Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-24
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DrsrArcH.l


men hanged this morning in the Tombs, for
numbering women. Nolan and Packenham
were chosen to die first. Both bore them
selves firmly aud died courageously. Both
walked 10 the gallows praying, and died
with prayers on their lips. Nolan was
looking straight before him, and Packen-
ham, with his gray head thrown backward,
was looking up to the sky when the 1000
pound weight fell, jerking them off their
feet and breaking both their necks instantly.
They suffered probably as little as is possi-
BILE with such a method of killing.
This first hanging took place at the
Franklin street end of the prison. The
Sheriffs took up their positions as they
pleased, leaving clear path from the prison
exit to the gallows. Just before 6:45 o'clock
there was commotion at the exit from the
new prison. Sheriff Flack came out with
little group of prison officials. Just behind
the Sheriff came
TWO OF THE MEN
to be hanged-Lewis, the negro, and Caro-
lin-walking side by side, with tie hang
man on one side and four of the death watch
about them. Their faces were visible only
for an instant. The negro was saying
something, with a smile. Carolin, the Ger
man, was smoking a cigar with a sullen ex-
preston; they turned to the left, walked q
few yards to the entrance of the boys prison,
and went inside, leaving puff of cigar
smoke melting in the air.
These two had been chosen to die last, on
the Leonard street gallows, and were to be
prepared for death in the boys prison.
When they had disappeared there was az
other wait of five minutes. Then at last
came the intimation of the first half of the
horrible business on hand. There was the
same hustle at the new prison exit. The
Sheriff again came out, and walking behind
him, pinioned, ready for death, came the
two men who were to hang together on the
gallows frst-Packenhan and Nolan, the
Oldest and the youngest of the four muir
derers.
A SOLEMN SIGHT.
1t was useless to try to remember at that
moment that they had brutally killed
women and were suffering deserved punish
ment; nothing was visible then, to the eye
or mind, but two men, helpless and uncom-
planning, each with moose around his neck,
going to death. The hangman was at the
side of his victims, anxious, but ready and
eager, surveying carefully his work as the
men slowly paced the few yards that separ-
ated tnem from the GalloWS.
Everything was perfect. Around each
mans neck the moose hung properly.
Dangling at the end of each was the patent
clasp, corresponding with the one hanging
from the two ropes on the gallows. The
Iaen's arms were pinioned tightly to their
sides, giving the impression of soldier in
an exaggerated correctness of attitude ON
drill. Fastened at the back of each mans
. neck was a loose black sack, with long
death caps were soon to come in use
AS IN A DREAM.
The men did not look around nor at each
other. No spirit or drug had been used to
dull their senses. Their ewes were clear
their step firm, and their bearing upright.
But they seemed walking in dream. Thev
arrived under the fatal beam without SEEM
ing to see it. Each was put right beneath
dangling rope, Nolan to the right nearer
the franklin street wall. For a few dread
full seconds the hangman and an assistant
were busted in tying each mans legs to-
gether below the knees with thin, white
rope; the clasp at the end of each moose was
snapped into the corresponding clasp at the
end OF the ropes, the biackcaps were hastily
pulled up over the backs of the mem s heads.
down over their ashy faces.
One quick, general survey from the hang
man, then comes a vigorous blow of his fist
twice repeated on the yellow boarding that
hides the big weight.
THE BLOW OF AN AK
is heard. Almost at the same instant there
is dull crack, and the two necks break
simultaneously. This was precisely at $50
by the Warden's clock. Part of a second
later the listeners heard the heavy fall of
the 1,GOO-pound weight on the thick straw
mattress, and the active work of law, Judge,
Jury and hangman is over. Then they wait
till lie passes out of the two mems bodies.
The falling weight has jerked them off their
feet, not high in the air, but just above the |
pavement. The conyulsive movements of |
their bodies were horrible to see They are
not nice to describe. |
With Packenham, the old man. it was
soonest over. He hung with head thrown |
back slightly on one side and shoulders
spread SO as to develop his chest to its ut |
most extent. Nolan seems several times to |
be quite dead, but continues to move at in |
tervals for eight minutes. Packenham is |
pronounced dead by the doctors one minute |
sooner. Packenham is allowed to hang |
until 7:30 and Nolan five minutes longer.
Collins are placed beneath them, their bodies |
lowered, arms folded. and that legal killing |
is over.
THE SECOND DOUBLE HANGING,
ADOub uNc dlt6r t0e urSt 1urV Il
had lett the corridor near the warden's Of /
fee, Deputy Sheriff Delmour came to the
door and called the IL reporters who COM |
posed the second jury. At 6:45 Lewis and |
Carolin entered the boys prison, which |
stood about go feet from the gallows. Then |
there came wait of about Is minutes, but |
which seemed much longer at four min
utes to o'clock Fathers Prendergast. Van
Rensselaer, and Gelina left the scene of the
first execution and went into the boy prison
where Lewis and Carolin were waiting.
Precisely at o'clock Hangman Atkinson
came out of the prison closely followed by
Carolin an d Lewis, guarded on either side
by deputy sherifs Carolin came first. He
was fearful and pale. He walked with a
nervous, tottering step. He gazed wildly
from one side to the other, as II even then
his thoughts were
INTENT UPON ESCAPE.
Indeed, he had to be guided by the hands
Of two deputy sherifs to his place under the
gallows rope nearest Leonard street. There
be stood, trembling violently and rolling
his eyes from side to side. The negro.
Lewis, presented a strong contrast to his
forlorn companion. He walked with a
.pringy, light step, held his head erect and
smiled in the pleasantest way possible as he
shook the hands of those deputy
,heriifs who had been on his deaf watch
lod bid them goodby. Were it not for the
;rewsome surroundings one might have
thought he was merely going pleasurjng
With the pleasantest antlcipations Of good