The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-11-20
BlRCHALL HANGED.

BlRCHALL HANGED.
Execution Of the Murderer Of Benwsn IN
the Woodstock, Ont. JAil-Ho Faces
Death Calmly.
WOODSTOCK, Ont, Nov. 15-Reginald
Birchall, who decoyed Frederick G. Ben
we'll. fellow countryman, from Eng
land on pretense OF helping him to
learn farming in Canada and murdered
him in a swamp near here, was hanged
in the jail-yard at this place at s:26 a m.
Friday.
His death, 50 far as could be ascertained,
was painless. Six minutes after the great
weight jerked his body into the air, the
physicians pronounced him dead. The
post-mortem discovered that death had
been caused by strangulation. The
usual statutory verdict was found by
the coroner's jury.
The hanging was first set down for 3
o'clock, but by Birchalrs own request il
was done half an hour earlier. After
he had breakfasted he sat in his eel
smoking cigars and chatting with old
Sheriff Perry. The latter was solemn;
Birchall was not. He seemed to find
amusement in the fact OF the old sher-
ifrs sorrow for him.
Birchall was dressed in . white
flannel shirt, dark striped trousers, and
slippers. At his throat he wore
tasty black tie. The criminal was ac-
companied to the scaffold by Rev.
Wade, who has been constant in his at
tendance on the prisoner since the trial
Other members OF the procession were
George Perry, Birchall's guard, and
Prison Inspector Chamberlain. Birchall
was perfectly calm and cheerily sa-
luted each member Of the party as they
entered his cell. Among the spec
tators was Arthur Leetham OF
Oxford. Leetham saluted the pris-
oner, who advanced and kissed him full
on the lips. the tears running down
Leetham's cheeks, while Birchall did
not change muscle of his countenance.
Birchall mounted the steps Of the scat
fold with an unfaltering tread. When
the religious exercises were begun
Birchall joined heartily, being particu-
larly emphatic in his ''amens" On
the surrounding buildings overlooking
the Jail yard were hundreds of people
who were thus enabled to witness
the last act Of the Benwell trag-
edy. Birchall repeated the Lords
prayer after Rev. Wade while the moose
was being put around his neck. Ht sub
mitted to the hangman in his usual
matter-of-fact way. There was slight
ly wearied look in his eyes, While the
doomed mans legs were being bound
with . strap Birchall stood with
his head erect looking straight
before him, and Offering no OBJ
lection to the hangman's op-
erations. Toward the conclusion of the
Lords prayer Rev. DIR. Wade's voice
was filled with deepest anguish and
broke. He stepped forward and kissed
Birchall. saying: MAY God have mercy
on you," and retired few PAGES. The
supreme moment was at hand.
When Radcliffe. the Toronto hang
man. pulled the black cap over Birch
alrs face the latter said. loud enough
for every one to hear: "Well, won't you
shake hands before go?" This rather
dumbfounded Radcliffe for moment.
Then he thrust forth his hand and
shook Birchall's hand.
Then stepping back he took hold Of
the cord connecting with the latch OF
the weight above. John Perry, the son
of the sheriff. and acting for his father.
was standing three or four steps to
the left He gave the signal and
the bolt was drawn out The body
was jerked in an oblique direc-
tion. 1t moved around for q few sec
onds with its own momentum and final
ly hung straight down. A convulsive
shudder ran through the frame. Then
a blood-curdling sight was witnessed.
The hands clasped and unclasped con-
yulsively, the nails entering the flesh
and causing the blood to flow;
the legs drew up and Strengthened out
There was every indication that the man
was being slowly strangled. His neck
was not broken. Two minutes after the
bolt was Withdrawn Birchalls pulse was
sixty strokes per minute. At the end Of
six minutes he was pronounced dead.
IBirchall's crime was the killing OF +. G.
| Benwel February II last in . swamp in Oxford
County, Canada. Birchall came To Canada
early III SuunuleE Va 1000 W USGOLlc I0tACIs
| but, finding the work harder and the pay
| smaller than he had been led TO expect he
stayed in Woodstock. Birchall talked q
great deal about aristOcrats In England
with whom he claimed to be acquainted
| or connected. His wife seemed to second him
| in what he did These two disappeared in the
| fall as quickly as they had come, leaving Ger.
tain unpaid bills. When a man was arrested
In February last for the murder OF the stranger
whose body was found in the swamp near
/ Princeton the people were made aware for the
| first time that Birchall had returned.
Against Birchall there were scraps Of evi
dencc which, while not making complete
| case were all consistent one with the other
| and together were certainly strong. The prin
cipal witness was young Elglishman
named Douglas r Pelly, who had come
out on the Britannia with Mr.. and Mrs
Brchall and Benwell. Pelly and Benwel had
made arrangements In England to take aI
| interest in horse ranch or farm which Birchal
claimed he owned In Canada. According X
/ . mile and half from Niagara Falls. Ben
wells father, . retired British Colonel. was Il
/ pay $500 for an interest in this farm a,
i soon as hts son should write from
| Canada that he was satisfied with his bargain.
| Young Pelly also had paid Birchall large sun
| on condition that he was to have employment,
on the farm with small share In the profits.
| Monday, February II. Benwell aud Birchall
| had taken the. Grand Trunk southern di
visi n train to go to the alleged stock farm
| That night Birchall returned alone, ex
planning that Benwell had gone on fur
ther, probably intending to call ut London
Ont. The two men, however were seen to sc
on ut Eastwood station and go across the fields
| in dirccGon which would take them TO th'
swamp. Birchall was subsequently seen to re
turn alone. Two days later Benwelrs body wa
| found In the swamp
/ Tho Ofiicial Vote In Indiana.
INDIANApoLls, Ind, Nov. 15-Th,