The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-07-14

Chicago, July 1S.-Within the gloomy
walls Of Cook county jail today all was
hustle and suppressed excitement as the
time drew near when Patrick Eugene
Frendergast, the condemned murderer
Of Mayor Carter Harrison would ex-
plate his crime with his life.
Tailor Norris and assistants made q
final test of the rope, trap and trigger
at 1925. Jailor Morris at 1915 said:
As near as L can judge the march to
the scaffold will begin about 11:3O."
Prendergast rested well last night.
and seemed calm and collected. He re-
fused until late last evening to receive
spiritual consolation, but when night
fall came on he asked for Father Mul-
doom.
Between 6 and o'clock Prendergast
partook heartily of ham and eggs and
about o'clock sent word to Jailor Nor
ris that he was again hungry. The
jailor had the prisoner served with
another hearty meal, which he seemed
to relish greatly. The assassin talked
freely with his spiritual advisers and
several times remarked:
GU must stay with me to the END. -
As the hour for the execution came
nearer, Prendergast showed signs of
slightly increasing nervousness: but on
the whole was remarkably calm and
well collected.
Father Barry was in constant atten-
dance upon Prendergast all morning.
The little assassin was most deferential
He announced with trifle of bravo:
1 will die game and set a great and
shining example to my country"
At II a. M, Prendergast was re-
moved to an ante-room off the iail
Office. where the last kind offices were
performed. Prendergast especially re-
quested Sheriff Gilbert to allow him
twenty minutes to make a dying state
ment, but it was thought he would al
the last moment forego the determine
ton.
The jury of physicians at 11:SO filed
in and inspected the scaffold and an
purtenances. Fifty deputy sheriffs were
arranged around the corridor.
At Hap a. m, Sheriff Gilbert and
Jailor Norris appeared at the right of
the scaffold. The prisoner. pale and I'M
steady, walked behind. He stood with
out apparent nervousness, though a
trifle weak and unsteady as his arms
were being pinioned. He looked calm
ly out on the assembled crowd below
him. The white shroud was placed
about him. Barring a little restlessness
and a movement Of the eyes. he made
no motion. Jailor Morris placed the
rope about his neck, and a white cap
over his head
At HAS the body shot downward.
the head twisted to one side, the neck
apparently had been broken. slight
spasmodic movement of the legs was
the only sign of life apparent.
Surrounded by the jury of physicians
the corpse swung to and fro, and at
11:57, nine minutes after the trigger
was sprung, he was pronounced dead.
The assassin made no audible sound
from the time he left the cell, appar-
emily being lost in contemplation of his
awful fate. He was gently dissuaded
by Sheriff Gilbert from his determine
ton to make a speech.
At 11:5S Jaiior Morris unloosened the
anchored end Of the rope, and the
shrouded corpse was slowly lowered
and laid in a coffin standing under
meath the platform The face was
not badly distorted though the mouth
was open. and the tongue protrudine.
The color, of the features was blush
tint, which with the unkempt reddy
hair struggling down over the forehead.
made the sight one long to be remem-
bered.