The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-04
Public Execution of a Brutal
Murderer at kalama.
Editors Have Trouble I'm Leaving Ia.
coma in Cast-IrOn Wheel Car.
A Physician ut Roy Arrested for NAL
practice-state Supreme Court De-
cision in the Yesier Estate Case-The
Baltimore to Arrive Monday.

KALAx., June 3.-tSpecial Robert T.
Day was hanged this morning at IL :13
! o'clock. The trap was sprung by Sheriff
| Holmes, and the doomed man died with
| out struggle, not a muscle vibrating, his
neck being broken. The death warrant
was read at 10:3S o'clock, consuming five
minutes, in the presence of Father Kearns.
of La Center, his spiritual adviser, Day
embracing the Catholic faith. The pro-
cession started from the cell to the scaf-
| fold ut IL: :05 o'clock, headed by Sheriff
| Holmes
Day walked with steady step, ascend
ing the scaffold without the assistance of
any one. He made a speech TO those
| present in loud and distinct voice. His
| first words were: How do you do, gen.
tlernen?" He then spoke of his long con-
finement, saying that the pangs of re-
| morse were severe for taking the life for
| which he was to forfeit his own. He for
gave all who had sinned against him, and
| wished in turn to be forgiven. He de-
clared himself innocent of the murder as
| charged, and requested those who would
TO kindly look after his wife and children,
| and receive the best wishes Of his last
| moments in so doing.
| His speech being concluded, his arms
and legs were pinioned, the black cap was
| drawn over his face, and the doomed man
dropped into eternity. After hanging
thirteen minutes the body was pronounced
dead by Drs. Sims, J. e. and r. E. Darrell.
The body was allowed to hang eighteen
minutes, when it was taken down and
| placed in coffin. There was placed in
the coffin, at Days request, handker-
| chief from his wife and handkerchief
and picture from his little girl. The body
was given to his family for burial. Two
hundred people from kalama and the sur
rounding country witnessed the execu-
ton. Among the spectators were: Sheriff
| J. III. Woolery, of King comfy; Under
Sheriff J. NJ. Hicks and Coroner DR.. E. p.
Frank, of Pierce county also the sheriff Of
| Clarke county.
The scaffold was plain affair of four
upright scantlings drawn together some
what at the top, and securely fastened,
| with platform built about half way, con-
tanning the trap. Steps led from the
| court room, where Day was tried and con-
victed, to the fatal platform.
| The crime for which Robert Thompson Day
| was executed was the murder of Thomas Clin-
| ton Beebe at a logging camp near Woodlawn,
| cowlitz county, on Friday evening, October Q,
| 1881. On that day young Beebe had difficulty
| with Days eon about some cows that were
l destroying Beebe's corn, and slapped young
| Days face. Days father was told of this In the
afternoon. on returning from hunting trip.
| After dinner Day at once went to Beebe's camp,
| about three-fourths of a mile below Day ranch.
| When he arrived there he learned from his son
| that Clinton and another young man named
| David Beebe. a cousin of Clintons, had gone to
| Murk's camp, located about two miles up the
rfu nax-
| the boys, accused Clinton Beebs of having
| slapped his son "Doc." This Beebe did not
| deny. Day followed this up by saying that
| Beebe had also said he could slap him, bus
that he would find him "pretty hard
| to fight" etc. To all this, according to the
| testimony OF David Beebe, the boys made
reply Day. having reached a point in the road
| where fork of the same led TO his house,
! stopped. deliberately drew up the Winchester
| rife which he was carrying in his hand and
| shot and killed Clinton Beebe. He then, in
| very rough language, addressed David Beebe,
| saying, among other things: '.May be you want
some OF this" AMI started to reload. The lever
| did not act freely. and Beebe succeeded, through
| flight, in getting out of harms way. The boy
| reached Woodlawn. where he reported the kill
| ing of Beebe. Day fed To the woods. but was
| captured the next morning by a constable
| mob gathered to lynch Day, but the constable
| took his prisoner over the river into Cla rk
| county, and brought him by circuitous route
| TO KaiaIna Day story was that the boys were
| about to pounce upon him; that he told them TO
| keep back; that he was carrying the gun in his
left hand, grasping IL with his right; that the
| gun went of without ever being raised to his
| shoulder on this occasion; that he did not know
! that he had shot any until he turned, after
walking back about twenty-five feet, and looked
| around and ssw a man lying dead in the road.
II was said at the time that Day had a bad rec
| ord; that he had been a Confederate guerrilla
during the war, and had boasted OF having
| killed thirty men in that service. He is also
! said 10 have told Portland young man, who
| saw him at kaama shortly after the murder,
that he had shot men Just to see them fall 1t
| was also said that he had killed three men
since the war. To PosT-ISTELLIGEscER re-
| porter Day said the stories of his desperate
character and exploits in earlier years were not
! true.
| Day was tried at Kalama in December, 1891,
/ found guilty and sentenced 10 be hanged
within ninety days from December l6 On the
| night OF December IL deputy sheriff on going
into Days cell, shortly after the latter's supper
had been served 10 him, found the condemned
man in his bunk, covered up and acting as II
much excited. In reply TO the inquiry by the
deputy, he said he was sick, aud the examina-
ton which followed detected the fact that Day
had attempted suicide by slashing his left arm
Just below the elbow. He had used a common
table knife which was furnished him TO use at
his meals, through the dullnsss Of which he
laiIeI 10 reacl tGc AeutcA& ASSISTANCE
was at ouee summoned and the wound dressed.
1t required ten stitches TO hold the parts to-
ge.her.
Days attorneys then made a motion for a new
trial on teehGicalit!es, the points OF which were
indicated II Judge Blpomheid's refusal 70 grant
the motion on January c, as follows:
The principal point urged by counsel for the
defendant i sufficiently covered IN that form:
that Is that while the allegation is missing that
the peTson instantly died from the mortal
woand, as counsel says. yet IL appears on tho
face OF the information that "he lat certain
time) purposely and Of his deliberate aud pre-
meditatcd malice did kliL" The only other
point urged is tha. q laYne Thomas Clinton
"a human being or other equivalent words
Indicating that name "a the name o. human
/ being But as II stands / rhlnk that name
! should be taken TO indicate human being
person. The law should step III ard exercise
common sense as well as legal sense and KNOW
that the name indicates a persoa-
| Day was sentenced to b. banged al Kaiama o.
| Friday. February ~ On February 10. week
| previous to the dag set for execution, Days at
/ torneys took an appeal 10 the supreme court OF
| the state for a reversal OF the decision of ths
! lower coart. on Wednesday. April 8. tue
/ pyene court rendered It's decision refusing %
/ order new trial. Judge Il oomheld on May Al
re-sentsnc=d Day 20 DC hanged on June g As =
last resort executive ciemsncy was iTnp,orsd.
but Governor Ferry. on Friday, Nav %. refused
1 to interfere with the execution OF the law
The history OF the dead man. as told 70 q
! Posr-iSIELLzsEsCER representative, is fol-
lows:
| Robert Thompson Day was born In TsxsweIl
county, Va, n lSi7, AID resided on iarm until