The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-17

On the Sth inst. q brutal young ruffian
named McIlvaine was electrocuted at Sing
Sing, n. Y, prison for the murder of
grocer named Luca. McIlvaine climbed
through window to rob the grocer's
house; Luca seized him and then Nc
Ilvaine drew knife and stabbed his cap
tor fourteen times, killing him. On his
trial he pleaded insanity. His family
swore that when a boy bean had got into
his ear and had in some way affected his
brain. They said the bean was still there.
1t was not found when the autopsy was
made, but the surgeons reported the brain
and all the bodily organs in perfectly
healthy condition. McIlvaine was con-
yicted and sentenced to death in Deem
Der, 1889, but ne got a new trial, was con-
yicted second time, and sentenced to die
in November, 1890. Appeals extended his
lease OF life. He was again sentenced to
die in April, 1891. Finally the United
States courts were appealed to unsuccess-
fully. He was sentenced for the fourth
time, and that sentence was carried out on
the Sth inst, so that it has taken the law
in the Empire state more than two years
| to hang murderer caught red-handed in
| his crime.
| This precious villain went to the death
| chair with n priest, and repeated his re-
sponses with extreme JUNCTION after the
| priest Then the rutiian nature resumed
| its sway and McIlyaine cried in q loud,
bravado tone, "Let FER GO" This bloody
minded brute. who died with his mouth
full of prayers, evidently thought thar he
had atoned for life of crime and most
inhuman murder by week OF mechan-
ically repeated prayer. A murderer who
was hanged at Albany, y. Y, a few years
ago for cutting an old woman's throat.
preparatory to robbing her of a few dol
lars, was observed at his morning and
evening devotions the dsv after the muir
der, and il was on evidence that he said
his prayers regularly during the days and
nights he was evading his pursuers.
negro murderer executed in New
York city several years ago urged his
mother at the last minute "to have an
abiding faith in his future destiny for
good" This scouudrel was noted
for his external pictv, disliked rough
and profane company, and was de-
voutly worshiping in church when
arrested. Two famous Connecticut
prisoners, Bishop sud his paramour
Mrs. Cobb, both wore the blue ribbon"
and inteUlarded their guilty correspond
ence, in which they deliberately plotted
their murders, with p!et.stic pIatitudes
and devout illusions to 1.-THE divine pro-
lection, upon which they both expressed
absolute dependence, and Smith, Yer.
mont wife Poisoner. filed his letters 10 his
paramour with a deal of suuilling reIg-
ious cant.
OF course it is quite possible that all
these persons were conscious hypocrites.
running TO the outward forms Of faith for
shelter, Just as they would break for big
umbrella in q storm; it is possible that all
these scouudrels were vulgar hypocrltes.
Offering the homage that vice pays TO viz
tue by stealing the livery OF heaven 70
play devil in, but it IS not necessary al all
to assume that they were even conscious
frauds in ali this pieiistic incorporating.
| The behavior Of all these villains warrants
the opinion that they were of that low
type OF meutal and moral sanity that sin
cercjy contuses, in its supe rstitious D.jnd-
ness. its emotional exhibition of outward
piety with that true religion, which, rest
ing on Ned principles, -, ofcourse, iacom-
patible with the commission of crime.
The Italian brigand who shoots down
+ his victim from his place Of ambush is pic
tared in one OF Writers poems as cross.
Ing himself aud murmuying God Rest
His Soul over tile dead man, while Con-
gCcssnaO o'Nol tells a udicrous story O;
the two Irish tenants who watched in
vain oil night behind hedge to shoot
their landlord, and toward morning be-
ucyo.catly expressed the hope that moth
ing had happened to the POOR man"
There are 10 spectators; there Is 10 al,