, 1890-06-12
A MURDER EXPIATED.
The Indian Pellio Executed
at Portland.
A BRIEF SPEECH IN CHINOOK
The Prisoner Denied His Guilt to
the Last-Died Without
a Struggle.

PORTLAND, June 6.-Pellio. who was
convicted OF the murder of an aged In
dim woman named Mrs. Agnes rasson
on the umatilla reservation, was hanged
at l;l5 l.. NJ. to-day in the county Jail
yard.
The Indian passed aquiet night, sleep
ing soundly. Rev. Father 0rth, of the
ST. Lawrence Catholic church, entered
his cell at ii A. NJ. and remained with
the condemned man until he started for
the scafiold. At i2:5s the condemned
man and Father Orth knclt side by side
at Pellio's bed and engaged in prayer for
few minutes, and then the Indian
began pacing his cell. still protest
ing to the reverend father that he
was innocent, weeping slightly, and dry
ing his eyes with his handkerchief
Another prayer followed, after which
Deputy Sheriff Miner, upon whom
Pellio looked as his best friend, was ad-
man who was soon to be transported to
another life stared blankly ahead of him,
AS If he desired 10 peer into futurity.
An hour before the time OF the exc
cution arrived dense throng Of men
and boys congregated on the north and
west sides of the shed in the courthouse
yard. but they lost their time, as they
could not get glance OF the legal
tragedy TO be enacted. The shed of
death, however, was almost filled with
spectators.
At / 10 Sheriff J.. w. Watrus, of Una
tilla county, where Pellio is supposed TO
have committed the murder, accom-
panied by Jailor James and Deputy
Miner. entered the cell and told Pellio
that his time had arrived. 1t was gen
orally expected that then or upon reach
ing the gallows he would break down,
but in that respect every one was dis.
appointed. Sheriff Watrus led the
solemn procession and Jailor James and
MIR. Miner took the Indians arms, fol
lowed by members of the press. He
walked with firm step up the fatal
stairs without tinchinR. Arriving
there, he was requested by Sheriff
Kelly, whose eyes werc considerably
mostened at that iuncture, to face
the large crowd standing beneath pro
viding he had anything TO say. Prior
to that United States Marshal L.J
BARN read the death warrant. PeIIio
/ then made a talk in Chinook, which was
interpreted. He reiterated his limo
cence of the crime OF murder, and said
ho would face death like man. lie
added though that he did not want TO
! be hanged. but that his life should he
ended by pistol shot. Following
his last speech, he knelt before Father
/ Orth and repeated a final prayer. No
sooner had Pellio said goodbye than
his coat was removed he was hand.
cuiied and his ankles were strapped. lie
underwent the ordeal without a trcmor
or murmur, and acted like brave man
| throughout The blackcap was drawn
over his head, an electric button was
pressed by an unknown person, and the
| Indian dropped distance OF six feet.
/ The fall dislocated his neck, and death
must have been instantaneous. After
the fall there was no death struggle,
scarcely even tho quiver OF muscle
being perceptible.
The execution was as perfectly man.
aged as that of Chee Gong. The dror
was sprung at l!lb, and at l;2i life was
declared extinct. Five minutes later
/ the lifeless body was cut down and de-
| liyered TO number of students of the
medical college. This was in compliance
with the order of the United States court
The crime for which Pellio was exc
cuted was committed on the night o
May 70, 1850. Peliio was aged about u
wears.