Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-09-05
CURSlNG, HE DIED.
Dreadful Scene at an Execution
in Missouri.
HIDEOUS END OF A WIFE-sLAYER.

lis Fi-sdiags Cor n;;-. Cures and Dias-
phemy Clicked into Silence by the
Haiter-Draxged to the seaHoId with
Bullet Through His Breast Fired by
His Own Hand-His Spiritual Adviser
In Jail. Charged with Giving Him .
Revolver-Criminal Record.
ST. JOSEPH, No, Sept. 5.-The history OF
the gallows tells no more hideous story
than that of the execution of Louis Bull
ling, the st. Joseph wife murderer, at
Savannah, Mo. yesterday afternoon. Be-
fore the execution Bulhng attempted sui
eide by shooting hims elf in the left breast
with a revolver, believed TO have been
given him by clergyman who had been
with him for several hours. Sheriff Barry
had set the hour for the execution at &c
O'Clock a. m. When he went 30 the cell at
o 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 hrm until 2
clock 10 live
Another Respite and Two Shots.
When o'c.oeh arrived Bulffag renewed
his suppications to the sheriff and falling
on his knees pleaded for one hour more
'-I aIi,4 a.. ,5fauted Lie T,QUes. and .c-
moving the guard from the cell door left
the doomed man alone with his spiritual
adviser, Rev. August Lavahe. The silence of
the Jail was only broken by the voice of the
priest wEes suddenly two shots rang out.
The sheriff ran to tue cell and found the
priest PROSTATE on the floor, have tainted.
At his side ley RnlliDr, weltpring in his
own blood which flowed from wounds in
his breast. He had shot himself twice
with a revolver A hasty examination of
Billings body showed that one of the
bullets had entered the left breast ard
gIrnrin9 frunl rib rad passed around
his body and COME out Of his back The
other bullet had only inaktsl slight
flesh wennd in his lsS seie
Dragged to the ealIows Cursing.
He had not lost consciousness, and when
the sheriff ordered four Deputies to carry
him to the scaffoid he cursed and swore
at hem ia 3 horrible manner. The depu-
ties dragged the struggling man to the
courtyard and lifted him upon the gal
lows. IL refused to stand and they
placed him upon a chair. AS he sat there
ne presented a revolving spectacle. his
hoAoS anu ldCe were CONeTeU Win DlO01.
which also stained his shirt, and blood
was streaming through has shoes. whence
1t had run from the wounds in his breast.
Went to Eternity Bfsspheming
He cursed and sworc at the deputies,
cried and screamed for mercy, and shrieked
IN terror. The sheriff gave him large
glass of brady, and he swallowed it at
one gulp Finally he was told to get up
and stand upon the drop He refused, and
four deputies held him up while the rope
was being adjusted. The black cap was
placed over lis head, AID yelling, scream
ing, and disappearing he shot through the
opening st exactly 1921 o'clock. His neck
was broken bS the fall, and he died almost
instantly.
The Priest In Jail.
The Rev. Lavake, vino is believed to
have provided the murderer with the re-
volver, was Immediately arrested snd ls
now confined in Jail. He declines to be
interviewed. Billings cell was thor
oughiy searched Thursday night and no
weapon was found. The only persons adj
mitted to the cell since that time were a
newspaper man, the deputies and the
Rev. Iavake.
Lavake Says He Is Innocent.
LATER.-Mr Lavake was interviewed
BY reporter last evening regarding Bull
bng's attempted suicide He said he q ID
not give Bulliug the revolver, and had DO
idea where it came from. He was on his
knees praying, he said, when Bulling shot
himself.