The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-03
He DROPPED TO DEATH.
The Murderer Of Whalen Pays the
Extreme Penalty of the Law.
THE MAN MET HIS FATE BRAveLY
Story of the Crime md Events which
Led to 1.-THE Murder Took Place
August 20. 1891. but He was Not
Hanged Until Today.

PITTsFIELD. Mass, March 3.-William
Coy suffered this morning the punishment
of death upon the gallows, maintaining
him from the first.
Last nj sht William Coy bads his sister
farewell in the shadow of the gallows
upon which he expiated his crime today.
She called at the Jail between and
o'clock, and they were allowed to walk
up and down the corridor together.
She WAS overcome with emotion while
he coolly smoked cigar. Tears streamed
down the devoted woman's cheeks as she
hung upon the mans arm. she had
striven so heroically to save him from
awful fate. What they talked of will
probably never be known. She seemed
to be pleading with him but he took her
words without attention.
Smoke from his half burned cigar
waited lazily upward as they parted for
the last time losing itselfin dim shadows
of that corridor OF death. Later a change
came over the man. His spiritual ad-
visors Drs. Newton and Clymer entered
his cell where they remained until after
1890 o'clock.
Before they left the hardened spirit of
the wretch had been softenod but he did
not join them In prayer.
He said he would die like man and
and like Christian, aud hoped he would
be saved.
Refers to the Crime.
Only once did he speak OF his crime
and then it was TO aver that the murder
was done during the heat of quarrel
and that others knew that this was SO
but he refused to divulge any names.
He retired at 2 o'clock and half an hour
later was apparently sleeping soundly.
His rest was comparatively unbroken
until o'clock when he awoke and sud-
denly sitting up in his couch said to his
death watchi
well, boys. am all ready for the ex-
ecution." Then he arose, washed, and at
sat down to the breakfast that had
been prepared for him. 1t was heavy
meal and he ate heartily of the eggs,
toast, beefsteak, ham and coffee that
was set before him.
Then he was shaved and at o'clock
there came request from the sister to
be admitted to the cell.
Then came q confirmation OF report
that has lately been circulated regard
ing Mrs Baker. the sister.
She fell awespng upon Coy's breast.
and murmured words of endearmeut
which could never have come from sis
ter.
Her actions confirmed the story that
she Is the mans mother.
She offered to take his place on the
scaffold, and when they were parted the
scene was such rs to draw tears from the |
eyes of all present.
Mrs. Bakers interest is explained by |
the fact that Coy is the illegitimate son |
s.n. l. - I
ceased who met his death while drunk |
by an accident in Boston. She has come
all the way from her Western home to
be present
The Grim End of All.
Shortly after O'Clock the spiritual ad- |
visors were again admitted TO Coy's pres
ence. where they rem ined in earnest
prayer until the time arrived for the
making Of preparations to mount tho
Rallows.
The arrangements for the execution were
all completed and the gallows thoroughly |
tested Thursday afternoon Coy was
hanged shortly after 10 30 o'clock, the en-
trance to the Jail being closed at that hour.
His arms were pinioned In the cell and the
death warrant was read there.
Then the march to the gallows
started. Sheriff Crosby lead, and be-
hind him came Coy between Rev.
DIR. Newton and Rev. j. +. Clymer, the
former an Episcopal and the latter n Meth
odist clergyman. They were followed by a
corps OF deputies
Great care had been taken in the ar
rangement of the structure OF death, and
there was no hitch in the brief work for
which IL was intended The trap was
sprung. and the condemned murderer was
launched into eternity with apparently but
little suffering.
story Of the Crime.
William Coy murdered John whalen In
m isolated hovel i'm the town Of Washing
ton on the night Of Aug %, 1891. The
murderer cut up his victims body and
buried II In the woods about quarter of
mile from the hovei in which he killed
him. The murder was committed with an
axe- 1t Is supposed that Whalen was killed
while asleep on miserable bed by having
his skull crushed in by the axe in the hands
of William Coy. Blood stains on the walls
of the room and the bed would seem TO
prove THE
The thorough investigation of the case
which was made by Medical Examiner
Frank K Paddock, State Detective Pease
and others would seem 10 prove that
Whalen was killed while in a drunken
stupor on the bed DR. Paddock said
that Whalen was probably lying on his
right side> and that Coy struck him with
the head Of the axe on the left temple
crushing the skull In upon the brain, and
then struck tremendous blow with the
blade Of the axe TO cut his throat. which
almost severed his head from his body
The blood stains on the head of the bed.
the way Whalen's clothes were saturated
with blood on the right side and spattered
on The left seem 10 prove that this Is cor
rect.
DIR. Paddock II convinced that such a
fracture as was made on the skull could
not have been made by any blow struck
while the man was standing up. The frac-
ture indicates that there was resistance on
the other side Of the head. II there had
been none, az when n man IL standing,
such blow would have been impossible.
Unesrthed by q Dog.
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