The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-15
Birchall Dons White Flannel
Shirt for the Ceremony of
Hanging.
He Showed no Mercy to His
Helpless Victim in the
Lonely Swamp.
Well Endowed by Nature, Fiendish by
Choice-Painful Scenes at the jail
and ScaffOld.

morning Reginald Brchall was launched
into eternity for the murder OF his fellow
+. G. Benweli. He partook
of breakfast at six O'Clock ana
then began to prepare for the final ordeal.
He put on white flannel shirt with coat
and vest, but asked the turnkey to see that
this was replaced after the execution by an
ordinary white shirt with starched collar
and tie. He would not wear tho starched
collar at the execution, he said, because it
might interfere with the placing Of the rope
around his neck. AT $50 and from then on
the crowd began to collect in front OF the
Jail, chiefly newspaper men from all over
Canuda and the United States. At 7:3O the
doors were all opened and the crowd was
admitted and passed through to the yard IN
which the scaffold WAS erected. About one
hundred and fifty persons were admitted.
The executioner appeared on the scene
at 1885 with rope IN hand ana
began to put things in order. The scaffold
was made of three pieces OF timber, six
inches square-two uprights sunk IN the
ground and the third timber crossed over
the top. The rope ran over pulleys. In
the cross beam canister weighted with $50
rounds of iron was attached to the opposite
end of the moose and held up by a cord to
staple. Cutting this cord loosens, the weight,
which falls and jerks the condemned up
ward four feet. At 8:15 the hangman, hay
ing completed his preparations outside.
came in wearing long Prince Albert coat
and relieving Night Guard Midpley, who
had hard look about his mouth, but tell
tale moistness about the eyes, climbed up
the stairs and stood on the gallery besid
Bi chnlps corridor door. The old soldie
stood gloomy and sorrowful until the SAD
procession passed out and down the spiral
steps. At 1913 the executioner was beck
oned to go up. He had been walking
with which to tie Birchalrs arms, waiting
for the signal. He put behind his back
and partly under the skirts of mis- coat, the
russell colored straps, and went up stairs.
In minute or two he strapped the PRISON
er's arms behind his back and then the aw-
full march to death began at o:Zn. flrss
came rural Dean Wade in surpllce, and
reading the church of England service for
the dead. Behind him was DIR. Chamber
lain, followed by DR.. Stewart and Deputy
Sheriff Perry, The prisoner came next.
deathly pale but resolute, and his jaws
was steady and his jet black hair and mus
tache made the pallor of his face look like
marble, He was dressed in dark cOlored
tweed clothes, white flannel shirt, with
bow at the collar. and light patent leather
shoes. He looked SO young and there was
such an expression of unmovable resolution
and undaunted courage on his face that the
men who saw him. and knew him worthy
Of death in the eye Of the law, forgot that
he had shot his friend in the back in a
lonely swamp. The faces Of half OF
the men were as white almost as that
of the doomed man. At the foot of
the spiral stairs, the procession formed and
his friend Weetham walked on one side of
him. with Day Guard Geo. Perry on the
other. Jailer Cameron followed them, and
after the hangman the aged sheriff, sup
ported to the door of the corridor overlook
ing the west yard. The march was slow
along the corridor and ont into the yard:
OF Birchail's IN both of his with all the as
surance of friendship by n hearty clasp.
Here the actors in the tragedy stopped with
their charge fifteen feet from the gallows
and the solemn tones of the Anglican ser
vice filled every one there with horror
that hardly let them realize the tremendous
importance of that in which they we're tax
ing part. They felt an overpowering pity
for the black haired young man standing
on the threshold of eternity. His eyes had
not q trace of that frivolity that lightened
his imprisonment. As he stood listening t
on the blue sky over to the north
There was not haunted look, no
was there any fear in his eyes, but
fixed purpose that seemed to consume
his reason. It is not possible to imagin
the expression Of his face. He was living
lifetime in that hour, and there was no on
there but would have shared the strain O
his terrible ordeal. 1t was not OF despai
but he had strung his whole being up to di
game. At the words ''dust to DUST" Birch
all stepped forward and took his place vi
der the scaffold with his face to tue soutl
-. OH In took Woa
hams hand in his. and the friends kiss
under the gallows. The executioner y
the strap around the prisoners legs ju
above the knees, when the Clergyman to-
Birchalrs hand and kissed him. The W
nesses were sure the end was near. and t
edge can say how terrible it was to
man standing alone there on the gre
sward. As the priest entered up
the Lords prayer the executioner p
the black cap over the head of the doom'
man and adjusted the moose about h
say nothing at the scaffold, and the W
nesses did not expect he would. His
lence seemed by the intensity OF his pu
pose to be silence concentrated hundr
times. He did not say word after leavi
the cell except it might have been to my
babe them bood-bye with a kiss. At 8:
six minutes after the procession start
from the corridor. the words, Deliver
from evir' save the signal and quick p.
on the small rope by the executioner, "
stood behind the laws victim, released
immense weight. 1t dropped with the
pidity Of thought and sank six or Gig
inches in the ground by the force of
weight. Birchall had been placed close
ons of the uprights, and the jerk of I
moose drew his body first obliquely and Il
up. The body jerked into the air alb,
five feet, fell until the feet were within I
feet OF the ground. Commissions &C
menced half q minute later, but were
at all violent, more resembling the hel
breathings with slight twitching of
hands and legs. At S:3O1s the convulsi,
ceased. At 1886 DIR. Chamberlain decle
life extinct. He said the neck was brok
Mrs. Birchall remained in the cell v
her husband till one o'clock this morni
when she was led away weeping, Bircl
/. slept very little, but his demeanor dur
the night remained UNCHANGED. He
the impression that some one would p
lish false confession with him SO he
pared final statement.
Protesting Innocence.
WooDsrocK. Nov. II. ls9o.-(AM rights
served.) II after my death there shall
pear in the press or In any other man
whatsoever, any confession that had
hand in the murder of F. G. Benwell,
any personal knowledge Of the said n
der ON the 18th of February or ON at