Omaha daily bee., 1892-06-25
NET DEATH LIKE A SOLDIER
With the Air of Bridegroom Clinton E.
Dixon Stepped Upon the Gallows.
FULL PARTICULARS OF THE EXECUTION
The Condemned Man Confessed That He
Killed Carter, but Claimed lie Was
Crazeu by Drink at the
Time-The Crime.

spirit, weary of Its earthly house, begius TO
yearn for realms immortal, then 1t may be an
easy thing to lie down among the witheted
leaves and close the eyes in death.
But how bitter it must be to
die when every fiber OF the being, every
impulse of tho heart, is in love with
life. While the eyes are sparkling with the
vigor of youth and the rich, red blood of
health is leaping through the system, what
q terrible tragedy is death.
To be hurled into the awful backness OF
an unknown world as punishment for viola
tion of tho laws of human life must be b con-
temptation almost sufficient 10 uuseat the
hrmest reason and shake the very soul with
speechless dread.
Such was the unhappy condition of Clinton
E. Dixon, who was hanged yesterday at the
Douglas county Jail for tue murder of Cor
poral John X. Carter at Fort Niobrara on
the thirtieth day of September last.
Preparing for Death.
Dixon arose at the usual hour and ate
| hearty breakfast, after which he en-
| tered into long consultation with Father
Rigge, his spiritual adviser. The doomed man
said he was ready TO go. He had
| made his peace with God and could swing off
into eternity without a shudder. He
| at Hanover, Pa, in which he said
| he was not afraid TO die He said Dear
mother, this time tomorrow will be pray
| ing for you IN heaven" Dixon spoke
| In the most complimentary language
of the kind treatment he haa
| received at the hands of Sheriff Bennett aud
wife and Jailer Joe Miller and Father Rigge.
In closing he said: Mother, you ought TO
feel proud that you have boy
| this terrible hour He then bid her last
| goodoy and said he hoped to meet her in
| heaven.
During the forenoon Dixon confessed to
| hat ba lad arta
| put said he was intoxicated at the time.
| Shortly after 10 o'clock Marshal Brad D.
| Slaughter and Deputies jackson, Harris,
Hill, Hepfnger and hastings, and Sheriffs
sarpy .rSA ana nd pSae MaWhinney I,i'A'S of Nance
| accompanied by Captain Cormack and
two sergeants, and several others
| who mad been invited to witness the execu-
tion were admitted by Jailer Miller. They
| went at once to tho stockade at the south
| west side of the Jail to inspect the gallows
and trap. The fight of steps that
led up to the platform of the
| gallows began at tho foot OF the steps
that lead out of the west door of the jail.
| AS mere matter of chance there were
exactly thirteen steps from the brick to the
gallows platform and the fatal trap. The
door of the Jail and the platform
was about ten feet from the ground.
Unique Trap Arrangement.
| given tie drop was unique. The holt which
| held the trap in-place rested on a small roller
connected with three electric wires leading
from battery at one side of the
gallows. BY touching any one OF
the buttons attached to these three wires
the small roller sustaining the bolt could be
displaced and down went the trap. This
was device invented by Marshal Slaughter
so that he might have two of his deputies
touch the buttons at the same instant Us he
did and nobody could ever know
who turned on the deatn-dealing current.
| BY l0:4F about fifty spectators had gath
cred in the stockade and Deputies Hill anc
Jackson were instructed to tie the rope tc
the beam. The ribbon OF hemp came all the
way from Kentucky and was fifteen fee
long.
AT five minutes before II o'clock every
thing was pronounced in readiness and Mar
shal Slaughter, Jailer Miller, Sheriff Ben
nett, some of the deputies aud the reporters
passed up TO Dixon's cell.
Read the Death Sentence.
Father Rigge was conversing with Dixon
| and when Jailer Miller threw back the boil
| and opened the cell door the doomed mar
stepped out lightly into the gloomy hall tha
surrounds the cells, looking the picture Of
health and manly vigor. He was dressed IN
black cutawsy suit with rundown cola
and cream-colored tie. He wore rosary
| auout his neck. Good morning, Dixon,
said the marshal, and Dixon answered
| pleasantly.
Father Rigge whispered something
hurriedly to Dixon and he nodded slightly anC
an expression of gratitude. Marsha
SlaL ghter then read the sentence o
the court TO Dixon who stooo with down
cast eyes. his hands clasped before
him and occasionally biting his rec
lips. He looked more like a bride
groom than condemned criminal. Hi.
round, boyish face was smoothly shaven and
there was not the trace of fear in his counten
ance. He occasionally glanced out of the
window as the reading proceeded, but his
self-possession was simply marvellous
| When the marshal had finished read
, | ing the sentence of the court and tn,
| two respites he said: Dixon, are you pre-
pared 10 gof'
"Yes. SIR" was the reply.
, ''ls there anything you would like to sa.
| before we go downr'
'No, SIR" said Dixon, and just then h
, ! manifested the first sign of nervousness.
!, Take a drink of this, Dixon,m said Jaile
, Miller, as ne handed the condemned man
! flask of whisky. Dixon took few swa
: lows of the liquid ana was abou
, 10 hand the flask back whe
!, the iaier SAID, Take some more" Dixo
: swallowed some more of the stimulant an
seemed TO suffer partial strangulation fror
the effects of 1t. He coughed and threw hi
head forward. pulling out his handker chiei
4 pretty strong" remarked Deputy Hast
, ings.
Dixon smiled and blushed like boy of IL
a well. / guess we are all ready,
said the marshal and the proces
sion started for the stockade below
Father Rigge walkeG by Dixon
Q side all the way. The prisoners in the corr
' dors ana cells below crsned their necks a
Q the gloomy procession filed down the stair
S and through tine halls TO the west door of th
Il Jail where Dixon caught the first view of III
r scaffold. He bore himself without tt
l. | slightest indication OF a tromor or fear @
d the terrible fate staring him in the face.
!. Last Arrangements Made.
q q The marshal ascended 10 the platform fir
a ana was followed oy Deputies Hill, jackson
y hastings, Jailer Miller Sheriff Melc
! and last of all Father RigRe ar
Dixon. The man Of God knelt wit
the prisoner for just an instant upon reac
l. ing the scsffold platform aud then both aros
"a Deputy Jackson took Dixon gently by II
Y arm ana asked him TO step upC
o the trap In the center OF the pla
e form. He did rs politely al
,e as firmly as though he had been invited
IS sit down 10 dinner. Deputy HUI a
A. iusted the moose aud as he did
u Dixon whispered a prayer. Still he exbi
le tied no sigas Of fear or trembIln
"a lie stood motIonless
> post save when he was pull'
.e oUout by tho deputies who were tying n
y hands behind him aud strspplnR his fe
l. together.
IS One minute after II O'Clock Sheriff Mellt
IA / pulled the black can over D,xoni6 face II,