Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-05
LOUIS suLLrNa HANGED.
He Tried 30 KIN Himself by Opium and Thsu
by shooting.

xn00
by Shooting.
Louis Bulling, the st. Joseph, No., wife muir
derer, was hanged yesterday afternoon. Just
before the time for the execution the doomed
man shot himself in a vain effort to commit
suicide, and finally died on the gallows Shrek
ing for mercy and cursing his executioners. Up
to few days ago Bulling seemed chez rful and
hopeful in the face Of his approaching death.
He had twice before cheated the gall ows by
jail-breaking He reasoned that that chance
still remained, and to it might be added two
characterization Of sentence and suicide.
One Of these chances failed. Early last week
it was discovered that Bulling had planned to
break Jail the third time. Steel saws were
found in his cell and they were taken away
Perpetual guard was kept over him, and all
visitors were searched before being permitted
to enter. sAll means of escape were cut of and
then the doomed man sent for his father and
mother, and pleaded with them to appeal to the
governor Tor communication of sentence. The
faithful parents went to Jefferson City and had
several personal interviews with Gov. Francis
but the governor was firm in his decision to not
interfere. Still the parents did not lose heart
They made another call on the governor yes
terday, and pleaded for their sons life. The
governor would not interpose. Then Mr.. and
Mrs. Bulling telegraphed their son the gov
ernor's decision, and followed the message to
Savannah They had an affecting parting from
the doomed man Thursday night When Bull
ing,s second chance for life disappeared he
broke down completely. When he received
from his parents the message that the governor
was obdurate he tainted.
BY DOSES OF OPIUM.
he was confirmed opium eater and during
the night he was given large doses of the drug.
1t failed to have its accustomed effect and the
condemned murderer slept less than two hours
during the entire night The Rev. August La
wake, during Billings waking hours, spent the
time In reading the Bible and praying, exhort-
ing Bulllng to confess his sins and receive bap-
lsm Sheriff Barry had set the hour for the
execution at 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
When he went to the cell at to prepare the
doomed man for execution Bulling pleaded so
pltlfully for an extension of a few hours that
the sheriff yielded and gave him until 2 o'clock
to live.
Bulling ate breakfast and spent the rest Of
the time in pleading with the sheriff for mercy
and attending to the religious exercises con-
Quoted by Rev. Lavake. He still had FAINT
nope OF communication, but at noon submitted
to the baptismal ceremony and received the
sacrament. When 2 O'clock arrived he re-
newed his supplications to the sheriff and
pleaded for one hour more. The sheriff
granted his request. The sheriff then retired,
leaving the murderer with the Rev. Lavake at
the same time removing the guard from the
cell door at Billings request to be left alone
with his spiritual adviser.
FAILED TO KILL HIMSELF.
The silence of the Jail was broken only by
the voice Of the priest, when suddenly two
shots rang out. The sheriff ran to the cell.
The priest lay on the floor; at his side lay Bull
ling, weltering in his own blood, which flowed
from wounds in his breast. He had shot
himself twice with revolver. The priest had
tainted An examination OF Billings body
showed that one of the bullets had entered the
left breast and glancing from a rib had passed
around his body and come out of his back
The other bullet only made slight flesh wound
In his left side. He swore at them in ahorrible
manner. The deputies dragged the struggling
man to The court yard and lifted him to the
gallows. He refused 20 stand, and they placed
him upon chair. As hs sat there he pre-
sented a revolving sight
He was dressed only in shirt and trousers.
His hands and face were covered with blood.
which also stained his shirt, and blood was
streaming through his shoes. He cursed and
swore at the deputies cried and screamed for
mercy and shrieked in terror. 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 his head and screaming, ours
ing and disappearing, he shot through the
opening at exactly 1921 o'clock. His neck was
broken by the fall and he died almost instantly.
THE PRIEST ARRESTED.
The Rev. Lavake has been arrested for Civ
ing Bulling the revolver with which he at
tempted to commit suicide. Rev. Lavake de-
clines to be interviewed. Bullings cell was
thoroughly searched and no weapon was found.
The only persons admitted to the cell since
that time were a newspaper man, the deputies
and the Rev. Lavake. Suspicion rested upon
the latter and he was arrested.
Billings crime was the murder of his wife.
He ruined her when she fifteen years old,
four years before the murder, and was forced
to marry her. He was brutal to her and she
left him, securing work in the Herbert House
in st. Joseph. Bulling, failing to persuade her
to live with him. went to the hotel January 20,
1888, enticed her into a room and shot her
three times When the hotel proprietor rushed
into the room Bulling tried to kill him. but was
overpowered. His defense was insanity. He
has spent over three years in the jails Of
Buchanan and Andrews counties, his case hav-
ing been transferred to the latter county on a
change of Venue. He has had three trials and
two hearings before the supreme court and has
been sentenced to hang four different times.
Three times he has attempted to escape, the
last being almost successful. He was to have
been executed April II last. but on the night of
April he broke out Of the Savannah Jail. At
ter an exciting chase, in which many shots
were exchanged. he was captured on the 18th
of June by two Chicago policemen. He was
taken back to Savannah and resentenced.