The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1890-03-12
THE PENALTY Paid.
Felix Kempf Swung mo Eternity.
For The Murder OF lis Children.
His Death Vas Instant
and Without a
Struggle.
Struggle.
NlnawIla Gazetle. satur.lay.


Long before daylight yesterday
mornilg strangers begun TO arrive
! IN Charleston TO witness the: exc
cdtin1 OF; Felix Kempf. who was
sentencedsto be hanged on Friday.
March the z, 1890. When the GA
ZETTE went 10 press yesterday
morning we were, unable 10 Inform
tour; renders where the hanging was
toto Take place, whether it would
be pnbtif; or private, owins.sto -.the
discpnrteous manner in which slIer-
| itf Pickens treated the members of
the press. Not the least informs-
ton would he impart,
E,r RETAINING a -suLLENNEss
That one wouldsnot expect to see in
a public officer Not until early
yesterday morning, when the CAR
penters began the erection OF a scat
fold, was the public aware of the
place where the execution would
occur. As soon as it. was light
enough to work carpenters began
To remove the frame work of the
scaffold from the basement of the
Jail and began its erection in the
conrt house yard, almost opposite
the county clerks Office.
AS soon as it was learned that
the hanging would be public, thous-
ands visited the scene to view the
the scaffold. Many of those from.
out OF the city, fearing that the
crowd would be so large that they
would be unable.to get a good view.
Of. fla aS-ac1tfinn <sao,.eafti :, ,~,..s,l -
sition in the. snow standing for
from two to three. hours. By 1880
O'Clock
FULLY FIVE THoUsANDrP PEOPLE
had assembled in the grounds and
on the adjacent streets and build
ings. Some remained only hong
to see the condemned man
mount the seaffold, then hurried
away to shut the awful. sight. from
their view, but the. majority re-
-mdined until tile fifeiess body had
been placed in the coffin. There
were very few ladies present@pers
haps not TO exceed one hundred. !,
The police force was on the scene
early, successfully keeping the
crowd at a proper distance, from the
scaffoId and maintaining perfect.
order. III.
. The condemned man passed. the
might quietly, sleeping as well as
could be expected III the morning
he ate small breakfast and then
few of his friends; among
whom were Mr.. J. NJ Pay-ne.sLe&is
Wehrle and Father Stenger, who
remained with liiIn-consiantlY till
his death. .,st
TILE DEATH WARRANT i
was produced. by Father Stenger,
but Kempf said that he knew what
was 10 happen, aud did not care to
have the warrant read. He re-:
manned peif6rtly calm and collect
ed, although he-nlly realizets' what
was going to happen.
:. At Il few minutes before eleven
O'clock a. M, Felix Kanipf assembled
the scatfold. Hisstep was firm for
ohc;of-iiis age, and his.filce betrayed
no Sign of nervousness As, he
mounted the first step, supported by
the sheriff, he stopped aid made
some rcmarlt, which wis not audi
bic, and. then aScended to the plat
form above a smile was upon his
eonntenancc as he asked.the sheriff
where to stand. After. taking his
position upon the trap he !.
sMTLINGLY BID GOOD BYE ::
to the sheriff and prs.. .Barber,
.Phister! and Aaltz,, the attending
Physicians. The preparations for
the hanging was all completed upon
the scsfffofd bei6re the condemned
man WAS taken from'the Jail; and
within three minutes after he stepped
upon the trap the. black cap was AID
justed and Sheriff Pickens pulled
the leter, which sent into eternity
the soul ofone of the most brutal.
mnrderers who was eper brought.to
justice in this State. -. st. /.
kempf, as he stood upon the scat.
fold, Wore
SMILE OF INDIFFERENCE,
which he maintained until the,
black cap was placed upon his head.
Until this time he not seem to reat-.
ize how pear his miserable life was
drawing to a close. but the. moment
the terrible black cap touched his
head his whole expression changed,
and tears We're plainly seen upon
his cheeks.
The scene upon the.scaffold as the
doomed man, surrounded. by the
twelve persons permitted by law to
witness the execution, the sheriff
aud the attending physicians, was
looking about him for the. last time.
knowing that in a few moments more
he would be
LApNcHED INTO ETERNITY,
and then.appear before his Maker
To receive his final sentence, is npp
mover to be forgotten by those who
Witnessed it. -.-'i
I. Nempf seemed to:isnow Just what
TODD upon the scaffola, as hesplaced
his feet together and his bands he.
hind his back ready 70 be pinioned,
After the sheriff had fastened his
arms and ankles with straps, the
murdefer's hat was removed and
the moose placed about his, neck.