The morning call., 1893-09-01


he tore the papers into fantastic strips
aud regularly arranged them on the cell
ing. Then he sought to adorn the walls
and windows. and his ingenious nature
and thoughts are defined in a hundred
curious ways He caricatured the keeper,
John Lucas, and labeled it, "Ah Luges,
watchman IN Jail"
Lees patience is remarkable, judging
from the work upon the windows and
walls. He took pink paper and tore it
into wel-formed Roman letters. and by
means of spittle he pasted them into
words and sentences. Here are few of
the most prominent sentiments of his
handicraft:
I'm God We Trust"
'Our Father Who Art in Heaven"
''Go to God at Home"
II will call god my father"
"Jesus love Go D to B."
"The Father"
'I am child. son of Cod
On the wall in huge capitals he grimly
announces:
"0ur home. Welcome"
Gone but not forgotten"
Chinese characters abound, but their
meaning is not made apparent.
Last night Sheriff Harrison procured
nice suit of clothes for Lee and ordered
him to put them on. preparatory to re-
moving hin to the condemned cell at the
foot of the stairs leading to the courtroom
corridor. Lee stubbornly refused saying
his time had not yet come and he declined
to make the change. As usual, he had to
be overpowered and the old clothes cut
from his back. Then he relapSed into his
customary mood.
This morning CALL reporter, in CON-
pany with Sheriff Harrison, entered the
cell where Lee is counting the last hours
of his mortal life. He was seated on his
bunk in his shirtsleeves. with his back
against the wall. The death watch, John
Lucas and Ramon Lasceles. paced by his
side and watched his every move. In
answer 10 inquiries he said he had passed
a good night and had eaten a hearty
breakfast. He said that he had been well
treated at the jail and that all the officers
had been uniformly kind TO him. Being
asked directly about his crime, he said that
Shenton hadIslapped him and threatened
TO cut his queue off, and in order to defeat
his purpose he had fred his pistol in an
endeavor to frlghten the team which
Shenton was driving. He said he had
paid 800 TO doctor for caring for the
man after he learned he had accidentally
shot him. but he studiously avoided refer
ence to the fact that he had shot his victim
three times after he fell from the convey
ance.
mo; I no try kill him." Leo said.
what for pay 500 to doctor for if
do? like make him well SO we be good
friends again.
Have you had a fair trial?"
mo; I'm a Chinaman," and be looked
the picture Of absolute despair.
''Do you not hope for respite?"
Il no know. l got no friends, got no
money. Governor not know me. No; l
guess not"
''Do you fear the coming of Tomorrow
the infection of the penalty of the crime
they say you committed 90
"NO; l not know. May be so; / can't
tell Only little while, then all over.
Chinaman got no show"
Lees remarB about having no friends
was singularly apt. They have all de-
serted him. and not one Of the companies
has applied for the body. When he was
arrested he had $500. but he spent that for
attorneys fees, and no one has con tributed
TO his cause. He has brother, but he is
lame and unable to work. OF late he has
been denied admission to the Jail because
he persists in causing consternat alton on
each visit. If Lees Chinese acouaint-
ances do not apply for the body it will be
buried by the county after the Coroner's
inquest.
The arrangements for the execution have
been trusted TO Thomas Estee. who has
had charge Of the majority of hangings in
Marin County. The execution will t. ke
place indoors, on the first floor of the Jail
and court buildings. Right at the head of
the stairs that lead to the prison an inno-
cent strip Of mating covers trap door
that was arranged years ago. Overhead
an aperture in the plaster discloses a snb-
stantial seaDtlng that will supplant the
crossbeam of the typical gallows. Back
of the door and away from the sight and
knowledge Of all but few there is IN
ingenionsly arranged trigger that slips a
bolt and permits the trapdoor TO open and
the condemned to drop beneath. In the
basement or prison portion of the build
ing the body will hang and swing until the
physician in charge pronounce Lee Doom
dead and the law obeyed.
The rope is a 100foot piece of %-jnch
"Ou hOuip. Ii mas Deen Soaped
ana stretched until It's diameter is half
an inch. Lee weighs 125 pounds. and
the Trap has been tested with a sandbag
OF that weight Tonight Mr.. Estee will
cut of about thirty feet of the rope and
form moose on one end of the nliant
length. He will likely make duplicate
to use IN case OF an emergency. Five hun
dred invitations have been sent ont to
newspapers and officials of the State. and
morbid curiosity-seekers are implorinr
Sheriff Harrison 10 issue as many more
requests to be present. at best not more
than forty or fifty persons can crowd in
the circumscribed space.
At O'Clock tomorrow morning Sheriff
Harrison will go to Lees cell and read to