Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-03-08
FRLIX KAMPF.
Talagrarn N the Register.

CHARLESTON, W. VA, March 7.-At
11:O1 O'Clock precisely to-day, Felix
Ksmpf paid the penalty OF death for the
murder of his two children, Mary end
William, October 4th last, and the inhu-
man crime is avenged. The day was ush-
cred in by clear, cold morning, the ther-
mometer indicating three degrees above
zero. The earth was covered with snow,
which had fallen the Eight and day be-
fore. Ksmpf was the ssue imperturbab!e
man that he has been since his arrest and
sentence. He retired at the usual hour laat
night, ard slept calmly until early
morning when he arose and after breakfast
prepared his toilet. He had been furn-
ished neat black suit which be donned
and expressed himself IS being we'll
pleased with it. After having completed
his toilet, he devoted some time to prayer,
and shortly before 10 O'Clock Sheriff Pick
enc, Dr. Barbour, Clerk Smith snd a num-
Der of others, together with Father Steng-
er, entered the jail, and, at the request Of
Attorney James II. Payne, for Ksmpf, the
death warrant was nos read and he WAS
lett with Father S!enger, who admins
tered the Holy Communion, and who re-
maiued with him until lew minutes be.
fore II o'clock
IN DBEP CONVERSATION
and earnest prayer. His last moments
were spent With his confessor, srd what
passed will never be known.
At eight minutes to IL o'clock the
Sheriff and assistants went from the Iecep-
tion room of the Jail TO the cell Of the
doomed man and in moment they re.
appeared with the prisoner and walked
from the jail, but forty steps away to the
scaffold, preceded by the police force OF
this city. The prisoner walked firmly to
the scaffold with the Sheriff at his side aud
Father Stenger on his left. His step was
firm and not a sign of his awful doom was
depicted upon his face as he turned lis
head neither to the right nor to the left.
Upon noticing the scaffcli he paused,
mounted the steps and, as he glanced up
at the beam and rope, mechanically took
his position. But as he failed to step
directly on the trap door he was shown
where TO stard, and without tremble be
took his position. His hands had not
bsen pinioned, as it was his request, and
upon taking his place on the trap
HE SHOOK HANDS
with Father Stenger, DR.. Barbour and the
Sheriff and bade them goodbye" and
turning he said: "Good-by to all, good
bye; 1 am ready" His arms and feet
we're strapped by the deputies and the
moose adjusted by the Sheriff. Kampf
complained that the Iope was too tight
and it was loosened.
The black cap was drawn.
Ard lust one minute after eleven o'clock
the trap WAS sprung. At the end Of ten
minutes, according to what Dr.. Barbour
SAYS, the heart was still beating, bat in
two minutes more life was declared ex-
tinct, but the body was to hang half an
hour. Notwithstanding he was choked to
death he did not make struggle or move
a muscle.
Just bafore the black cap was drawn
and when be was bidding farewell TO all
tears came to his eyes and tTicAled down
his cheeks. He msde no talk on the scat
fold but just before lesviog the Jail, be
ssid that when be committed the awful
deed be was very angry. At the txpira'
tion of the half hour the body WAS taken
down and placed iu neat co flo and taken
to the Catholic church, where a requiem
was said, thence to the cemetery for inter
ment
with this execution, the Kampf fam
ilyis
WIPED OUT OF EXISTENCE,
AZ the murderer has no relatives in this
country. Sheriff Piekens, who has sll
along forbidden any newspaper men to
talk TO him about the hanging or go about
the Jail, maintained his determination not
TO recogu zs the press until the last.
An accident happened after the body
had hung for ten minutes by the floor OF
the scsffold giving away and throwing ten
of the officers, witnesses and doctors to the
ground, distance CT seven feet. As the
men fell several struck against the body OF
Ksmpf and swurg it back and forth like
a bell clspper.
For several weeks past Pickens has re-
fused TO say where the scaffold was to be
erected, and, In order 10 prevent newspa-
pers from finding out anything about it, be
Rad il erected about o'clock this morn
ing. and as it was very cold, 1t is believed
that the carpenters became chilled in put
ting it together and failed to make the
floor as strong as it should have been.
pickens' determination to keep the affair
a secret failed, and the hasty manner in
which the machine was put up goes largely
10 account for the accident. There was
large crowd in the city, but perfect order
was maintained Ksmpf died in full be-
lief. as he said, that he wovld go to heaven.
STORY OF THE CRIME
The crime for which Ksmpf suffered
death to day ws4the murder Of his daugh-
ter Mary, eyed 20 years, and his con Will
liam. VIII, was year younger. Their
mother bad been dead several years and
the father was SO brutal and dissgrseable
that the children left their home, which
was but little better than hovel, and
went to house keeping in cahin
ABOUT HALF MILE
f,,p the home of ,heir fsther. On the
evening of October 4. 1889. Ksmpi, who
had besu working for farmer near by,
ratnrned M TO his home sad found that
set of smoothing irons he'd been
tr,r, his house. He came to