Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-03-09

PIrrsF1ELD, Mass. March 3--This morn
ing found William Coy, the wife murderer,
in as comfortable frame Of mind as could
be expected, considering the ordeal before
him.
Rev. Dr. Newton and Or. Cymer prayed
and talked with him until 1890, then the
newspaper men wore admitted, and In his
Gnal statement to them he expressed his
tppreciation Of the efforts Of his counsel
and his spiritual advisers and reasserted
his declaration that no killed Whalen in
self-defence. He said he was reconciled to
God, and would die in the hope of immor-
tally.
Ho retired AZ 2 O'Clock this morning but
did no. sleep well. lie arose OF ., when the
other prisoners filed past his cell to say
good bve then sought his cot again and Sc
cured short nsp At s. he partoolS of
hearty breakfast. after which lie received
farewell visit from his sister, the parting
being very affecting.
At 1880 Sheriff Crosby and four dcpu-
ties proceeded to Coy's cell, where the pris-
oner was found in prayer with Revs. New
ton and Cymer The sheriff read the death
warrant, the deputies pinIoned tho doomed
mans hands, ard Immediately tho procession
to the gallows was begun. Coy, pale and
trembling waa supported by two of the
deputies.
Arriving on the scafTold Coy was placed
on the trap, the clergymen reading altern-
ately from scriptures while his legs and
arms were being strapped. As the black
cap was placed on Coy's head, DR.. Newton
stepped forward vnd said: "William Coy
desires me to say he has given bis hesrt to
God and asks for marcy and forgiveness
for his crime. He forgves all who spoke
against him, and goes hence with charity
ill ovI -
Tho moose was adjusted about the prison
FRS neck, the sheriff pronounced the SEN
tence of this law, and the last words
loft his lips. he pressed the sprug.
1t was 10:43 Il. NJ. when the drop fell.
Coy's legs twitched convulsively few times,
and the body hung motionless. At the end
Of five minutes and 50 seconds the body was
taken down at 1859 and the doctors found
the neck broken. His death was painless
and there wac no sensation after the fall.
The execution went off without the slightest
hitch. Coy's body was placed in plain
board basket and turned over to his sister,
who will take it TO Wisconsin for burial
story OF the Crime.
william Coy murdered John Whalcn in
an isolated hovel in the town of Washing
ton on the night Of Aug. 20, 1891. The
murderer cut up his victims body and
buried IL IN the WOODS ABOUT a quarter OF Il
mile from the hovcl in which he killed
him The murder was committed with an
axe II supposed that W halen was Killed
WhIe asleep on a miserable pea ny having
his skull crushed in by the axe in the hands
of William Coy Blood stains on tie walls
of the room and the bed would seem to
prove THE
Tho thorough investigation Of the case
which was made by Medical Examiner
ram ~ I"uuo,%' 9'''e l'elecIlNe Tease
anu DINERS Wouiu seem 20 prove mat
hiucA was h!.Ie'' WINE IN II drunken
hCupor on the pea. Dt. Tiuoock SAD
'haU nMeh was ProDaoly l!lhS on ms
'iShu slue, ana that Coy StrucA nun with
the head OF the axe ON the lett temple,
crushing tAe skull il upon me pralh, ana
then struck tremendous DO" with the
blade OF the axe 10 cut ms throat, which
almost severed MS head from ms BODY
The BLOOD STAINS on the head OF the bed,
the way Nhalen' clothes We're saturated
with blood on the 1Ght SIDE ana spattered
on the left seem 10 prove mat TINS Is cor
rect
DE- Paddock Is convinced that such a
fracture as was made on the skull could
not nave beeh maze by any bloW struck
while the man was standing up The 1rac-
lure indicates that there was resistance on
inc other SIDE oil the mead II there had
been none, as when man i standing,
such a dow would nave been Impossible.
Cnearthed by Dog.
If Coy had buried the body Of his victim
deep enough he might have escaped detec-
ton But the keen scent Of dog I'M
earthed the crime and sealed the fate of
Coy Selectman Alanson Pomeroy OF
Washington and other citizens of that
town had becDmp very SusDiciOuS Mr.
Pomeroy owned the shanty where Coy
lived, and in looking it over became con.
WINGED there had been foul play there.
On the morning Of Oct IL Mr. pomeroy
was out in the woods with his dog. His
attention was attracted by the dog digging
in a clump of bushes and he went to the
spot After digging away little of the
earth a human hand appeared. He went
for assistance and he and the neighbors
dug up the BODY, which was in badly de
composed condition, as it had been buried