The morning call., 1891-09-05
BEGGED FOR MERCY.
Horrible Scenes at the EXecu-
tion Of Louis Bulling.
The Missouri fe-Murderer Attempts Sui
eide in His Cell.
Covered With Blood, He Is Dragged 10 the
GallOES While HOWling, CurSins, Bias
pheminS and Begging for Life.
Epecial to THE MORNING CALI.

KANSAS CITY, Sept. 4.-The history of
the gallows tells no more hideous story than
that of the execution of Louis Bulling, the
st. Joseph wife murderer, at Savannah this
afternoon. Just before the time for eXecu-
tion the doomed man shot himself in a vain
effort to commit suicide, and finally died on
the galiows, shrieking for mercy and curs-
ing his executioners. Up to few days ago
BulIing seemed cheerful and hopeful in the
face of approaching death. He had twice
before cheated the gallows by jail-breaking.
He reasoned that chance still remained
and to 1t might be added two otherS-com-
mutation of sentence and suicide. One by
one these chances faded away. Early last
week it was discovered that Bulling had
planned to break jail the third time. Steel
saws were found in his cell and they were
taken away from him. His faithful par
ents went TO Jefferson City and had several
personal interviews with Governor Francis,
but the Governor was firm in his decision
not to interfere.
A SHORT RESPITE.
When Bulling received from his parents
llc ultcSdSo llldb lBc SbNcluOI was
rate he tainted, and was with difficulty re-
yiyed. He was a confirmed opium-eate
and during last night was given large doses
OF the drug. 1t failed to have the accus-
toned effect, and the condemned murderer
slept less than two hours during the entire
night. Rev. August Lavake, during Bull
ling's waking hours, spent the time in read
ing the Bible and praying and exhorting
Bulling to confess his sins and receive bap-
tism. Sheriff Barry had set the hour for
execution at 10 o'clock this morning. When
he went to the cell at 6 o'clock to prepare
the doomed man for the scaffold Bulling
pleaded SO pitifully for an extension of
few hours that the Sheriff yielded and gave
him until 2 o'clock to live. Bullng ate
light breakfast and spent the rest Of the
time pleading with the Sheriff for mercy
and attending to religious exercises con-
Quoted by Rev. Mr.. Lavake. When 2
o'clock arrived lie renewed his suIDlications
to the Sheriff and pleaded for one hour
more.
wELTERING IN BLOOD.
The Sheriff granted his request. Buling
then asked for brandy, and the Sheriff gave
him a pint. Injections of morphine were
administered, but neither of the stimulants
leaving the murderer with Rev. LaYake, at
the same time removing the guard from the
cell door, at Bulling's request to be left
alone with his spiritual adviser Suddenly
two shots rang out. The Sheriff ran to the
cell. The spiritual adviser lay PROSTATE on
the floor. At the side lay Buling weltering
in his own blood, which flowed from wounds
in his breast. He had shot himself twice
with revolver and had tainted. A hasty
examination Of Billings body showed that
one of the bullets had entered the left breast
and glancing from rib had passed around
the body, coming out at the back. The other
inflicted only a slight flesh wound in the
side. He had not lost consciousness, and
when the Sheriff ordered four deputies to
carry him to the scaffold he cursed and
swore at them In horrible manner. The
deputies dragged the struggling man TO the
courtyard and lifted him upon the gallows.
He refused to stand, and they placed him
upon a chair. As he sat there he presented
a revolving spectacle.
sHRIEKING IN TERROR.
He was dressed only in shirt and trou-
sers; his hands and face were covered with
blood, which also stained his shirt. Blood
was pouring through his shoes, whence it
had run from the wounds in his breast and
formed dark pools on the floor of the scat
uTlpDlUB lIOu lLeuCo " Lu6 REUuuu Ue-
meath. He cursed and swore at the depu-
ties, cried and screamed for mercy, and
shrieked In terror. Tue Sheriff gave him a
large glass of brandy, which he swallowed
at one gulp. Finally he was told to get up
and stand upon the drop. He refused. and
four deputies held him while the rope was
being placed. The black cap was placed
over his head, and yelling, screaming and
blaspheming, he shot through the opening at
exactly 8: :21 o'clock. His neck was broken
by the fail, and he died almost instantly.
Rev. Lavake has been arrested for giving
Bulling the revolver with which he at
tempted to commit suicide.
Rev. Mr.. Lavake was interviewed to-nigh
regarding Bulling's attempted suicide, and
said he did not give Bullng the revolver,
and had no Idea where it came from. He
was on his knees praying when Bulling
fired the first shot. The muscular contrac-
ton following the passage of the first bullet
into Billings body. the minister asserts,
caused Bulling to discharge the weapon ac-
cidentally and the ball whiZZed by his head
He first thought Bulling had attempted to
murder him and fainted. Just before Bull
ing was hanged the Sheriff had a short
whispered consultation with him regarding
the attempted suicide. The Sheriff declined
to say anything regarding the conversation,
but it is considered significant that mmedi-
otalv altar thu ayanutiOn Tovato yvae