Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-14

person and the whole are fictitious and without
. word Of truth. This likewise applies TO my
story In the Nai1 In which have made nc
such confession or partial confession. Thil
holds good throughout
(signedD REo. BrncHALI.
| rHn HAxaxAx Rrsrs xAsrLY.
Ats o'clock the prisoners were started d
their work by Guard Midgeiy, IN hour earlier
than eustomary--this 10 get them out Of the
way during the execution. They swept down
the corridors, cleaned out their cells and
made their beds a. though their most distin-
hours later to be hanged and their prison by
his execution lose it, worldwide fame and
| drop back into it, former obscurity. At 5:l5
O'Clock the hangman opened his eyes, nodded
70 the occupants Of the Office and fell asleep
again. few minutes afterward he opened his
eyes again, and on being told he had an hour
longer he closed his eyes and dropped on into
his unrufied repose. Al $50 o'clock the cook
| began TO prepare Birchall's breakfast, which
had been ordered for 8 o'clock. II consisted
Of poaehed eggs, toast, canned peaches, canned
rsspberries and coffee.
Breakfast was brought into Birchairs cell by
| the cook at o'clock promptly. Birchsu looked
| At 10 and said he did not feel like eating any
| thing. Cook left the food however. and with
drew, and on ;econd thoughs Birsh.ll turned
| Of eggs and then pushed the tray from him.
TIE FINAL PRrPARArIoxa
Then he began to prepare for the 6nsl terri
BILE ordeal He put on white flannel shirt
With coat and vest over II. but had previously
| asked Turnkey Forbes 10 zee that this was re-
placed after execution by an ordinary whito
| shirt with starched collar and tie. He would not
wear . starched collar at the execution, he said
| because 1t might interfere with the placing OF
| the rope. Meantime, about $50 o'clock, and
from then on, crowd began 10 collect In front
Of the gaol, chiefly newspaper men from all
over Canada and the United States, but in
| GLIDING good many residents, many Of whom
were there and we're subsequently admitted TO
death OF Birchail At about 80 Deputy Sheriff
Perry showed up and the doors of the gaol
were opened and the crowd Of waiting men
| admitted and passed straight through 10 the
yard in which the scaffold Was erected About
100 were admitted, but the number was subse-
quently increased by about fifty. The sxecu-
tioneer appeared on the scene at 1885, rope in
hand and began Immediately to put things in
order.
THE scAFFoLp.
The scsffold II made of three pieces Of tim
Der six inches square. Two uprights are sunk
in the ground, and the third timber crosses ever
the top Of them and extends ont over one side.
The uprights are seven feet apart and the
top beam extends over one side about six feet
The scafold u within i've feet Of the wall Of
the yard and close in the northeast corner Of
the west yard. There 10 q hole through the top
timber midway between the uprights and
down TO be put around the condemned man .
neck. The rope then passes out along the top
timber, over the extension and through an
other pulley and hole TO have the weight at
tached. There 10 . heavy staple near this
hole outside the uprights, to which the weight
Of iron, is suspended before the fatal drop Is
made At the proper time the executioner
pulls rope, and the weight released from the
chain drops until the slack In the moose rope is
taken up. Then the jerk wrenches the victim
from the ground aud draws him four feet into
the air.
THE txKcUrIoNER At WORK.
It was the arrangement of this apparatus
that the executionsr set about He was
dressed in his drsb corduroy coat and soft
black hat and he was smoking Q pipe. He
placed ladder against the wall and with de-
liberation ascended 10 put the moose rope
through the pulieys and 10 attach the chain TO
the staple. A block with three-quarter Inch
rope was hung on and the staple near that to
which the chain hung and by means Of this
block and tackle the weight was run up with
the assistance OF some Of those present to be
attached to the chain
The weight hung 10 the chain held BY an iron
pin, which when pulled out Of place by small
rope released the weight. A couple of tele-
another had been put into the Jail kitchen.
The doorkeepar. who stood taking tickets,
was kept busy until after o'clock and then a
crowd Of curious ones stood about the door and
crowded against the bars, not able to bee any
thing and not knowing what they were there
for. Inside the Jail in the rotunds q line of
tipstaves directed the incomery to the door CT
the corridor leading TO the west yard. For half
An hour a couple Of hundred people in the
yard, for the crowd who had been able TO Sc
Iv-nsH
about kicking their toe. 70 keep away the frost
that still Rlisssnsd on the grass.
SPECTATORS IN THH TRRKs.
The trees outside the west wall were occupied
with boys. and . platform and partly con-
sructed wall 1t the new county building was
crowded with throng of men. Deputy Sheriff
Perry was officiating actively, but the feeble
old sheriff arrayed In the uniform and sword of
his office was in the gaoler's office before the
execution, and followed the procession out to
see his hireling, the hangman, do the Job. DR..
spectoTate Office was present, and 20 we're DIR.
McLay, coroner. and DR.. Oldrum. DR.. Rice,
the gaol surgeon, went up TO Birchalls cell
early in the morning and joined the rural
dean. Birchalfs manly friend and college
chum, Mr.. Leethsm Of Montreal, went up 70
his cell at 7:45 o'clock At s.lb O'Clock Dr..
Rice came down from the corridor and iefs the
prisoner alone with his friend and his spiritual
adviser. Dr. Chamberlain, too, saw the
prisoner during the early morning.
At s:i5 O'Clock the hsngman having
completed preparations outside came in and
took from his black vslise q long black Prince
Albert coat, and, removing his hat, walked
about in the Jail baEeheaded For some min
utes consultation was held on the iron stairs
by DR.. Chamberlain, Deputy sheriff Perry aud
A. d. Stewart Of Hamilton, who has been here
two days and has taken deep interest in the
| execution. Night Guard Midgely, dressed In
his best clothes, the hard look about his mouth,
but tell-tale moistness about bis eyes, climbed
the stairs and stood on the gallery beside
Birchalrs corridor door.
THE DEATH MARCH.
There the old soldier stood gloomy and sor-
rowful until the sad procession passed out and
down the spiral steps. At S:23 o'clock DR.. Cham
bsrlain, Deputy sheriff Perry Cameron and Day
Guard George Perry having gone into the COR
ridor, the exscutt0neP was beckoned to 20 up.
He had been walking around the rotunda, In
his hands the straps with which TO tie BircballG
arms, waiting for the signal 10 60 up. He put
behind his back and partly under the skirt oil
| his coat the russet-cOlored straps and went mp
| the stairs. A minute or two he took TO strap
| the prisoners arms behind his back, and then
the awful march TO death began at 8:25 O'Clock.
First came the Rev. Mr.. Wade. After him
came the old sheriff with his cooked hat and
insignia Of office, and other Jail officials, and
then Birohali himself, very pale. aud his pslor
intensified by the blue cheviot suit he wore.
When he descended the steps Keeper Perry
took his left arm and his friend Lothian hii
| right, and between these two he walked un.
| dinching to the gaiiows and took his place
beneath the beam q little east AZ tina center