Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-22
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. ]

TFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT
WAYNEsBURG, February 21.-The rope
for George Clark's execution will be deliv-
cred to Sheriff Goodwin on Monday. 1t
win be the first hempen cord ever tied
around a mans neck in Greene county,
And it will have to be strong one, too.
Clark, the doomed murderer, weighs 900
pounds, and is the fattest man ever i'm
prisOned in Waynesburg on any charge.
His pants measure 46 inches around the
waist, and he is five feet four inches il
height. Many lighter man has broken
the rope at executions, and the strain on the
line when the fatal trap is sprung next
Wednesday will be something tremendous.
Bope, OF Allegheny City, who has furnished
the ropes for so many hangings (Guiteau's
ineluded) has the order for this one. The
Sheriff told him to make it of triple
strength. The order for the erection of the
galIows was withheld to await the Govern
or's action in the case of Zacharias Taylor.
He, being convicted with Clark of the same
murder, it was deemed fitting by the author
tiles that the two men should expiate the
crime together. Clark, it will be remem-
bered, was first notified that his death day
would be Wednesday, February 26, and the
officials at once petitioned the Governor to
extend this date so as to cause the two felons
to die on the same day. His ExcelIency re-
fused this, and named April as the day for
Taylor's execution.
WORK UPON THE GALLows.
1t having been settled, therefore, that the
murderers will be hanged separately, the
carpenters have been notified to begin work
Monday morning on the scafold. 1t would
have required strong timbers and careful
workmanship to make it firm enough to
bear the jerk and weight of two bodies, but
even now, for the hanging of Clark alone,
the greatest care must be taken in its con-
struction, owing to his hesviness. There is
no such thing as a jail yard here. The spot
selected for the gallows is miserable place
at best. 1t is sort of insert in the walls
where the jail adjoins the court house, and
is not more than 12x15 feet in size A door
from the main corridor of the court house
opens into it. and q window Of the Sherifss
Office looks out upon Its damp brick pave
ment. An alley way, three or four feet
wide, leading out of the corner. must be
boarded up to secure privacy, and when
that is done, the space will be so limited
that spectators will be crowded close to the
edge of the gallows, and practically under
the hanging mans feet Of course under
such circumstances the Sheriff cannot per-
NIT more than half dozen persons to be
present at the scene. Only those whose
business demands their presence will be
given tickets, such as physicians, the min
lister, and newspaper reporters.
The repulsive features common to every
public execution are intensified in this case
BY the fact that Greene county never before
had hanging, and also because there are
great many persons in Wsynesburg, both
in official and private circles, who believe
that Clark, at least, is innocent of the crime
for which he is to suffer. For these reasons
there have been comparatively few applIca-
tions to the Sheriff for passes to the horrible
ceremony.
GEORGE CLARK VISITED.
I was permitted to visit George Clark in
his cell yesterday. The death-wateh had
already been set. Two guards patrol the
corridor in front of the condemned prison
ers' quarters both by day and night The
liberty heretofore allowed the mUrderers of
two promenades day around this corridor
for exercise, will be suspended after to-day
After Clark is hanged, Taylor may be given
the privilege again.
Clark shook hands with me. Two things
instantly appealed to my reason in behalf
of the man. One was the hearty grasp with
Gok. I LII IL A.
the softness of his eyes. There was nothing
clammy in the touch of his flesh, and no
nervousness trembled in the palm of his
hand to send a creeping, dreading sensation
back over my own frame. The hand was
firm and warm, and in spite of the fact that
stood beside person who was convicted
by two courts and the Pardon Board, of
brutal murder, my own hand remained
steady and trustingly in tnat persons grip.
His mild eyes gave him general express
sion Of kindliness and frankness. So incon-
gruous was this guise with the nature of the
crime he is charged with having committed.
that with lips unmoved fear plainly
asked the question, How was,,it possible for |
you to kill human being?" But his voice |
was slightly inharmonious with this first
impression of the man. 1t was deep-toued. |
and its base character suggested both rough. |
ness and sternness. Still, could find |
nothing about his bearing, or character
istics, TO indicate treachery or brutality to a |
marked degree.
WRITING HIS DEATH STATEMENT.
Itis a roomy cell in which Clark is con-
fined. A large bed, neatly spread over with
blankets, occupied the lower end of the
apartment. There was awashstand at the
foot of the bed, and two wood-cut pictures
hung on the wall over each. As the Sheriff
and l entered we found the prisoner seated
at a small table in the front corner of the
cell. 1t was broad daylight outside, and
sunbeams were we'll scattered on the floor of
the corridor beyond the grated bars. But
inside this cage the gloom was quite deep,
and a small lamp burned brightly OF the
stand beside which the doomed man was
busily engaged in writing. There was a
pile of newspapers on one corner OF the |
table. Two books lay beside them. One |
was a small COPY of the New Testament, and |
the other was the voluminous paper book of [
evidence submitted by his attorneys to the |
Supreme Court last year. Clark was dip |
ping ink from an ordinary 5-ceDt bottle of |
Ink and writing laboriously on toolseap |
paper. 1 noticed that he had already filled |
tour or five sheets and was just beginning |
another.
"It is statement that l am preparing to |
be made public alter my execution" he fall |
tered, by way of explanation, when he saw I
me looking rather inquisitiYely at it. 81