The morning call., 1892-08-28
I'M DEAD, THANK YOU. !"
What John McNulty Said to
w. s. Barnes.
BACK IN HIS OLD CELL.
The Condemned Man Enjoys Being Corpse
What Will Judge Murrhy Do
in the Matteri

Cell 27 In the County Jail is the temporary
abiding place of the only living dead man
at present Sojourning within the city and
county of San Francisco.
In the deathly palor Of his countenance
he much resembles the ordinary deceased,
but in conversation and general exuberance
of spirits the dead man is far superior 10
the average corpse.
John McNulty. the slayer of Collins. is
legally dead.
Between the hours of noon and o'clock
Friday, the time set for his execution, Nc
Nulty is supposed to have passed away.
A careful perusal Of THE CALL yesterday
morning failed to reveal anything in the
shape of an obituary notice.
Still McNulty is dead. in spite of the fact
that the Sheriff refused to obey the instruc-
tions of the court and break the neck of the
aforesaid McNulty
The man himself says that he is legally
detuDct and that he rather enjoyed the eX-
perence. which WAS entirely free from that
choking sensation which has heretofore
robbed death on the gallows Of its greatest
pleasure.
Twice has he sat through the long hours
of the day and night in the death cell with
his trainers preparing for tbs final jump of.
lie fulfilled his part Of the Contract, being
on hand with the neck at the specified time
and if the law slipped up on its obligations
he is not to blame.
Others besides McNulty, however, are of
the opinion that he is dead.
His attorney says so and that 1t will be
wrong TO execute him again. In fact, lie
thinks 1t will be rubbing it in on the con-
demned.
The Sheriff is also in doubt, and so is the
Judge, but District Attorney Barnes Is
positive that McNulty is no more.
When the time set for the execution had
no
McNuty was still alive, but he received no
official notification that hanging had
taken place.
In order to satisfy himself on that point
the District Attorney visited the jail yester-
day and interviewed the corpse.
The interview was entirely satisfactory,
! and left no doubt In the mind of the at
torney.
McNulty was taken from his cell, and he
and Barnes met in the corridor.
Excuse me-" said the attorney, "but is
this Mr.. McNulty whom l am addressing?"
"It is"
Pardon me If appear iuquisitive, but
would like to ask you question on rather
delicate point"
go ahead, SIR"
Are you dead or alive?"
IN dead. thank you" replied McNulty
with great cheerfulness.
An. how long since?"
Yesterday noon"
Thanks; that will be all today"
Barnes then left the jail, aud the dead
man returned to his cell in better frame of
mind than be has enjoyed for many days
past
Life is sweet even to condemned mur-
derers, but the death McNulty died ia far
preferable 10 the life he was living
Yes, there is no doubt that the man is
dead.
He says so himself and what better proof
could be desired
Still. To DaSs four yaare eavar
months within the narrow confines of an
ron-barred cell, then die and return 10 life
and the same dull routine of prison life
where iron doors claDk aud groan on their
rusty hinges, ana where the ever present
odor OF felcns in bulk floats out on the
midnight air, is not that happy transition
to the bright portals beyond which inspires
yearning for the cold and silent tomb in
the bosom OF the truly good.
Yet McNulty is entirely satisfied
Since the resurrection the old scenes have
acquired positively beautiful hue, and life
in cell is really worth living provided Won
are dead. Mac has been returned 10 his old
cell and likes il much better than the more
s! acious quarters afforded by the death
chamber.
There he occupied a pallet on the stone
floor, but in his own little den he is for
nlshed with a comfortable spring bed on
which ne enJoyed most refreshing slum-
Der the night following his execution.
lie was in an unusually cheerful mood
yesterday after his visit from the District
Attorney and was busy fixing up his quar-
tiers.
The walls and ceiling of the cell have
lately been painted pale green. a fresh
covering Of newspapers has been placed on
the she'll that runs along one side of the
wall.
The occupant of the tomb. as he calls IL.
was scruobing the floor yesterday
he is sure of 80 days more of undisturbed
rest. and IS not without hope that he NAV
be allowed to remain dead. Life is too fuil
OF turmoil and trouble and vexatious DELAYS
for him.
Carroll Cook. McNulty's attorney, is pre-
neck
when the case comes up Monday before
Judge Murphy Mr.. Barnes will ask that a
new date be set for the execution.
Cook will claim that while an apneal Is
pending in the Supreme Court the Superior
Court has no jurisdiction, and IL this fails
he IS prepared to make appeals on other
rzofr