Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-05
FRIGHTFUL EXECUTION.
The Sensational Scenes Attending a
Wife Murderer'S Hanging.
WHILE ALONE WITH A PRIEST
In His Cell BE Shoots Himself Twics-Hs Is Dragged
to the Gsllows, Bleeding, Oursing and RaVins'
His Neck BrOken-fhs Priest Ar
rssted-A Shocking Affair.

KANSAS CIT0, MAS, OoPOCHOOA
The history OF the gallows tells no more
hideous story than that of the execution
of Louis Bulling, 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 executioners. Up to few
days ago Bulling seemed cheerful and
hopeful in the face Of approaching
death. He had twice nearly cheated
the gallows by jail breaking. He
reasoned that that chance still
remained and to 1t might be
added two others - cOmmuta-
tion of sentence and suicide. The ear
lv part of last week it was discovered
that Bulling planned to break jail again.
Steel saws were found in his cell and
they were taken away from him. Per-
petual guard was kept over him and
all visitors were searched before being
permitted to enter.
father and mother and pleaded with
them to appeal to the Governor for a
communication of sentence. The 1alth
full parents went to Jefferson City ana
had several personal interviews with
Governor Francis, but the Governor
was firm in his decision to not interfere.
Sheriff Barry had set the hour for the
execution at ten o'clock this morning,
but when he went to the cell at six
o'clock to prepare the doomed man for
the scaffold, Bulling pleaded so pitifnlly
for an extension OF few hours, that
the Sheriff yielded and gave him until
two o'clock to live. He still had faint
hope OF a Communication, but at noon
submitted to the baptismal ceremony
and received the sacrament. When two
o'clock arrived he renewed his supplica-
tions to the Sheriff and pleaded for one
hour more. The Sheriff granted his
request. The Sheriff then retired,
leaving the murderer with the Rev.
Layake. at the same time removing the
guard from the cell door at Billings re-
0nest TO be left alone with his spiritual
adviser. The silence Of the jail was
AEeken only by the voice ns VI ont. The
wren dd~,~iy two shots raanaB az priest GHe, LAY
pprroSs5ttrtate 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 re-
volver. The priest had tainted. A
hasty examination of Bulling's body
showed that one Of the bullets had en-
tered the left breast and glancing
from rib had passed around
his body and came 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 scaffold, he cursed and
swore at them in horrible manner.
The deputies dragged the struggling
man to the court yard and lifted him
upon the gallowS. He refused TO stand,
and they plac I'd him upon chair. As
he sat there he presented q revolving
| spectacle. He was dressed only in
shirt and trousers His hands and face
were covered with blood, which also
stained his shirt, and blood was stream
ing through his shoes, whence it had
run from the wounds in his breast and
| IOrmeu udTk pOOtS Oh Gne uOOI Vi Luo
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 large glass of brandy and he
swallowed It at one gulp. 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 yelling, screaming and disappearing
he shot through the opening at exactly
1921. His neck was broken by the fall
and he died almost instantly.
The Rev. Lavake has been arrested
for giving Bulling the revolver with
which he attempted To commit suicide.
Rev. Lavake declines to be interviewed.