The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-09-12
Blood Trickles From His Wounds
and Stands in Pools Upon the
ScaffOld.
Twice He Shoots Himself and Then
Cnrsing and Praying He
Meets Eternity.
THE DEATH OF A COWARD.
a Brutal Wife Murderer Pays the Laws
FenaIty-His Last Hours.

FenaIty-His Last Hours.
KANSAS CITY, Sept. 1.-THE history o
the gallows tells no more hideous stor.
than that of the execution of Louis Bull
ing. the st. Joseph wife murderer, at Sa
vannah this afternoon. Just before tn,
time for thc execution the doomed mar
shot himself in a vain attempt to commit
suicide, and finally died on the gallows
shrieking for mercy and cursing his exc
cutioners.
Up to a few Gays ago Bulling seemed
cheerful and hopeful in the face of hi
approaching death. He had twice be
fore cheated the g%allows by Jail breaking
He reasoned that a chance still remained
and to it might be added a hope for com.
mutation of sentence. or of suicide. AS
these chances faded away he became
respondent. Last week it was discov-
cred that Bulling had planned to break
Jail again. Steels were found in his cell
and they were taken away from him. A
perpetual guard was kept over
him and all visitors were searched
before being permitted to enter. All
means of escape were cut off. Then the
doomed man sent for his father and
mother and pleaded with them to appeal
10 the governor for a communication of
sentence. The faithful parents went to
Jefferson City and had several personal
interviews with Governor Francis, but
the governor was firm in his decision not
to interfere. Still the parents did not
lose heart. They made another call on
the governor yesterday and pleaded for
their sons life. But the governor would
not interpose. They t~elegraphed the re-
suit to their son. They had an affecting
parting with their son last night
and never saw him after that again.
When his second chance for life disap-
peared he broke down completely. He
tainted and was with difficulty revived.
He was an opium-eater and during the
night he was given large doses of the
drug. 1t failed to have its accustomed
effect and he slept less than two hours
during the entire night.
Rev. August Lavake during Billings
waking hours spent the time in reading
the bible and praying and exhorting
Bulling to confess his sins and receive
baptism.
Sheriff Berry had set the hour for ex-
ecution at 10 o'clock this morning. When
he went to the cell at 6 o'clock to pre-
pare the doomed man for hanging Bull
ing pleaded SO pitifully for an extension
of a few hours that the sheriff yielded
and gave him till , o'clock to live. Bull
ing ate a light breakfast and spent the
rest of his time in pleading with the
sheriff for mercy and attending religious
exercises. He still had a faint hope of
communication, but at moor submitted to
the baptismal ceremony and received the
sacrament. When = o'clock arrived he
renewed his supplications to the sheriff
and pleaded for one hour more. He fell
on his knees and begged piteously for
mercy. The sheriff granted his request.
Then Bulling asked for whiskey and
1t was given him. Injections
OF morphine were administered but
neither of these drugs had much effect.
The sheriff then retired, leaving the
murderer with Rey. Lavaka, at the same
time removing the guard from the cell
door at Billings request to be left alone
with his spiritual adviser. The silence
OF the Jail was broken only by the voice
of the prisoner.
Suddenly two shots rang out. The
sheriff ran to the cell. The priest Law
PROSTATE on the floor. At his side lay
Bulling weltering in his own blood.
which flowed from wounds in his breast.
He had shot himself twice with
a revolver. The priest had only
tainted. A hasty examination Of
Billings body showed hat one of the
bullets had entered his left breast and
glancing from the rib had passed around
his body and come out of his back. The
other bullet had inflicted only a slight
flesh wound in his left side. He had not
lost consciousness and when the sheriff
ordered four deputies to carry him to
the scatfold he cursed and swore at them
in a horrible manner.
The deputies dragged the struggling
to the court yard 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 spec
He was dressed only in a shirt
and trousers. His hands and face were
with blood, which also stained
through his shoes, where it had run
formed dark pools on the floor Of the
scaffold, dripping thence to the ground
beneath. He cursed and swore at the
deputies, cried and screamed for mercy,
and shrieked in terror. The sheriff gave
him a large glass Of brandy and he swal-
it at one gulp. Finally
he was told to get up
and stand upon the drop. He
and four deputies held him up
while a rope was being adjusted. The
black cap was placed over his head and
screaming, he shot through the
at 2:3O. His neck was broken
by the fall and he died almost instantly.
Rev. Lavake has been arrested for
Bulling the revolver with which
he attempted to commit suicide. He de-
to be interviewed. Billings cell
vas searched last night and no weapon
found. The only persons admitted
the cell since that time we're news
paper men, deputies and Rev. Lavske.