Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-28
HE PAID THE PENALTY.

HE PAID THE PENALTY.
|HARRY ROBERTS HAkGED FOR a
c0LD-BLoODED MURDER CONF
MITTED LAST MAY.
Cool and Calm to the Last Moment, He
Met Death. Unhinchingly and with
out Expressing q Word of Regret
The Law Satisfied and j. w. Crawford
Avenged.
The execution OF the sentence which con-
demned Harry Roberts to meet a felon's
doom for the murder OF J.. W. Crawford,
committed May IA, took place in the east
side OF the Jail yard at liz o'clock FRI
day afternoon. The fearful scene was
witnessed by a large number who had re-
ceived invitations from Sheriff Lloyd to be
present, and no matter what their feelings
toward the condemned may have been
they could not but admire his fortitude
and the unflinching manner in which he car
ried himself up to the very last second.
The only visible sign of emotion or feeling
which he made, manifested itself in a slight
twitching OF the hands after he had been
pinioned and was waiting for the sheriff to
adjust the moose around his neck which
1890 e., onJ he l;eo nm o~rfh fOrovar
In addition to the spectators in the jail
yard the north windows OF the county
clerks office and those of the court room
were lined with men anxious to witness the
enactment OF q stern laws mandates and a
continual hum OF voices filled the air until
three minutes after / O'Clock when Sheriff
Lloyd and Roberts appeared 10 the east
door OF the jail followed by Tailor Richards,
Deputy Sheriff Nichols and Sam Reynolds.
The sheriff's right hand rested lightly on
Roberts left arm. Four or FIVE steps down
brought the party to the ground and from
there to the gallows it was about twenty
PAGES over this distance Roberts
walked bare headed and with
q firm tread looking straight
ahead. Only once did he change his glance,
and this was to take a look at the crowd
which was waiting to see him die. He was
dressed in a suit Of black diagonal and
wore a white shit, but no collar. Instead
OF shoes he wore a pair of carpet slippers,
and calmly and deliberately continued to
walk until he had reached a position
d ilectly under the lope, the moose of which
the ~galows. A strip of mating had been
placed on the ground, and on this Roberts,
the sheriff and assistants stood.
Mr.. Lloyd tool up position ON Roberts
left side and asked him if he bad anything
to say. For a moment he faced the crowd
and then, turning partly around so as to
face the sheriff, said:
'I'd have got my reprieve if it had not
been for W. A. Clark and W. NJ. Jack. /
forgive them and have prayed GOD to for.
give them and me. | hope He viii answer
tnat prayer"
At the conclusion of the last sentence he
took a step back to his former position
and Immediately turned to his right, and
stepping forward a pace, shook hands with
his attendants and a couple of friends and
babe them good bye and once more re-
sumed his place under the fatal rope,
dropped his arms by his side and gave evil
dence OF his military training in the firm,
erect attitude he took. Deputy Nichols
and Captain Reynolds now began to pinion
his legs and arms with broad, soft leather
straps, and when they had finished, Mr..
Lloyd placed the loose around his neck.
Roberts moved his head once or twice as
though the rope irritated him, anG then in
a strong voice, devoid OF all emotion, said:
snake it a little tighter; it is too loose. 1t
will hurt"
The sheriff compiled with the request, and
stepping behind Roberts took the black cap
from his inside pocket and pulled it over
the doomed mans head and face, dropped
his hands and instantly Roberts was
jerked into the air about three feet and fell
back until his toes were within five or six
inches of the ground. 1t was exactly
twelve minutes past / o'clock when the
weight was released which jerked Roberts
into eternity, and the murder of J.W. Craw-
ford was avenged.
By request of the sheriff Drs. Howard,
Sarchet and Trembly were present. DIR.
Howard at once placed his hand on Rob-
ert's left wrist n felt his pulse while DR..
Ssrehet did the same on the right side aud
DR.. Trembly adjusted q stethoscope and
noted the hearts beats. At the expiration
OF the first minute DR.. Howard announced
the pulse beats as 55, at two minutes 60.
at three ~, at four 110, at five SIS, at six
Sc. It now ceased for thirty seconds and
at six and one.balfm minutes it began to beat
again at the rate of 26 beats, at seven min
utes it rose to II, at eight 70. and at eight
and three-quarters it had dropped to 43,
and at nine and one-half minutes it had
entirely. At LILY O'Clock,
just exactly eleven and one-half minutes
after the weight dropped, the doctors pro-
nounced Roberts dead, and in q couple Of
minutes thereafter the body Was lowered
the hall OF the court house, and placed
IN q onnnlo af nplortoH or'c cfprlc op1 oil
who desired to do so were given an oppor. |
tunity Of looking at the remains. Thissev-
eral hundred persons of both sexes did. !
after which the coffin with the body was
to Undertaken Sherman's rooms, |
from whore the funeral will take place at 2 |
o'clock this afternoon, under the direction
Of friends OF Roberts.
HIS LAST HOURS.
Governor White was in the city Thurs
lay, looking over the case, and left the same
for Anaconda and said that be
would telegraph his decision as soon as he
lad made up his mind fully. It was
bought by friends OF Roberts that an an
louncement of some kind would be receiv-
d during the night but in this they we're
Roberts sat up until half past two yes.
erday morning talking. During the fore
art of the night he conversed with a num-
er OF friends and after they withdrew he
to talk with Thomas Richards, I
ne Of the death watch and Tailor Cook.
t about 3 O'Clock be fell asleep and slept {
ntil $50 and remained awake until 7 {
clock and then fell asleep again and slept l
ound.v until he was awakened by Mr.. |
and given his breakfast. He ate ,
ly and asked his guard, "Tom, have I
gu heard anything from the governor q
receiving a reply in the negative said,
When you do hear let me know; it will
OPP this anxiety"
Mr.. Richards left him aud went down. q
airs to the sheriff's office. At half-past n
ne Mr.. Lloyd received the looked for dis .
Itch, which was brief and crushed the last y
OF hope which Roberts and his friends a
ay have entertained. 1t was dated Ana. C
nda: and simply Said: e.
II cannot interfere in the Roberts case. n
MS is final. h
"B. F. WHITE, a
Governor" E
dispatch was read to Mr.. Richards, 81
10 went upstairs to inform Roberts, but q
und him sound asleep. At 10 O'Clock b.
went to the Jail again and found VI
'berts awake, and as soon as he stepped
to the door Roberts asked him: "Well.
m ho vo mt an-%L:. -.A0y