The morning call., 1893-10-26
DR.. VINCENT'S DOOM.
He Will Be Executed at Noon
To-Morrow.
The Condemned Uxoricide May Leave
i Posthumous Statement That
Will Cause a Sensation.

FRESNO, Oct. 25,-Dr. F. o. Vincent,
the uxOricide, is prepared 10 die. He re-
alizes that since the Governor has refused
to interfere there is no hope for him, and
he is nerving himself to die as gamely as
possible. The doors of the Jail were be-
sieged to-day by morbid men and women.
many Of the latter bringing children, who,
since they could not see Vincent hanged.
wanted to satisfy their curiosity by seeing
what the man looked like.
For several hCurs the condemned man
held a regular leyee, shaking hands and
exchanging greetings with his visitors.
When evening came Jailer Day. the death
watch and Vincent himself were com-
pletely exhausted. The final arrange
ments for the execution were made this
morning. the rope being put in place and
tested. 1t is a three-Quarter-inch rope,
we'll creased. and the moose has been pre-
pared by an expert. A bag of sand was
attached to the moose and the trap sprung,
the moose acting smoothly at each trial.
The trap is sprung by means of
a trigger arrangement beneath the floor
To the trigger is fastened rope which is
extended alongside of the gallows, through
the jail wall to a closet behind door
leading to the scaffOId. The man who is
to pull the rope will be stationed in this
closet At sign from Sheriff Scott, the
executioner, whose name will not be
divulged, will pull the rope and send Vim
cent to eternity. The rope will be gwen
seven feet slack, as Vincent Is light
man. not weighing m ore than 100 pounds.
There was talk first of having four feet Of
slack. and even this Vincent believed to
be too much. He said he was afraid his
head might be jerked off and preferred to
take chances Of strangulation. However.
the authorities prefer their own judgment
in this matter, and seven feet slack it
will be.
Vincent has not. as is so usual with
men condemned to death. made any offen-
sive demonstrations of religion. lie has
signified his intention of having Rev. j. 81.
Collins of the congregational and Rev.
T. II. B. Anderson of the South Methodist
Church to accompany him on the scaffold
TO administer spiritual comfort. Up to the
present he has refused to have his photo
graph taken, saying the few In existence
are enough for his family and he has no
desire to promote newspaper Illustrative
art. The condemned man appears more
cheerful than he has been for many
months, and even cracked jest or two
about his approaching execution. which
grated harshly on the listeners. 1t is
rumored that Vincent has drawn up a
statement, to be published after his death,
which is likely to cause quite a sensation.
1t is said that in it will be given a reason
for his deed, which was not ELECTED at the
trial and which will compromise a promi-
nent man here. Efforts are being made TO
prevent Vincent giving this matter pub
licity, as il would, even if discredited. leave
a blot on his child. The execution will
take place at noon Friday. Vincent is be-
Ing carefully watched. as, being a physi-
clan, he may know some way of cheating
The gallows by making away with himself.
No sympathy is expressed for him.
Mrs. Chappell. mother of DR.. Vincent.
arrived on the evening train from Colusa.
The meeting between mother and son was
very affecting. The mother was overcome
with emotion, but Vincent bore up we'll,
and comfOrted her. She will visit him
again tomorrow.