The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-11-24
WAFER HANGED.
The Wheeling Wife Murderer
at Last Gets 1t in the Neck.
THE sHERIFF'S UGLY TASK,
The Rope Slipped and the Dying Man Held
Up Until 1t Could Be frightened.

No Time Lost in shuhiing Him oT--A Re
view of His Crime-His wife Had Re
fused to Kiss Him-First Execution IN
Ohio County. West Virginia, in Thirty
Years
WHEELING, Nov. 49, William Maier
the wife murderer, was hanged in the
Jail yard here yesterday. He was pro.
mounted dead in fourteen and one-halI
minutes, and at the expiration of thirty.
three minutes was cut down.
Maier's neck was broken by the fall,
and n few seconds later the rope slipped,
causing his toes to touch the ground.
Sheriff Steenrod ran up the gallows and
held the dying man by the rope until il
was tightened.
The scaffold used in the execution was
erected by w. d. Robinson of Pitts.
burg. 1t is lower than the structures
generally used, but Mr.. Robinson, who
has supervised several executions saws
q drop of three feet is better than seven
feet.
Story of the Crime.
The crime for which William Maier
suffered the death penalty was the mur.
der in cold blood of his wife, Marie, at
2 o'clock on the morning of April B.,
1892, by shooting her four times as she
lay in bed at their home in this city. AT
the same time he wounded his little sis.
ter-in.law, Katie Yoho, who was lying
at his wifes side in the bed.
Maier was native of Wurtemberg,
Germany, and had been in this country
about seven years. He was only 90
years of age. His victim. about three
years his Junior, was born in Woods.
field, o. Maier was baker by trade
and a musician, having at one time been
a member of the opera house orchestra.
The couple had been married about six
months when the shooting occurred,
and it was known that they did nor
live happily together, quarreling fre.
quently.
She Refused to Kiss Him.
On the night of the murder Maier did
not go to his work at 10 o'clock, as was
his custom, but instead remained at
home playing on his cornet until very
late hour. He did not go to bed at all,
though his wife and her little sister re-
tired at their usual time. About mid
putting on his best suit, and when his
wife asked him the meaning of the
strange proceeding he told her it was
none of her business. He then went
out and returned about 2 o'clock in the
morning. He had been in the room but
a few minutes when he approached the
bed and asked his wife to kiss him. She
refused, and he said: IF You don't kiss
me now it will be your last chance"
Mrs. Maier begged him not to hurt
her. saying she would never speak cross
to him again, but her husband, crazed
with anger, reached for his revolver, and
after deliberately lighting a match to
guide his aim, he sent four shots at her
in quick succession, every ball taking
effect, in her head and breast, one of
them also wounding the little girl. Mrs.
Maier died almost instantly.
How the Murderer Was Caught.
Maier, without waiting to see the re.
suit of his awful work, fled from the
house, closely followed by Katie Yoho,
who gave the alarm. Though diligent
search was made for the murderer he
was not captured until the 18th of the
month. The circumstances of his
capture were dramatic. He was seen
kneeling by his wifes grave in the ceme-
terry and his actions were those of a man
frantic with grief. Officers We're in.
formed Of his presence in the GENE.
terry and he was captured after a short
chase.
Maier was tried in July and sentenced
to be hanged in August. After a stay
of execution and an argument for a new
trial, and refusal for further hearing,
he was resentenced to die yesterday.
Strong efforts were made by friends to
secure Communication of the sentence on
the ground of insanity, but the governor
was deaf to all aDneals