of the second murderer executed
by the sheriff Of Grant county within
period of seven months.
From the time of bis sentence to few
days prior to his execution Sullivan ap-
peaIed in good spirits, the least of his
troubles being his approaching doom.
But his department the last two or three
lays of his life, evinced troubled con-
science and restless spirit. Feeling the
Tread hour of dealh approaching with
eternity and all its uncertainty about to
lawn upon his guilty sonl, his rest at
hight was broken and his food often re-
NAMED untasted. Rev. Mr.. Ea6s and
,ther religious men were then called to
lis side for religious counsel, and all the
,ravado which had marked his career had
A short time before the hour
# his executi n he informed Necs re-
porter he had repented of his evil deeds
md felt that his sins were forgiven; tina.
I the past three years life had been u
misery 10 HIM AMI he Lad no rest. He
vas satisfied with the result of his late |
rial, and preferred hanging to life i'm
'risonment. No mention was made of |
he man whose soul he had hurried into
ternity.