Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-02-03
THE EXECUTION OF PAINTER
A Horrible Scene in the Cool
County Jail Yard.
The X Ope Breaks and the Writhing Nsf
tim Fails Eight Feet 10 the Stone
Floor-Died Protesting His
Innocence.

CHICAGO, Jan. 26.--The execution in
the county jail this morning of George
Fainter, formerly Of Brooklyn, n. y,
for the murder OF his mistress, Alic'
Martin. was attended by a horrible
scene. When the trap was sprung thu
rope snapped in two and the unfortu
nate man, who weighed over 20.
pounds, dropped eight feet to the stone
floor of the corridor. His head strucJ
heavily as he fell and the blood gushec
from his ears and nostrils. lie wa,
picked up unconscious, laid on the
trap in recumbent position and an
other moose adjusted The drop fell o
second time without further accident
Painter protested his innocence up to
the time the white cap was placed owe,
his head. One of the attending physi
clans expressed the opinion that he
was already dead when the drop was
sprung the second time.
The prisoner reached the scaffold
from the private Office Of Clerk Price oj
the Jail. where the condemned man
had spent the night, at 1852 a. IN
Revs DIR. Sheflin and Moerdyke walked
on either side Of the condemned man.
Painter was attired in a black suit
without collar or necktie and his heaG
was covered with skull cap. Only
seventy-fve spectators, with reporters
of the press. were admitted to the deatS
corridor.
Painters nerve was wonderful, his
glance taking in the scaffold, the moose
and the spectators without the tremor
of muscle. He walked unsupported
to the center of the trap and nodded
with a smile-one more of dignity thar
Of bravado-to a newspaper man whom
he recognized in the front row.
Prayer was offered by Rev. Moerdyke
and after the white shroud had beer
adjusted the condemned man was asked
by Sheriff Gilbert il he had anything &c
say.
Looking straight at those before him
Painter said: Gentlemen: | see some
friends here. Oh, God forgive them. Nc
friend Of mine would come and see me
die. II hurts me. Gentlemen, il you
are going"--a pause-"there are few
gentlemen that would look at an exc
cution, few. The brotherhood of hu.
manity has taught lots of men better
than this. There was time when liz
India men sought death through belle:
that IL was an advance to their flu
ture state. Today | fear death
l do not want 10 die"--a pause
"Listen-listen 10 this. IL J
killed Alice Martin, my wife, although
in court'-here Painter seemed as IL
about to break down-'lf / killed
Alice Martin, the womon ! loved, my
prayer this minute, my last minute on
earth, is that eternal God will take me
and put me in eternal hell; that he Will
keep me there eternally. IL there il
one man in this audience that is or
American, an American citizen, OF
your soul, say on your soul, see that
the murderer of Alice Martin is found.
Gentlemen. see hundred of my" it
was difficult to determine whether the
next word was opposers or officials,
"here, but few Americans.
Then the white cap was drawn over
his face and the moose was frightened
At 7:59, just as Painter had uttered hi,
last words. the signal was given an!
the trap was sprung.
The Rope breaks.
As the Body descended there was
sharp crash. The rope had snapped IL
the center between the iron eye in the
cross beam and tho moose. With "a crash
the body Tell upon the stone pavement
eight feet below. As it fell il hal.
turned from its previous perpendicula,
position and the head strick the grounc
with tremendous force. In second
the white cap was saturated with
blood, and cry of horror went no from
the spectators. A dozen men rushed te
the foot Of the scaffold and picked up
the unconscious man. The blood
was dropping from the back of tn,
head and running in n dozen rivulets
down the white shroud. Four deputy
sheriffs took the head and shoulders
and AS many the feet and the inanim
ate form was carried around the cor
ner, up the steps and laid upon ths
scaffold. Meanwhile the trap hac
been hastily readjusted, and an.
other rope and moose pre-.
pared The still unconscious man was
half carried half dragged to the center
of the trap. There was hurried con.
sultation and then the body was
stretched out on the trap door with the
limbs from the knees down overhang
ing the edge. The trap wal
again sprung and the body
again went into midair. This time
tho rope held its own. A
doctor stepped TO the side of the swing
ing body and seized the left wrist. As
he did SO he made the remark, II be.
lieve he was dead when he was carried
up Oh the scaffold." The drop fell the
second time at s:03t, an interval OF
four and one half minutes from tbs
moment of the first fall. As the body
swung about, the blood continued
to pour out of the head until not ves-
tige OF white remained about the cap,
or the upper portion Of the robe. The
sight sickened many OF the spectators,
and as soon as the body had fallen ths
second time they made break for the
open air.
o.