The record-union., 1891-09-05
Special to the RrcoRn-rNrnr


KANSAS CITY, Sept. 4.-The history
of the gallows tells no more hideous
story than that of the execution of Louis
BuIling, the st. Joseph wife murderer. at
savannah, this afternoon. Just before
the time for execution tho doomed man
shot himself in vain effort to commit
suicide, and finally died on the gallows,
shrieking for mercy and cursing his ex-
ecutioners
Up to few days ago Bulling seemed
cheerful and hopeful in the face of ap-
preaching death. He had twice before
cheated the gallows by iail-brealing. He
reasoned that chance still remained,
and to it 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 BuIlinr
planned to break Jail third time. Steel
saws were found in his cell, and they
We're taken away from him.
HIS faithful parents went to Jefferson
City and had several personal interviews
with Governor Francis, but the Governor
was 1lrm III his decision not to interfere.
When Bulling received from his parents
the message that the Governor was OBJ
durate he tainted, and was with difficulty
revived. He was Il confirmed opium
eater, and during last night was given
large doses of the drug. 1t failed TO have
the accustomed effect, and the condemned
murderer slept less than two hours dur
ing the entire night. Rev August
Lavake, during Buliing's waking hours.
spent the time in reading the Bible and
praying, eXhorting Bulling to confess his
sins and receive baptism.
Sheriff Barry had set the hour for the
execution at 10 O'Clock this morning.
When he went to the cell at o'clock. to
prepare the doomed man for the scafIold.
BulIing pleaded so pitifully tor an ex-
tension OF a few hours that the Sheriff
yielded, and gave HIM until , o'clock to
live. Bulling ate a light breakfast, and
spent the rest of the time pleading with
the Sheriff for mercy and attending to
religious exercises conducted by Rev.
Lavake.
When O'clock arrived Bulling re-
nowed his supplications to the Sheriff,
and pleaded for one hour more. The
Sheriff granted his request BulIing then
asked for brandy, and the Sheriff gave
him pint. Injections of morphine were
administered, but neither of the drugs
had much effect.
The Sheriff then retired, leaving the
murderer with Rev. Lavake, at the same
time removing the guard from the cell
C'Oor, at Billings request to be left alone
with his spiritual adviser. Suddenly two
shots rang out, The Sheriff ran to the
cell. The priest lay PROSTATE on the
floor. At his side lay Bulling, weltering
in his own blood, which flowed from
wounds in his breast. He had shot him
self twice with a revolver. The priest
had tainted
A hasty examination of Bulling's body
showed that one of the bullets had en-
tered the left breast, and, glancing from
the rib, had passed around the body,
coming out at the back. The other in
IL tod. eli yx-I,
side. He had not lost consciousness, and
when the Sheriff ordered four deputies to
carry him to the scattOld he cursed and
swore at them in a 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
sight. He was dressed only in his shirt
and trousers. His hands and face were
covered with blood, which also stained
his shirt The blood was pouring out of
his shoes, whence it had run from
wounds in his breast and formed dark
pools on the floor of the scaffold, drip
ping from thence to the ground under
meath.
He cursed and swore at the deputies.
cried and screamed for mercy, and
shrieked i'll terror The Sheriff gave him
a large glass OF whisky, which he swal-
lowed at ono gulp. Finally he was told
to get up and stand upon the drop. He
refused, and four deputies held him
while tho rope was being placed. The
black cap was placed over his head, and
yelling, screaming and disappearing he
shot through the opening at exactly 3:2l
o'clock. His neck was broken by the
fall and he died almost instantly.
Rev. Lavake has been arrested for Civ
ing Bulling the revolver with which he
attempted to commit suicide. The
priest declines to be interviewed.
Rev. Lavake was interviewed tonight
regarding Bulling's attempted suicide
He said he did not give Bulling the re-
volver, and had no idea where it came
from. He was on his knees praying
when Bulling fired the first shot. The
muscular contraction following the pas
sage of the first bullet into Bullings
body, the priest asserts, caused Bulling
to discharge the revolver accidentallv,
and the ball whizzed by his head. He
first thought that Bulling attempted to
murder him, and tainted.
Just before Bulling was hanged, the
Sheriff had short, whispered consulta-
ton with him regarding the attempted
suicide. The Sheriff declined to say any
thing regarding the conversation, but it
is considered significant that immedi-
ately after the execution Lavake was
arrested.