Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-02-03
WILL HANG TODAY.

Preparation Complete for the Execu-
fion of Wife Murderer Holiness
Particulars of the Crimc-The Com
demned Man Passes n Restless
Night.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass, Feb. 2 -Wallsce
w. Holmes will be hanged to morrow
morning for the murder of his wife, Nellie
Holmes, the execution being the first in
the York street Jail.
Sheriff Clark, who oficiates, has been in
Office just month and never witnessed an
execution, but he is an excellent military
officer and no bungling is looked for. The
execution will take place in the guard room
from which the corridors of the jail run,
the door, 90 that the condemned man
must be led to 1t from the iron stairs to
the balcony. The gsllows was built for
the execution of Loomis in 1888, which
was the third held in the county. Loomis
was hanged in the old jail on State street,
now military armory, and there have
been no executions in the county since.
Among the witnesses to the hanging will
be the prison committee of the legislature,
who are soothing their nerves in the OPP
era tonight in preparation for the
event. About fifty invitations have
been issued for the hanging and to avoid
the awful stiffness usual at such occasions
they will be kept standing. Deputy Sher-
ifs Lombard, S. T. Miller, w. S. Miller
and Henry Mcdonald, ali of whom partici-
pated in the previous execution, will assist
ON the gsllows, but Sheriff Clark will
| touch the spring himself. Rsv. J. F.
Pagan of the cathedral will offer spiritual
| consolation to Holmes, accompanying him
| to the gsllows:
The crime for which Holmes pays the
penalty has been regarded as peculiarly
| atrocious. On election day in November,
| 1891, the body of his wife, who had been
| cellar of his house on lonely
road near the outskirts of Chico
pee. Neighbors were searching the house
when deg started the scent and
dragged piece of the woman's dress from
the ground under trap door. Holmes
was brought in, and when the police un-
| covered the remains he said "That's her"
When asked: Glow do you know" He
was confused and tried to explain certain
popularity. He had maintained sll
along that che had eloped. He denied
all knowledge of the crime, but was tried
in June and found guilty. Sentence of
supreme court had reviewed the case.
Holmes was defended by Lawyers Green
and bruce of Holyoke, and lately 81. @.
Bliss has become interested, asking for an
| other trial of the case on new evidence.
This was the testimony of Holmes nine
year old boy, Harry, who broke down
after his fathers arrest. He said his
father came home drunk the morning OF
September /, 1891, and ordered his wife
to get up and prepare breakfast. He at
tempted to pull her out of drand when
she resisted he kicked her in the side. He
ran away and when he came back cav his
father standing over the trap door. This
evidence was not introduced by the attor
ney general, as it tended to show murder
in the second degree, and he was afraid the
sight of the lad testifying against hi
father would awaken sympathy with tn,
Jury. Lawyer Green claims he did no
know Just what the boy was prepared t.
say, and as his client insisted on his limo
cence he did not put the lad on the stand
Holmes has since said the boys stor.
was true. Had he done SO at the trial ant
! put the lad on the stand many believe b
| would have escaped with a verdict of mur
! der in the second degree. The presence o
!, sand in the victims lungs. however, in
. dictate that she had been buried alive, an
as Holmes had oftened threatened to XII
J her he had little sympathy. Holmes wa
= born at St. Adams, Vt, in 1S43, and serve
in the Fifth Vermont Infantry. In lat
years he had been hostler.
! Holmes is passing restless night, psein
: the corridor. He bade farewell to his Law
= yers about II o'clock. The priest hs
= told him of the failure to secure q I,
prieve. He went over and watched th
workmen making the moose, and asked
see the gallows erected.