Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-05-26
A DEMON BANGLES
Deeming Joins His Victims i'll
tine Land of Shadows Whittier
He Sent Them.
The Multimurderer Pays the
Price of Blood for the
Blood He Shed.

$780, -
hanged at 1901 this morning.
He passed Sunday in writing, calmly dis
cussing at intervals his approaching doom.
He said he had no intention Of making a
speech on the scaffoid. On Sunday night
he thrice swallowed eagerly a small allow
ance oil spirits, after which he slept souEdiy
until he was awakened at 7 o'clock this
morning. Then for the first time since
his arrest the manacles on his
wrists were semoVed, aud, smoking a cigar.
he conversed with those around him. He
declared that lie was resigned TO his fate
and had no fears in regard to the future.
To the governor of the prison he said hat
he had made his peace with God. He per
sisted in denying that he was guilty Of the
Rain Hill murders. He had never. he de-
clared, lost his self control in England as
he had since his arrival in Australia. He
expressed gratitude to the governor and all
the prison officials for the consideration
they had shown him. and also to Mr.. Lyle,
his counsel, and to all concerned in his de-
Tense. lie said he thought
HE WOULD NOT FALTER
or make any scene on the sCatiOld. A few
moments before the time set or the execu-
ton Deeming was allowed glass OF brandy,
which he swallowed at a gu.p. and he was
told that lie might have more if the prison
doctor so ordered. The doomed man was
then led to the gaIlows and in a few mo-
ments all was over The drop was seven
.eet.
The execution was witnes ed by a large
gathering, including government and civil
officials, magistrates, police and c~lergymen.
There was an immense crowd outside the
prison from an early hour in the morning
until long after the execution was over.
Order was maintained by a strong force OF
police. When weighed this morning Deem
ing turned the scales at IA pounds. which
is fourteen pounds less than he weighed
when admitted to the prison.
On the arrival Of the hangman and the
deputy governor at the doomed mans cell
Deeming was praying fervently, repeating
again and again, Lord have mercy on my
soul lie continued muttering a prayer
as he was led to the scatlold. He wore a
cap which partially shaded his lace from
view.
~CowARD's DEATH.
Seventy reporters and physicians gathered
in the prison yard to witness the execution,
and in front, outside the wall, thousands
upon thousands waited from 6 o'clock this
morning to watch the black flag and wait
for the signal that all was over. When
Deening was led into the yard and up to
the ~gaIlOws, everybody was surprised to see
that he was not chained as had been eX-
pected. He walked uns!eadily between the
guards and several times tottered as if about
to fall. His face was ashen and he shook
like a man with the palsy. Several times
when the chaplain spoke 10 him encourag-
iTgly in an uRdertone, Deeming parted
his lips 10 reply, but he uttered no sound.
He seemed to be stUpeted by his approach
ing death. When his arms were pinioned
he wayered and would have fallen. had he
not been caught by the warden. At first he
shook his head when his last opportunity
to speak was given him. Then he rallied
from his stupor and with "a strong effort
called out: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit"
He tried to say more and stood with his
mouth half open, but no words came. As
the moose was adjusted, his knees knocked
together and
HE WOULD HAVE COLLAPSED
had he not been supported until he was
swung into midair. He died without a
struggle, aud almost instantly. The body
after being cut down was taken in charge
by the prison physician. who will superin-
tend the post mortem examination into the
structure of the skull and brain. Deem
ing's conduct at the last was a surprise to
all who have been near him since he was
sentenced. Last evening he seemed to re-
a!ize for the first time that all hope was
gone. Before then, despite occasional fits
of dependency, he had told the prison Of
icials that he was not born to be hanged,
and that he would get ont yet and make
it hot for his prosecutors" Shortly alter
supper last evening he called to the keeper
and asked anxiously:
DO you think it is al up with me?'
This is your last night, D~eeming,' was
the reply, and you had better talk to your
God instead oCme."
Deeming WAS silent for several minutes
and then Inquired brokenIy for the chap
lain. II have been a wild fellow, 70 he said,
and have sins enough to be pardoned,
God knows; but | am not so bad as they
have made me out. Only think that poor.
crazy Fred should die OF the gallows!"
The chaplain said subsequently that in
all his experience he had not seen a more
broken creature. Mr.. Lyle. Deeming's
q NIr say ht has bOt utClIeN mar 10 10
with DeenIlng'S autobiography. He has
not yet had time to read much of the man
uscript. and what he has read has led him
to think it has few claims TO being a truth
tul narrative. The spelling and writing
are bad, he says, aud there is evidently so
much lnco herent ph~ilosophiz.ng in the
work that he fears nobody will be willing
to undertake the financial risk of publica-
ton.
The black cap was drawn over Deeming's
face and the prison chaplain read the burial
service at the conclusion o: which the bolt
was drawn and the body dropped. Death
was instantaneous, and after the first mo-
mentary swaying Of the body no further
movement was noticed. The hangman wore
a false white beard.