The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-08-29
THE TOMBS.
THE CELEBRATED PRISON is THE
SCENE OF A QUADRUPLE
HANGING.
A Tableau Of Horror lasphemOus Dialogue
Between two of the Doomed
Wretches on the GallOws.

New YORK, August 23-The four murder
ers of women, Patrick Packenham, Jack
Lewis (colored), James Nolan and Ferdi-
nand Carolin, were hanged in the yard of
the Tombs prison this morning. There
were two scaffolds, and two men were
hanged on EACH Packenham and Nolan
were first executed on the scatfold which
had been erected on the Franklin street
side of the prison. The drop fell at 6:55
o'clock. Eight minutes later Lewis and
Carolin were hanging from the scatfold on
the Leonard street side. Sheriff Frank and
Under Sheriff Sexton entered the prison at
6:35 o'clock. They were followed by
twenty deputy sheritfs, all in
black clothes and wearing silk hats. Each
official wore his badge of office
and carried staff. They marched through
the corridors into the court yard Ten of
them went to the Leonard street side and
the others took their places at the Franklin
street wall.
At $40 o'clock the first jury of twelve
men, all newspaper representatives, were
given the signal to enter the prison yard,
and two minutes later a second set of
Jurors filed out and marched to their places,
simultaneously with the marching out of
the second jury Packenham and Nolan
were taken into cell in the new prison.
At 6:45 Caroin and Lewis were removed
to the boys jail on the Leonard street side.
The last rites of the church were then adj
ministered, the ceremonies occupying eight
minutes.
At 6:54 two of the condemned men, Pack
enham and Nolan, emerged from the jail
accompanied by the priests Father Pen
dergast supported Packenham and Father
Gelinas walked alongside Nolan. The pro-
cession brought up with Father Van Rem
saillaer. The arms of the condemned
men were pinioned. Packenham's face
was of CHASTITY pallor, but his step was
firm and he looked un1inchingly into the
faces around him. Nolan hardly appeared
to realize his position. There was half
defiant look on his countenance. The rope
around his neck, with the knot pressing
against his left ear, seemed to chafe him fol-
he moved his head uneasily once or twice.
Nolan took his place under the rope hang
ing nearest the Franklin street wall. Pack
enham was fonr feet away. Both men
turned and grasped the priests by the
hands, wringing them fervently. Then
Hangman Atkinson tied cord about the
legs of Nolan. His assistant did the like
service for Packenham. In twinkling
the black caps were adjusted and Atkinson
wrapped three times in rapid succession on
the side OF the box where third assistant
stood with Ratchet. The third rap had
hardly been given when the bodies of the
murderers were jerked up into the air. AT
the expiration offour minutes Packenham's
pulse had gone up to ninety six, and then
sank rapidly to fifty beats a
minute. Nolan's pulse at the fourth min
ute was bounding at seventy, but, too, be-
came weaker, and at the expiration of five
minutes, was no longer perceptlble. AT
7:10 both men were pronounced dead, but
were permitted to hang for fifteen minutes
longer.
While this scene was being enacted prep
arations were being made for what proved
to be the most shocking spectacle that has
ever taken place within the walls of the
Tombs prison. The hanging of Carolil
and Lewis in several aspects is probably
unparalleled. The two murderers, at 6:45
O'Clock, received their last spiritual
consolation, two minutes after Z O'Clock.
Caroline and Lewis with the priests,
came through the door, Lewis walked UNI
steadily the first dozen PAGES, but quickly
recovered himself He was smiling, and as
he caught sight of the deputy who had
been especially kind to him, he walked
over and seized his hand. Then he shook
hands with two more. Father Gelinas
urged him toward the rope that was to
strangle him. He smiled and looked fear
lessly around him., Carolin had the butt
of cigar between his lips and was putting
vigorously, blowing great clouds of
smoke into the faces of the attend
ing priests. His face was pale as the
face of the dead and the scowl on it
almost demoniacal. He glared at the priests
as he turned around and felt the rope touch
his shoulder. Splitting the cigar stump
from his mouth, he broke out into BIAS
phemy that Mortified the spectators. At
kinson had just pinioned his legs when he
spoke. Looking sullenly at the three priests
he suddenly exclaimed 81 die an innocent
man, Cd d-n it; did not do this thingW
Lewis, who had then been pinioned, half
turned his head and, addressing his COM
panion, said: Whats the matter with you,
anyway Why don't you die like manW
81 will die like man." shrieked Carolin,
his face turning perfectly livid. II will
| die like man, an innocent man."
The words were scarcely out Ofhis mouth
before Atkinson had clapped the black cap
over the murderers face. The assistant
hangman covered Lewis face, and at the
same moment Atkinson gave the signal
and the weight fell. Instead of bounding
up, as Packenham and Nolan had done,
the miserable wretches went into the air
| with so little force that there was scarcely
a rebound at all. Lewis Immediately be-
gan to struggle in a most sickening man
ner., He threw his legs about so vio-
lently as to kick off his slippers.
Then he began to gurgle and choke. The
rasping, wheezy sound came from under
that horrible black cap for fully ten sec
onds. His body turned and swayed and
the contortions were so painful that half
dozen men turned away their heads. The
poor creature was slowly strangled. Caro-
Inns body was violently contorted also, but
he uttered no sound. The weight fell at
| 703 o'clock and at 7:10 both men were
dead. The four bodies hung for half an
hour and were then cut down and placed