St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-16

manacled hands. and there shung be
tween heaven and earth a dead body.
The heart beat for thirteen minutes
in the unconscious form. At
the end of twenty-three minutes the
body was cut down. Rose went
TO his death with courage absolutely
unparalleled III the annals of crime. He
protested his innocence not cringingly,
but as man, up to the last. And what
made the execution exceptional was the
absence OF maudlin sentiment on the
part of the women and the almost total
neglect OF clergymen of every denomi-
nation until the last moment. During
the three years of confinement Rose
never saw minister until last Wednes-
day. He didn't ask spiritual consola-
ton and the preachers did not come to
him. At the very last one volunteered
and was with Rose almost to the end.
The Hanging
occurred in a rough frame structure.
implanted. just in the rear of the snug
little frame house called jail. 1t is in
size eighteen by twenty feet, and was
built year ago last spring, when Rose
was first sentenced to be hanged. The
gallows built for the execution of John
used for the execution of the Barretts.
was then put in place, and has remained
standing ever since. Once it was ready
for the execution of Clifton Holden,
but at the eleventh hour the sentence
of death was committed. Nearly every
body looked for similar action on
the part of Gov. Merriam last night.
Nearly everybody thought he should
take such action. All day the streets
echoed with complaints of executive
clemency in one case and want Of it
where it was really deserved. If ever
injustice was done, all admitted it was
county," This fact impressed itself
upon everybody, and added to the dra-
matte
Intensity of the Scene.
Then the deadly work was done In
the light of flaring and ill-placed lamps.
All this considered, the scene in the
little frame structure, as Rose stood
upon the drop, the perfect ideal of an
athlete and as immovable and impasSive
as marble, struck all hearts. The man
upon whom the blight of strangulation
rested was apparently the least con-
eerned of all. He slept some three
hours during the night and responded
TO the call with cheerful alacrity.
We quickly dressed in a suit of
ack diagonal. His shirt was of
trkest blue. He was perfectly cool
and collected. The march to the gallows
was very brief. Rose stepped from the
little cell known as jail, crossed mar
row hallway and was in the enclosure
of death. twenty-five steep steps
broken by narrow landing led to the
platform. Rose mounted them firmly
without assistance, and placed himself
upon the trap, glanclng downward to
pee that he had made no mistake. Both
bands strapped, his legs both above and
below the knees, the moose was quickly
adjusted.
The Black Cap
Of knitted goods was drawn down over
The handsome face. There was an in
stant when all hearts stopped. Then
Sheriff Mead, his face CHASTITY white,
but as firm set as adamant, reached for
ward. pulled back the big lever, and
William Rose shot like a plummet
downward. The rope rebounded
Slightly, the body swung half around,
and all was still.
Roses coffin came from Tracy at 10
?. M, accompanied by j. w. Wardell.
undertaken of that place. He was not
permitted to witness the execution. but
Immediately afterwards took charge of
he body, and will ship it to Tracy at
H:35 this msrning.