Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-11-16
PAID THE PENALTY.
Birchall, the Murderer of Ben
well, Pays tre Penalty
of his Crime or
Friday.
An Impressive Scene at the
Gallows-He Meets his
Maker Withct a
Falter.
He is the Coolest Person Around
the Gallows-His Last
Statement to the
Public.
Paid the Penalty

WOODSTOCK, Ont, Nov. li.--At 500
this morning Reginald Brchall was
launched into eternity for the murder
Of his fellow couDtryman, +. C.. Ben
well. H. psr'ook sDaringly Of break.
fast at g o'clock, aud then began TO
prepare for the fiUal Odeal. He put
ou white flannel shirt with coat and
ve-t, but asked the turukey to see that
This WIS replaced after the execution
by sn ordinary white shir, with a
stsrchrd cellar and tie. He would
not wear the starched rolsr a: the
.xecutof. he said, becAu.e IL might
interfere with rre placing of the rope
around his neck. A. ESQ aud from
then on The crowd began to collect in
ffunt OF the jail, chiefly newspaper
men from all over Canada and the
United States. Al 80 the doors were
al. opened and the crowd was admit
TED and passed through 10 the yard in
which The scaffllI WAS erected. About
l50 persons were admitted. The exc.
cutioner appeared on the scene at 1:35
with rope in hand and began TO PIT
things In order. The scaiiold was
made OF three pieces of timper, six
inches squsre-lwo uprlghta sunk in
the ground and the third timber
crossed over tie top. Tie rope ran
over pulleys. In the cross beam a
canister weighted with $50 pounds OF
iron was attached TO the opposite eud
of The Eoose and held up by cord to
staple. Cutting this cord looseDs
the weight which falls and jerks the
condemned upward four ieet At sis
the bangnan, having completed his
preparations ontsids, came in w&ring
a long Prince Albert coat and relieving
night guard Miigley, who had Ia hard
lc jk alont h's mouth, but tell.tsle
uoisiuets about tue eyes, climbed up
the stairs AID stood on the gallery
beside Birchall's corridor door. The
old soldier stood gloomy and sorrow fu'
Until tie sad procession passed out
and down the spiral steps. A, So;
the ex.cutioper was beckoned to &c
up. He Lad been walking around the
roiuDda, in his hands the straps with
which to tie Birchall's arms, waiting
for the signal. He put behind bis
back and partly under the skirt Of hi'
coat, the rusett colored straps, and
went up stairs. In minute or two
he strapped the prisoners arm
behind his back and then the awfu
march TO death began al s:25. FRS
came Rural Dean Wade, In a surplus
and reading the Church of Epglap,
service for the dead. Behind him wa
DIR. Chamberlain, followed by DR.
Stewart ard Deputy. Sheriff Perry
The prisoner came next, deadly pal
but resolute, and his jaws locked will
the fixlty Of death. His step wa
steady and his jet black hair an,
noustache made the pallor Of his fac
look like marble. He was dressed Il
dark colored tweed clothes, whit
flannel shirt, with black bow at tn
collar, aad light patent leather shoes
He looked 50 young, and there wa
such su expression Of unmovabl
resolution aud undaunted courage ol
his face that the men who saw him
and knew him worthy Of death In tn
eye of the law, forgot be had shot hi
friend In the back In q lonely swami
The faces of half Of the men were q
white almost ~ that of .he do0me
man. At the foot Of the spiral stain
the procession formed and his frIen
weetham walked on oPe side Of bin
with day guard Geo. Perry on III
osher. Jailsr Cameron followed theI
and after the hangman the ags
sheriff, supportsd 10 the doer Of u
corridor overlookiug the wet ysr
weethsm walked Close and held o.
hand Of Blrohall's In both Of his vi
= Ill the assurance Of friendshlp By
' hearty clssp. Here ths aston In q
tragedy stopped With their char
nftsen feet from the sallows and .
= solemn topss Of the Ausslisan ssrvi
nllsd every one there with . bon
= thas hardly lss ths0 realise ths n
nsadsus Importance sf thaa In Viii