Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-02-09
THE MANS CRIME.
He Was Captured Red Handed-How He
Behaved In Prison-Became Penitent
And Seemed to Realize His Position.


SING SING, n. Y, February S.
Charles McIlvaine, the murderer OF
groceryman Luca, passed his last Sun
day on earth without showing any signs
OF fear or apprehension. He was visit
ed by his unmarried sister and Mrs.
Agnes Neville, another sister and his
wife. His two sisters showed intense
grief, while his young wife appeared
less affected. McIlvain was indiffer-
ent.
His two sisters had to be led away
after they said farewell to him. Every
thing was in rerdiness and all the wit
nesses were present. The law, gave
Warden Brown from to-day till Satnr-
day next to execute the murderer. The
Warden has been importuned by physi-
clans and scientists from all parts OF the
State for invitations to the killing.
Medical men seemed as anxious to
witness the application Of the deadly
current as they were when the new
means Of capital punishment was first
introduced. There are others who
have applied to the Warden, who desired
only to satisfy morbid curiosity.
THE toughest man in Sing Sing"
was the name that McIlvaine gained
for himself with his keepers in the
prison. He used to be sullen, ugly and
defiant, and when he entered the prison
was openly rebellious. One day he
broke his bedstead and when keeper
entered the cell the murderer knocked
him down with one of the iron legs OF
the bed.
1t took three men to subdue the man,
aud as a punishment he was kept in
dark cell for severaldays. He has had
several quarrels with guards and keep
ers as we'll as with his fellow convicts.
When Wood, who was executed last
July, passed McIlvaine's cell on his
way to the death chair, Mcllvaine cried
out to him: Goodbye, you'll be in hell
before l am."
There has come q change in Nc
Ivaine's demeanor since his last hope
vanished. He is subdued and gentle
now, and has spent much OF his time
during the last few days in reading his
Bible and talking with Father Creden,
his spiritual adviser. 1t was feared at
one time that he would make desper-
ate resistance when let out to take his
seat in the death chair.
McIlvain was not quite 10 years old
when he committed his terrible crime,
and he had only just been married TO
girl still younger than himself. They
occupied couple OF room in an East
Side New York tenement. One night
in August, 1889, he took two COM
panions TO his rooms. All three typical
East Side "toughs," lay, down TO sleep
with orders to Mrs. McIlvaine that she
should awake them shortly after mid
night.
In the early hours Of the morning
they crossed the Brooklyn bridge. bent
|, upon plundering some house before
their return. Passing through Jay
street, an open window in the grocer
Christian Lucas house, attracted Nc
Ilvaine'S attention. 1t was an "easy
mark" he thought, aM telling his COM
panions TO wait, he removed his shoes
and climbed up and into the window.
While he was searching for plunder,
Mr.. Luca surprised him. Mcllvaine
whipped out knife and as Luca ap-
| preached plunged it again and again into
the mans body. When Luca dropped
dead it was with fourteen wounds show
ing where the burglars knife had
struck. McIlvaine was captured red
handed. He had two trials the jury
each time finding him guilty OF murder
in the first degree Three times the
week of his death has been fixed. His
case has been carried through all the
State courts and to the Supreme Court
| of the United States, aud more than two
years have elapsed since his awful crime
appalled, the people of Brooklyn and
New York.
The Warden read the death warrant
to the condemned man at midnight.
The condemned did not say anything
and listened in an indifferent manner.
When the Warden left McIlvain he
gave him to understand that his hours
| were numbered, and advised him to try