The morning call., 1890-06-21
WE ARE INNOCENT
Last Words Of Josiah Potts
and His Wife.
The Condemned Woman Walks UnlinCh-
in5ly to The Gallons.
She Assists the Officers on the SGatfDld.
Her Attempt at Suicide Discovered.
SiCkening Scene.
Special Dispatch to THE MORNING CALL.

ELKo New, June 20.-The peculiarly afro
cous crime OF Josiah and Elizabeth Potts was
explated on the galOws here to-day The ofense
for which they forfeited their lives was the muir
der OF Miles Fawcet, an aged man. on The lst
day OF January, 1888, near Carlin. Potts was
machinist, AZ yeais of age. and his wife was i've
years his junior Fawcett lived in their neigh
borhood, aud Mrs. Potts performed certain
household duties for him for pay. He loaned
Potts several hundred dollars, which he was un-
able to collect, and l-feellng arose between the
old man and the machinist and wife. On The
day of the murder he had 5000 about his person
aud made known his intention of dunning Potts.
He was not seen alive again and the Potts family
removed 10 Wyoming. An accident revealed
Fawcetrs body, which was hidden in the walls
OF Potts house. aud an examination showed he
had been murdered The couple were arrested
and convicted. Strenuous efforts were made 10
have their sentences commuted, but the Board
of Pard0ns refused to interfere.
ANXIOUS FOR PERMITS.
Elko was to-day In q smoldefing ferment of ex
element, and parties were pouring In from all
directions. Civilian and official opinion was d.
vided regarding the execution. The majority
favored Potts.
woman named Spencer attended a meeting
lew udyS ago 10 secure tue communication Ol Tue
sentence. and carried out rayIng. She was
taken to California yesterday for mental treat
ment Over sixteen women applied TO the Sheriff
Tor permits to witness the execution. They were
refused.
The conduct OF Mrs. Potts the past five days
had been an alienation of nysterlcal crying,
screaming aud swearing at her husband through
the lattice cell bars Potts mOped his time away
at solitaire.
A few days ago the husband, still anxious to
screen his wife, told a visitor that lie alone was
guilty OF the crime. "You liel" she exclaimed;
you know you le!' applying to her husband at
the same lime vile epithet.
constant watch had to be kept on her for
months past DuIing her conversation with Wis.,
itors and her feilOw-conyicts she said she in
tended making q fouI-hour talk the scaffOd,
evidently with the idea that she could exceed
the time allotted for the execution ana allow her
lawyer TO introduce technical law points. In
view of this and the apprehension of trouble the
hour OF execution was kept profound secret.
She had shroud made for long time and tried
1t on daily, and said she wanted coffin big
enough to turn around in.
SHE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
This morning at o'clock she attempted to
commit suicide, gashiug her wrists and then
making an effort to smother herself. The vigil
lance OF the death watch prevented her success.
She tainted with The loss OF blood. The doctor
was called and he bandaged the wound and she
revived.
Both retired early in terribly nervous condi
lion. The strict orders Of the Sheriff were, IN
visitors" Such was The situation at midnight.
II was absolutely impossible 10 interview Potts
the past fortyeight hours, and up 10 the execu-
tiOn the DEATH watch was vigllant, and all news
Pap'r maneugers fTutless The spiritual adj
wiser, DR.. Porter, was the only one admitted.
He claimed that within the last hour and a half
the PoltSes experienced great change of heart
aud accepted Christian salvation. Mrs. Potts
suddenly became doce and resigned. She
In oh IFRtl lFlfh IN fIa hpx
rlage.
THE DREAD SUMMONS.
At1o:3o O'clock this morning tie Sheriff read
the death warrants TO Josiah and Anne Potts.
