The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-05
HORROR AT HANGING.
A Missouri Demon Goes Shrek
ing to His Doom.
BLEEDING ON THE scAFFoLD.
Abortive Attempt to Commit Suicide
A Priest Said to Have Given the
Condemned Wretch . Revolver.

KANSAS CITY, Sept. 4-The history OF the gal
lows tells no more hideous story than that OF
the execution of Lewis Builing, the St Joseph
wife murderer, at Savannah this afternoon.
Just before the time for the execution the
doomed man shot himself in vain effort to
commit suicide, and finally died on the gallows,
shrieking for mercy and cursing his execution
ers. Up to 8 few days ago Bulling 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 it might Be added two
Others, Communication OF sentence and suicide.
one by one these chances faded away. Early
last week ii was discovered that Bulling had
planned TO break Jail a third time. Steel saws
were found in his cell and they were taken away
from him. His faithful parents went to Jeher-
son City and had several personal interviews
with Governor Francis, but the governor was
firm in his decision not TO interfere.
When Bulling received from his parents
message that the governor was obduraee he
tainted and was with difficulty revived He
was confirmed opium eater, and durin the
last night he was given large doses of the drug.
1t failed TO have the accustomed effect and
the condemned murderer slept less than two
hours during the entire night. Rev. A. Lavake,
during Billings waking hours, spent the time
In reading the Bible and praying.
Sheriff Barry had set the hour Tor the exeeu-
ton at 10 O'Clock When he went to the cell at
O'Clock to prepare the doomed man for the
scaffold Bulling pleaded pitifully for an ex-
tension of few hours that the sheriff yielded
and gave him until o'clock to live.
Bulling ate 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 he re-
newed his supplications to the sheriff and
pleaded for one hour more. The sheriff granted
his request. Bulling then asked for brandy,
and fha sha hrp n inf Tria =
morphine were admin stored, but neither OF the
drugs had much effect. The sheriff then re-
tired, leaving the murderer with Rev. Lavake,
at the same time removing the guard from the
cell door 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, weItering in his own
blood, which flowed from wounds in his
breast. He had shot himself twice with re-
volver. The priest had tainted. hssty ex-
animation Of Billings body showed that one
of the bullets had entered the left breast and,
glancing from q rib, had passed around the
body, coming out at the back and inflicting
only slight flesh wound in the side. He had
not lost consciousness, and when four deputies
were ordered to carry him to the scaffoid he
cursed in horrible manner.
They dragged him to the court yard and lifted
him up on the gallows. He refused TO stand,
and they placed him upon chair. As he sat
there he presented q revolving spectacle. He
was dressed only in shirt and trousers, and his
hands and face were covered with blood, which
poured down and also stained his shirt. Blood
was running through his shoes, whence it had
run from other wounds in his breast and
formed dark pools on the floor of the seaffold,
dripping from thence to the ground beneath
He cursed and swore at the deputies, cried and
screamed for mercy and shrieked in terrible
sheriff m n III
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 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 giving
Bulling the revolver with which he attempted
to commit suicide. The priest declines to be
interviewed.
AUGUSTA. Ca, Sept, frank Danforth, col =
ored, who murdered his mistress last June, was
hanged today. Danforth made full confession
and professed religion.
Rev. Lavake was interviewed tonight regard
ing Billings attempted suicide. He said he
did not give Buling the revolver, aud had no
idea where it came from. He was on his knees
praying when Bulling fred the first shot The
muscular contraction following the passage of
the first bullet into Billings body, the priest
asserts, caused Bulling to discharge the revolver
accidentally, and the bail whizzed by his head
He first thought that Bulling had attempted to
murder him, and tainted. Just before Bulling
was hanged the sheriff had short whispered
consultation with him regarding his attempted
suicide. The sheriff declined to say anything
regarding the conversation, but it is considered
significant that Immediately after the execution
layaEe arrested