Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-01-26
FACTS and INCIDENTS
Some of the Little Incidents Trans-
piring With Bomburger Before
His Death.
Secretary. Sanders Speaks interest
ingly Of Happenings of the
Execution.
Evidences Of the Mans Nerve and
Self oontrol-Wanted to Die
Game.

-'E.L
Game.
BomburEer Aftermath.
Secretary Orr Sanders, who returned
from Cando yesterday, was one Of the
limited number Of persons within the
%inclosure where Albert Bomburger was
hanged, at the time Of the execution. He
witnessed the hanging from a distance
Of but a few feet from the seafold, and
was also present at the reading Of the
death warrant, and the drive to the place
OF execution. Mr.. Sanders brought back
with him 2 little piece of Irish flax rope
about SIX inches long, being a section Of
the piece which Bomburger stretched,
and also a brass shotgun shell, old and
bloodstalned. being one Of those which
the murderer used in his wiping out OF
the Kreiders. Mr.. Sanders gives an in
~teresting description Of the affair, and Of
incidents, both prior and subsequent
thereto.
"Bomburger was q better looking
young fellow than the average person."
said Mr.. Sanders, yesterday afternoon.
"Even his photograph does not do him
justice. There wa nothing of the brute
indicated in his face. His eye was bright,
and his c~ountenance apparently frank
and open. He was not tall, but was
square shouldered, muscular and we'll
proportioned. Perhaps the nearest ap-
proach to coarseness in his appearance,
was his neck, which was very short,
thick and heavy.
His GOODNESS and nerve were astonieh-
ing, There q be no doubt that he was
laboring under an intense excitement,
but not an evidence was there of it in his
eyes, his face OF his voice. His was q
wonderful self.control, and yet his de-
meanor seemed perfectly natural. There
was nc appearance whatever of a forced
composure. I saw him on the morning
of the execution as he lay back on a cot
in his cell. He had on a light, flannel
shirt, and through this could be plainly
seen a ~huttering, as his heart beat more
and more rapidly because Of the intense
strain upon his nervous organization.
And yet, when he spoke, there was not a
break or culver in his voice. When the
death warrant was read to him, he was
by far the coolest member Of the group
OF persons who were present. Instead
of any expression Of fear on his face, it
was more of q plagued look, as though
he were bored with the reading.
Before the drive to the scaffold, he
washed his hands and feet, and put on q
pair of clean stockings. He dressed him
self neatly, and lighted a cigarette.
Take one, Dick he. said to Dick Fadden,
as he proffered the box. Fadden told
him he did not care for one. You'd
better take one, Dick,' he said again.
It's the last cigarette you'll ever smoke
with Bomburger.'
"The drive to the seafold then began,
and Bomburger showed no signs of
weakening. When the enclosure was
reached, Bomburger walked into the
gate, and looked cody about him. Two
Of his cousins were present, and he
shook hands with them and babe them
good bye as carelessly as though he was
about to take the train for Devils Lake
and not for the larger province Of the
same parsonage. Brace up, Bom,' said
Dick Fadden, as he started to ascend the
steps Il tthe scaffold. I've got q hum
dred on you, that you'll die game
You'll win your money, Dick he re-
sponded, cody, as he took his place on
the trap, and put his hands back Of him
to be bound.
The last words spoken by him, just be-
fore the cap was adjusted, were Good
bye, Dick Good bye, jack to Fadden
and McCune, who stood beside him.
God bless you; Albert saba minister
who stood on the ground below. Thank
you,' he responded. All preparations
were completed by this time. Sheriff
MoCune gave one last look at the black
capped figure on the scaffold, and turn
ing his head away, pulled the lever.
Bomburger shot through the trap like
lightning. The drop was over elk feet
and when he reach the end Of the rope,
there was q dull 'chug,' as of the fall Of
a heavy bag OF meal. The body re-
bounded upward about 9 foot, and then
settled down again. There was not q
motion or CULVER Of q mueole after he
dropped. His death, so far as CON
seriousness was concerned, was instantan-
eous.
1.-THE Kreider house, where he COM
mitted his crimes, the scaffold where he
expiated them, and the grave which re-
ceived his remains are not q mile apart.
Another coincidence is that the coulee
whore he was executed in the one
through. which he made his escape after
his crime, and the one through which he
was brought back when captured by
Sheriff Mcclure"