The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-12-25
PoPp's LAST STATEMENT,
He Requested That II Bo Held Until After
the Execution,

CoLuMnus, o., Dec. 10 Special. The
following is the dying statement OF Henry
Pom, written tho day before ho was 10
have been executed, but Il Is now made
public for the first timo
ANNEX ONO PENlTENrIARN,
OCToBER2l, 1880.
TO THE PuBLIc!-Reolizlng, rs 90,
that my time on earth Is fast approaching
an end and that the longth OF my natural
lie is now reduced 10 hours, ana tkat II ~
fast reducing 70 mlnu es, make lnls, my
last statement, with therequest that " no,
be published or given out in any way until
after am dead. When / think that IN a
few short hours will be In myeverlastlng
home above | feel happy. The thought
itself is one worthy OF JOY, although am
20 die an unnatural death. feel conn.
dent that my sins have been forgiven
wlAh 10 return In this my last statement
thanks TO Warden Dyer for the splendid
manner In which he has treated me since
have been put In his care he has proven
himself 10 be well worthy OF the high posi-,
tlon he holds over so many men ana
women. To him wish 10 return my SIN
cere thanks for his many deeds OF Kind
nosa and know that his reward 10 sure
lie hne left nothing undone that would In
anyway increase what little happiness
condemned man can enjoy. Deputy War,
den Porter has also been exceedingly Kind
10 mo and 10 him also do j return my
thnnka. To guards Stinsell, McGuire
md Klouie. who have treated me
so well while under their personal
cnre | give my kindest regards
10 Father Logan, who has visited me al-
most daily, cnn only say that IN my last
prayers / ask his reward IN Heaven !
was born In West Prussia, November ~,
1850. My parents came TO America IN
1880. They wandered about over the
country and finally settled ~ Tv9lnton, Ivli,
Stark county, Ohio, In 1888, WIN q
Younger sister came TO this country ana
Immediately went 10 where my parents
were located. After arriving there found
them I'm very poor circumstances ana my
efforts 10 ilnd work proved vain. ! could
understand very little English aud could
not Talk much. | at last secured work
with the Connoiton Valley railroad as n
section hand. After working there about
ak weeks / worked for tho city at odd
iobs, working on sewers cleaning lhe
streets, etc. This work was very irregu'
lar and tried hard TO ilnd another tltua,,
tion, but all my efforts were IN vain' !
waa often out OF work. | remained IDLE
for weeks nt a time. In Prussia worked
for nv father on n small rented farm
never had the privileges OF the young men
of today In Ohio and my education was
very limited one. can read some, hut
can't write my name In English. IL 10 per
haps because OF my ignorance OF the ways
of American people that have
placed myself where | am and now am
compelled TO leave this earth by tue gal
lows. But In this, my dying statement
can say mover was arrested before IN
my lifo and never was In trouble. | was
out OF work about three days. ! Think
when asked Morita Grether for work he
told me To come around the next day. and
he was 70 pay me flfly cents for helping
nut three barrels OF whisltey in the cellar
Another man, whose name do not know,
was also employed TO holp do tho work
When we started 70 work Mr.. Grother
aaId, "Boys II this whiskey haint good
I'm going 10 send IL back.p When we put
Che whlsley down the cellar every barrel
was opened and each Of us took large
drink, or a "tnste,r as II was called. AS
can be imagined, when. we, were
through VIC were drunk. The other cir
cumstances In regard TO my crime. are
we'll known and / will not repeat them.
When was arrested, my relatives, who
now live In Canton, called on INC at the
county iail every day. Since came here
have not seen any Of them. wrote for
them 10 como, bat God knows poverty
Kept my father away. He knows, ~