The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-02-21
A MURDERER HUNG.
John Lee. the SLAYER Of Charles Chslln, Legal
Iy Strangled at Alexandria.
ALEXANDRIA, Special Telegram, Feb. IS

ALEXANDRIA, Special Telegram, Feb. 15.-
John Lee was hanged at precisely two min
utes of 10 clock this morning in the tenn
porary yard of the little Douglas county jail.
His body shot down several feet, swung half
around, and hung as mOtionless as u log or
a minute and q quarter. Then the knees
drew up slightly as an effort at inspiration
was made. Ten seconds later there was
again slight movement OF the closely pinon-
ed legs, and three seconds later similar
motion. barely perceptible. Then all was
still. Net even the twitching of u muscle in
John Lees hands, the only portion of his
body exposed, could be discerned. In the
first minute after the Io3g drop Lees pulse
beat twenty-eight times; in the second,
eighteeni in the third, ten; in the fourth only
u trace OF four beats could be felt. Fiteen
seconds later no pulse could be found. Then
the breast OF the criminal was barred and the
stethoscope gpplied. In the first fifteen
seconds the heart gave twenty-five full beats.
At the PgaA&tLe fifth minute after the drop
fell theFe0Nas only q mtfrnIur or the heart. AT
the end OF the ninth minute the murmur had
dwindled to a mere trace. Five minutes
later John Lee was dead, though the
announcement was not officially made
until two minutes later. Practically
he had been dead tor at least ten Minutes
dead by StranguntiOn. In Al cell not fifty
feet away from the ghasty scene sat Martin
Moe, who, until forty-ive minutes before,
had expected to meet the same fate as Lee.
SO, according 10 Justice which has seen fit
to be mcted out by men, the Murdar of
Charles IL an has bten eXpiatPd. John Lee
is dead Martin Moe, better prepared to die
than Lee, goes to the penitentiary under life
sentence Moe. re ll,y responsible for the
murder, has life given him. Lee, the worth
less son of a worthless man, dies at the end
Of rope Public sentiment here does not
approve this result. But this could not
change it.
TIE LAST HOUR.
But one hour for J ohm Lee and still Mar
tin Moe was in ignorance Of the cOmmuta-
ton of his sentence to life imprisonment. Mr..
Wilcox SAID he would prepare the men as
quickly as possible for the receipt ofthe news.
He feared that Lee would break down, as
did nearly all who had seen the
prisoners But Lee had braced up wonder
fully. 1t seemed cruelty to bling Moe SO near
to what he thought certain death. The last
sacrament administered. the last farewell
said he was waiting for his summons to the
gallows where for fifteen hours every body II
Alexandria hut the two prisoners knew that
he was not to hang. The minut6g dragged
slowly by, and still Mr. Wilcox gave no in
timation to the sheriff that he was ready.
1t was cruelty refined. Standing directly in
front of Moe, Sheriff De Frate spoke to him
briefly and to the point Martin" he said,
"I've got good news or you. At least it
would be regarded by most men as good
news, but don't know how you'll like it. /
received telegram from Gov Merriam last
night committing, your sentence to lmprlson-
ment for Ifs" Moe, from whom the shadow
of death had thus been lifted, uQdled his
head that he understood, but his tace be-
trayed no emotion. Turning quickly to
Lee the sheriff said: John. YOU have got to
be executed" Lee nodded his head in acqui-
escence in a nervous way an / shot one feet
ing, memorable look at Moe. 1t
would be hard 10 analyze the
meaning Of this look.
NOES LIFE SAVED.
Gov Merriam, at o'clock Thursday after
Doon, decided to commute the sentence Of
death passed upon Martin Moe, one of the
two men condemned to hang at Alexandria,
for the murder of one Chalin at Brandon, in
Douglas county, last summer. Noes sentence