The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-04-19
HIS LAST UTTERANcE An oATH
Bartholomew Declares His inno-
cence and Dies Biaspheming.


oence and Dies Biasphemlng.
William H. Bartholomew was hang.
ed in jail at Easton, Pa, on the 9th
nst., at 1898 1-2 o'clock and was pro.
nounced dead at 10:4s 1.2. His neck
was broken. Although Bartholomew
had threatened to give the sheriff
trouble and fight to the last, he walk.
ed to the scaffold quietly and with q
firm step. After all arrangements
had been completed he declared him
self innocent and then began damuing
all his accusers and demanding that
Detective Johnson and his paramour,
Mrs. billiard, be also hung. His last
words were mixed with violent oaths
and blasphemous language. The drop
fell in the presence OF 1000 persons
and during heavy shower OF rain.
A minute later, after the drop had
tallen, a slight nervous twitching OF
the body was noticeable, and there
was no other evidence OF distress or
suffering. Immediately after Bartho.
lomew had been pronounced dead the
body was attired in q black suit,
placed in q coffin and sent to the
home OF his family at Weaversville,
where the funeral took place. Bar
tholomew behaved well during the
morning, but refused to dress or to
eat or to ioin the ministers in prayer.
Religious services were, however, held
In his cell. Just before the arrival OF
the sheriff he said to Rev. DIR. Kurtz,
OF Allentown: "As sure as there is O
God in heaven ] am as innocent OF
the shooting as you are" a@
The murder tor which Bartholomew
was hanged was the brutal murder OF
Aaron w. billiard, near Becrsville,
Mort hampton county, on the morn
ing of September 9, 1889. Bartholo-
NEW and billiard were farmers and
live about three miles apart. Bar
tholomew was widower and fre.
quently visited billiards home. These
visits resulted in q scandal and Dill
lard changed his place OF residence.
The visits were afterward renewed
and Bartholomew was made welcome,
because he helped support the family.
Later on billiard had reason to sus-
pect his wifh's fidelity, and he pro-
posed TO remove to Mercer county.
Bartholomew wanted to 60 along, but
the billiards refused to take him.
Then Bartholomew proposed an elope-
ment and Mrs. billiard said she would
not leave the place until alter her hus-
bands death. Two days before the
murder Bartholomew called on Mrs.
billiard ard proposed to put her hus.
band out of the wav. IL was agreed
that he should come shortly after
midnight and disturb the chickens
that roasted on q tree near
the houss. Mrs. billiard was
to arouse her husband, send him
down to the yard with his gun and q
lignted lantern and when he neared
the tree she should tell him to look
up at the hens. The plan was carried
out, billiard was shot near the tree,
he staggered back TO the house and
fell dead at his wife's ieet. Bartholo.
new returned TO his home and when
the crowds gathered the next morning
to inquire about the tragedy they
were told that billiard had been shot
by chicken thief. Bartholomew was
at once suspected OF the crime, detec-
tives made up q strong case of cir.
cumstantial evidence against him and
he was arrested. Mrs. billiard made
tull confession on the day OF her
husbands funeral and repeated it at
Bartholomew's trial on promise
that her sentence would be commuted
to imprisonment for life. Bartholo-
NEW was convicted within two months
after the tragedy and sentenced to be
hanged. Mrs. billiard was also con.
victed OF murder in the first degree
and in accordance with the promise
made che is noe in the Western. peni.
tentiary.