The reading oI the warrants took place in the
doorway of The latticed cell, which Josiah has
occupied for so long a period. He stood In a
most Respondent altitude with his head bowed
down against the iron bars, and never once dur
ing the reading Of the warrant did he lift his
His wife stood erect clad in a neat. soft, mus
lin suit, draped III black, with bright red rose
In her bodice. She was pale, but had most de-
Iermined aspect in every feature OF her cOunIe
nance. During the reading OF her own warrant
only once did she show any emotion whatever
ana then she couvusively cluIched her throat
When her husbands warrant being read,
and the words changed by the neck till you be
dead" were reached she gave an byserlcal gasp
and seemed TO exhibit much feeling.
The reading of The warrants was finished at
twenty minutes to II o'clock and both the con
demned emerged from the living tomb In which
they have been engul1ed Tor eighteen long months
and proceeded out of a side door to the yard
between the Courthouse and the jail in which
the scatfod had been erected. During the read
ing OF lne warrants, and evidently owing 10 the
Intense nervous strain on every QUE, the Deputy
Sheriff was SO overcome that he had TO call for a
glass of water.
"GoD KNOWS WE ARE INNOCENT"
At the conclusion of tile reading Mrs. Potts
earnestly calculated: " J.! am innocent and God
knows IT," and Josiah Potts reiterated, "God
knows We are innocent"
The mournfui procession led the way through
The fateIul side door and. with bravery unex-
pect.d by the sixty odd spectators, they sealed
themselves on stools provided on the scaff0ld
While the deputies speedily proceeded to bind
them with the leather straps, Mrs Potts helping
10 adjust them herself, and Potts sitting in all
SL0lidlly.
When everything had been properly adjusted
they were directed TO Use and all Of tie at.
iendanls shook hands with both of the unfortu.
nate victims OF The laws memorable demands.
AS they stood after shaking their hand. the last
attendant held Tie strap attached to Mrs Fotts'
manacled wrists aud Poils made several most
earnest endeayors 10 Clasp the hand OF his wife
without accomplishing IL.
THE LAST EMBRACE.
Finally a touch her wrist caused her to turn
her eyes toward his, and the mute appeal of the
love between them mat one or The other is dying
on account OF The partners iransgressons caused
their lips TO meet IN All almost Spontaneous en-
brace. AS the rope was stretched around Mrs.
Potts neck she clasped her hands together and
lifted her eyes toward her last earthly sky, ex.
Claiming, "God help Inc, / am innocent'' Like a
voice from Memphian sphinx her husband fe-
it@rated 10 hollow tone, "God knows we are
innocent"
As the black caps were drawn over their heads.
shutting out their last light OF day, the solemn
words OF the clergyman who had remained with
them 10 The last broke the silence, put your
trust III God aud he VIII see you rIghted'; aud
then the drop Tell. Instantly Mrs. Potts was a
corpse.
A SICKENING SCENE.
Her heavy weight ana faced flesh caused
rupture OF The carotid artery, aud a stream OF
blood as large lead pencil burst forth from
under tile Chin Of the hanged woman, staining
her white raiment and dropping In fakes Oh the
soil beneath the scatfold.
To The great surprise OF all who had seen Potts
and his emaciated condition. his vitality was
very strong, II being fraction over fourteen
minutes, az counted by an Associated Press re-
porter by the watch. before life was pronounced
extnct by Drs. Meiggs aud Petty.
Al :OS o'clock the body of Mrs. Potts was
cut down. when it seen that her excessive
weight Oh ihe 512-foot drop had almost dissey.
eTed the head from the trunk. the rear neck
muscles alone supporting the connection.
About nine minutes later Josiah Potts body
was cut down, and the body Of himself and the
wife to whom lie was devoted, la the absence OF
any Claiming friends, were deposited in the Pot
teI's field OF Eko graveyard half an hour later.
After The interment OF the bodies OF Mr. and
Mrs. Potts the final act 10 the tragic drama was
played this afternoon by the depositing In
the pOtters' field by District Attorney
Love, OF all tue mortal remains
of the murdered Fawcett known TO
exist above earth. IL seemed peculiarly fitting
finale TO the whole gruesome tragedy In which
tile lives OF three human beings have been In.
VOWED The box OF bones have laid in District
Attorney Loves office at the courthouse ever
since the time when. with sleuth-llke scent be
started after the criminal.