The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-04-08
An IntervIew with Sheriff Good.

Sheriff Good is hard man to interview
not that he is unwilling to give his views to
the public, but because he has been unusual
ly busy with duties connected with his office
during the past two or three weeks.
When HERALD reporter struck him
Tuesday night, he had just returned from
trip TO the country and had barely had time
to swallow his supper.
"Sheriff, said the HERALD man, "are you
satisfied that you executed two guilty men
last Thursday p ~ am" was the reply.
DO you care to give the readers of the
HERALD your reasons for thinking so?"
II would do so in a minute if could
You see, some things that | have learned
were only told me after l had promised to
keep them secret, and | cannot reveal them
until the gentleman who has confided in
me has taken the seal from my lips {; but at
the same time there is not the slightest
doubt in my mind that the guilty parties
were executed. One thing that convinces
me of this is a conversation l had with Dave
Nicely a few days before the execution. We
vere tslking about the probabilities of a
respite being granted him and his brother,
and, in case a respiie shoEld be granted, if
he would not be able to secure pardon or
Communication of sentence 10 life imprison
ment, when Dave suddenly turned and
said, it is no use for Joe, but my life might
be saved From that moment was con-
WINGED of his completely in the Umberger
murder. / know that they were the right
raen. and that is all l can say at this time"
Did yol never hear any conversation
between the brothers that led you to believe
them sailty9"
''Never a word but Dave tore up piece
of manuscript few days before the execu-
ton and threw it down the dry-oloset,
and / would not be surprised if it was a
written confession he had intended to hand
to some one, but on second throught con-
cluded tha. be had better destroy it,"
Wasn't it very trying on your nerves,
Sheriff, about the time yop sprung the
trap"
''Of course, felt the responsibility resting
upon me, but had made up my mind TO
do it, and went about it just as calmly as l
would go about making levy on some poor
widows property. When q man has a
solemn duty to perform be must not let his
sympathies get the better of him. The
people who were present at the execution
can tell you better than ] can how ] con-
Quoted myself Thursday. ] was afraid We
might have some accident and took every
precaution to prevent having repetition of
the horrible affair over at Washington few
weeks ago. | never uncoiled the ropes un-
til the man who made them arrived. He
advised me not to test them, and II is lucky
that followed his advice, because after the
ropes we're taken from their necks / locked
them up until the next day before | exam
ined them, when, TO my surprise, found
that one strand of Dawes rope had given
way, close to the moose. IL makes me shnd-
der when | think OF what might have hap
pened. There must have been a defect in
the rope, because Dave was much lighter
than Joe, and the rope with which Joe was
hung did not yield in the least
- reckon you have great many visitors
who are anxious 10 see the ropes p
"Yes, indeed aud Ill tell you what am
going to do in order to save both time and
answering 80 many questions. l mean to
have glass case made and place the ropes,
handouts, straps. the Umherger pocket
book, the bullet taken from the murdered
mans body, and Dawes pistol in il; have