The Green Forest tribune., 1894-04-12
OLIPHANT ROBBERS HANGED.
JAMES L. WYRlCK, THOMAS BRADY AND Al
BERT MANsKER EXECUTED FRIDAY.
They Wero Convicted Of the Murder of Conductor
Mchally Near Newport, Last November

OH uurSudy Vi Clle u0OlHou OlpIdHC
train robbers. Thomas Brady, James L.
Wyrick and Albert Mansker, were
cheered in their prison cells by many
offer the doomed men all the consola-
ton they could.
There was no display of sentiment.
Hill, better known as Mansker, made
heroic efforts to bear up manfully.
Brady gave way to his grief in lamenta-
tions loud and long. His terrible cries
of anguish were heartrending. Again
and again would he exclaim, with terri
BILE emphasis, "Oh, my God, save me
from the eternal torments of hell p
Then he would cry, "Oh, good God,
take me as am; take me as l am ~
The doomed men awoke about o.
clock this morning AID poor Brady be-
gan his supplications for mercy. At 6
o'clock they made their toilet aud then
prayed. A few hymns were sung and
then the death warrant was read. Hill
prayed aloud and fervently. He prayed
for his condemned brother Brady, for
the court officials, the prison officials,
both here and at the penitentiary. The
song. II am glad forever, no matter
what the world says" was sung and
the procession to the gallows was taken
up.
The prisoners mounted the scafold
with firm and steady steps. The Sher-
if having stated that if they had any
statement to make that the time for
making it had arrived, John T. Hill
stepped to the front Of the gallows over
the fatal trap door through which he
was launched to eternity a few minutes
later.
81 had hoped" he began, 'to speak
to young men today, but as the law
doesn't allow that, / will omit what l
would have said to them am AZ years
old, native of Texas county, Missouri,
where my father died when | was 3
years old. Mother married again when
Twas 10. A disagreement with my
stepfather drove me from home at IL.
The ambition of my life was to obtain
good education. taught school at
15; WAS married at II. My wife died
l married again. Two children died
and my second wife soon followed
them. My third wife was unfaithful.
[ left her, and that marks the begin
ing of my downfall. Since then | have
married twice, having three women liv-
ing who once called me husband"
He claimed it was Padgett and not he
who organized the Olyphant gang.
sShun bad company" were his parting
words.
Wyrick spoke next. He is a native
of Roane county, Tennessee. He is
now SO years old; leaves wife and five
children in destitute circumstances. He
had lived near Hot Springs for six
years. His history of the organization
of the bandit gang was substantially
the same as Hills. AS dying request
Hill osked that his and Brady's bodies
be inferred alongside of Wyrick's near
Hot Springs. Henry Goldman Of
Brinkley. who was present. assured
him that his desire would be granted.
He then SMILED and retired.
Prayer by DR.. White, chaplain of the
Arkansas Pehitentiary followed. The
men were then placed on the trap door
Brady in the center, with Hill at his
left and Wyrick at his right. As the
caps were pulled on, Brady increased
his supplications to God for mercy
At 7:51 O'Clock a. m. the trap was
sprung, and the men died without a
struggle. In II minutes Wyrick's heart
ceased its functions, Hill's in Il and
Brady's in l3. Considerable blood ooz-
ed out of Wyrick's neck. The bodies
were coffine,l and sent to Hot Springs
tonight in the Hot Springs express.
The crime for which these men to-
dav suffered death WAS committed on
the night of November3, 1898. About
10 O'Clock that night passenger train
/ No. 81 on the st. Louis, Iron Mountain
aud Southern railroad was held up at
| OHphant, a lonely flag station IN lnde
pendence county by seven masked men
WHO looted the express and passenger