Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-23
FOUR OF A KIND.
Quartette OF Murderers Hung In New
York Today.
TIE rxEcufIoNs TAKE PLACE IN TWO rxsrALMESrs
BEHAVIOR OF TIE VICTIMS ON THE scAFFoLp
THE STORY OF THE CRIMES ron WHICH THEY SUI
FERKD TIE DEATH PENALTY.

minutes Of each other this morning. The situ-
alton of the gallows, on each of which two men
were hanged, was such that an interval of Eve
minutes was necessary between the two execu-
tons. Though the structures were a consider
able distance apart the noise of the drop in the
gallows which first sent Packenham and Nolan
out of the world must have been plainly heard
by Lewis and Carolin. The four men went into
eternity firm in the belief that their salvation
was in God. The scene in the little chapel
where mass was said this morning and the sub
sequent farewells between the men were very
impressive. The two Catholic priests who
administered consolation to the men during
minute
THE FIRST INsTALMENr.
Preparations for the conducting Of the first
OF the men to the gallows were commenced
about $50. At 6:35 the jury, composed entirely
OF newspaper men, were placed in position.
At 644 Carolin and Lewis were taken across
the prison yard to the boys prison, where they
were pinioned. Carolin was putting hard at a
big cigar. As soon as Lewis and Carolin had
been transferred the sheriffs and priests that
conducted them returned, and a moment later
the hangman was summoned TO make the pre-
lininary preparations for the hanging of Pack
enham and Nolan. As soon as these were CON-
pleted the hangman returned to his place under
the gallows, and in q few minutes
0fAChENhAA AND NOLAN WE'RE LED OUT
en- route 70 the scaffold The sheriff and under
sheriff led the way, while the condemned were
flanked ON one side by priest and on the other
by an officer. They walked with a firm step,
but their faces wore anxious expressions Both
men looked around as they walked to the gal
lows, glancing from one reporter to another, as
though hungrily 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 we're
on their heads ready to be drawn over their
faces and the nooses were about their necks.
The men had emerged from the prison at Gas.
and two minutes later the nooses were ad-
justed, the black caps drawn and the rope hold
ing the weight was cut. In twinkling 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 struggles
of the men were very feeble and it was evident
that their necks had been broken Packenham
died in seven minutes, while Nolan survived a
minute longer. They were allowed to hang
some thirty minutes before being cut down and
placed in the coffins provided for the remains.
The most moving scene about this hanging was
the awful expression upon the faces of the men
as they took their places under the gallows
Nolans jaw hung down, his lips quivered and
for moment he looked as though he would
collapse. He quickly recovered himself how
ever, and although his lips still trembled there
was regular motion which showed that be was
repeating prayer. Packenham was also evil
IDENTIFY praying. priest stood by each of the
men. Both the condemned were staring fxedly
ahead at the bare wall of the prison when the
caps were drawn. The knot of the moose about
Nolan's neck slipped little to the back. A
slight wound was subsequently noticed at the
back of the neck and gradually the
BLOOD TRIcKLED DOWN OVER THE SHIRT COLLAR.
1t was supposed that the moose cut the skin
as it tightened, but one of the attendant physi-
clans said il was merely due to the extreme
tension on a specific sore which had been on
the neck for some time, the result of a disease
from which Nolan was suffering. The bodies
were finally cut down after hanging a little
over half hour, and placed in cofins and
turned over to their frIe nds.
Both men were In their coffins within ffty
minutes OF the time when they marched out to
the gallows. When their caps were removed
Nolan's face showed the greater contortions.
although the eyes and mouth of Rockingham
were partly open. Nolan's eyes we're staring
wide open and his face wore horrible ex-
preston.
THE SECOND ACT.
Almost on the stroke of o'clock Lewis and
Carolin came out from the boys prison. whittier
they had been taken when their companions
cution 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 straight ahead while he puffed hard at
a half-smoked cigar. 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
goodbye in cheerful tones. In short, he seemed
to consider his hanging as the crowning honor of
his life. Suddenly Carolin relinquished the
crucifix and moving his pinioned hands began
to jabber excitedly in German, speaking SO
rapidly that his words could scarcely be caught.
As nearly as could be understood this is what
he meant to say: 81 die an innocent man; C.
d. it, l didn't do this thing"
The three priests countenances looked
shocked, but make no reply to the dying mans
exclamation. Lewis scanned Carolin con-
temptuously and remarked in the manner and
with the accent of the typical powery tough:
"AH, WAITS DER MATTER wIp YER; DIE LIKE A
MAN."
with which words he curled his lip and spat to
accentuate his contempt.
81 will die like a mani" exclaimed Carolin
cACitculg, out IL ult ilkc an innocent man.
He was still mumbling when hangman At
kinson blackcapped him while his assistant
drew the cap over the head Of Lewis. Then
Atkinson gave the three rap signal on the par
tition which concealed the actual executions.
and with q crash that must have been heard
all over the prison the latter severed the rope
Down came the weight with q bang and the
two unfortunates we're hurled into eternity.
1t was 7.0S when the drop fell and the whole
scene described occupied but a couple of
minutes. Both men sustained fractures of the
cervical vertebra and
THEIR DEATH WAS CERTAINLY PAINLESS,
though 70 the unskilled observer this did not
seem to be the case. Carolin's hands twisted
and twitched, growing darker in color. His
whole body was sgitated once or twice by mus
cular spasnas and then hung very still.
It was not so with Lewis. who, to all appear
ances, died hard He gasped painfully and
wriggled violently. He strained at the letters
and kicked of his slippers. Though his strug-
giles were much more violent and prolonged
than Carolin's his pulse was not 30 rapid. He
was undoubtedly dead to sensibility in a
twinkling. but being a strong man the action of
his muscles accounted for his struggles. Lewis
was dead in six minutes and Carolin in four,
but the bodies were allowed TO hang until 7:35.
The removal Of the cap revealed Lewis face a.
placid az he had died in bed
Their Last Night on Earth.
After the men had supper last night they
were taken to the yard for last taste of air