Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-01-19

them Tor pulung bne iVspoot
Latrobe at the service OF the governor
CuEsrERrowY, Jan. lG.--A sensation
was caused bva deputy warden one, OF the
death watch, who had been drinking
heavily He insisted on the. prisoners
singing all the time. After this had con
tinued awhile he suggested that they dance
q little, Sheriff Plumlner then appeared
on the scene and ordered the deputy out OF
the building.
PISIoNING THE PRISONERS.
Shortly after II O'clock Sheriff Plummer
began the first preparations Tor the eXecll-
ton. The members of the posse VINO were |
inside the Jail. the reporters and the ~ |
witnesses allowed by law crowded into tiie
corridor, where they were admonished by
the sheriff to get ready. Watchman 9tork
opened the four doors and two deputies
entered each cell and handentfed and, pin
Toned the occupant. The sheriff ordered
the crowd in the corridor to stand back,
and the short march to the seaffold com
menced.
Brooks led with Comegys next, followed
by Williams and Moses Brown. The sherlu
was waiting on the scatfold for them, and
he silently m0tioned each OF them 10 MS
position.
The heavy, awkward blocking cotton
nooses with their tremendous hangmin
knots were soon arranged about the necks
OF the four men, Then the black caps
were pulled over their faces and their leg,
were bound at the ankles. The sheriff
took last look at the beam, the traps anu
| finally at the men themselves,
| The people waiting III the yard below
| could see nothing SO effectively was the
! gallows boarded up. they heard the
creaking of the traps, however and waited
with bated breath for the noise OF the
| lever. In minute 1t came.
THE EIGHT TRAP DOORS FALL.
Atlo.sO o'clock the bar controlling the
triggers slipped easily along the creased
surface. There was crash as the eight
trap doors fell to the ground and four
black bodies shot through the holes and
four of the murderers OF DR.. Hill had eX-
plated their crime on the gailows.
Samuel Hill, the father of the murdered
man saw the slayers of his son drop TO
death.
THE NOR BREAKS DOWN THE FENCE.
Before the hour of execution arrived the
attempt to make the affair private was
prevented by tile action Of the mob out
side in breaking down section OF the
fence surrounding the small Jail ward.
Through the breach thus created The
crowd poured, and those who first got in
threw open wide the gate Then all wht
wished came in at will, until the yard was
crowded with between 700 and 500 people
: They even pushed under the scaffold anl
had to be forced back, in order to MAKE
+, room for the dropping OF the trap and Thu
C falling OF the bodies.
Y The Rev. Father Sargent, who had at
! tended the condemned men to the last
5 looked down upon the pushing, struggling
mob in amalement and disgust. go
II Gods sake he pleaded, in earnest tone
Z and with hands extended stand bacl
3 and allow these poor men to die in peace.
IS But his appeal was uEheeded, and the ser
n vices of police and constables were neces
IL sary to keep back the heartless crowd.
THE TRAPS FELL At 1890.
d After the preimnaries had been al
N ranged, the final act was quickly PEE
IL formed. Deputy Sheritfs Thomas Stork
" John Pate, Frank 5. Plummer and w.
S, stephens, accompanied the prisoner
n Each deputy placed one of the condemne
10 men in position upon the gallows and pi
lis the rope over their necks The black cal
es were then drawn on, after which the lie.
IT. Of the prisoners were strapped, William
rd was over the trap farthest from the step
les Brooks was next, Comegys next to Brook
lr- and Brown near the steps.
~ During these preparations the clerg.
all men were praying. 1t took only fe
minutes TO get everything in readiness. al
as Sheriff Plummer took position by Il
lever. Brooks. who was the only one
&c. make any remarks. said = am innocent
hs Then all was quiet. The next instant Il
4iu sheriff pulled the lever, the traps fell
~ the ground and the bodies shot down d
me- openings simultaneously and into fl
view of the spectators below II was Q
actly L. 30 when the sheriff sprung t
life traps.
leh HORRIBLE SCENES on THE scAFfoLD.
nv Frisby Comegys, the boy, died frigl
've full death. Around and around he sp
I'll for fully half minute, like veritabe t,
~ His legs contracted SO thar the knees ",
az nearly even with the chest, The k
=, Strengthened ont again, The stTangli
gurgIe could be heard by those close
His body began to sway to and fro,
legs were in constant motion and the arr
III which were held together with bright 81
YOU handouts, pumped up and down "
q strange rapidlty.
] So desperate was the struggle Of the /
row that his left Shoe was forced from the fl
le. 1t fell upon the wooden trap which
the with the three Others III Tie frozen rrou
mi below.
"a, Tie seconds became minutes, yet
ned young murderer struggled on The k
had Slipped from beneath his Jaw; the
the had failed to break or disluclte the lie
ram and the doctor who stood by knew I
Az a they mast wait and see Tie victim stran
me htthe Ell piruion OF yeminntes Comeg
Y 81 hands ,iruppeh III front of him mutionl
IRE Il 1t looked as ii death had come. Bat it
lerts moi, Again the limbs We're drawn npw;
louf The hands were raised rs il in prayer
body Swaycd and swung forward, Dt
ward, 10 and fro,
acies This exhibition, dreadful to behold,
heir more violent thHu had been that VT
iuts followed Immediately after the fall OF
have traps. The gurgle, too, could be ht
II Ia again.
the Another minute went by. The mu
N in lar action continued. Another, and
ored cher and still the young murderer
note retained life's visOr. OGcc again
oTn, sIackeuel arms moved UP and down,
hich more the legs became contracted brin
win the body IL 4 crnmpcd position. I
was was another No.elt SpaSm Of the mus
laud- Then. At the expiration Of almost 10
maps utes, life's light went out.
had What The boy murderer suffered no
upper can tell Certain il is that he was
warn. scuus for at least five minutes of the
sin. his body swaytd from the white &C
ment cord.
at led liz died next to brooks, the most pc
full man OF the four.
Brook struggles were scarcely e
NJ 4, m4rkabe or narrowing The neck b
I, or as the doctors say, was dislOcate
.t,te, the fall rendering the victim unComs
fEIr almost Immediately. Being very Ii
fr,,I, man he did not rebound like the OF
: nsrt but hung still Tor fully minute.
niih as ii he had rcganei life. he beg
rrnrn struggle similar IN many respects "a
~ X. Of Cumegys. The limbs contracted
IN I'M relaxed with great rapidly, and q
II tLp ! same time the upper portion of the
rcsaI,- from the bell 10 the neck, shook witt
q Mi. vuisiee trernur,
n MI As the moments passed this actic
came more ana more pronounced. A
r1eart end OF six minutes Brooks whole