Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-02-02
HANGED Him Twice
George H. Painter Executed at
Chicago for Murder.
DOUBTS AS TO His GUILT
horrible Scene at the EXecut'on
Rope Breaks and He FAILS E'eh'
Feet, Cutting Open His Head
Crime for Which He was
punished.

Georce II Painter. formerly Of Brooklyn
N Y. was hanged at Chicago he iei'
long statement protesting his Innocence ana
This he reitt rated impressively on the scal-
fold After the moose WAS around nlS neo"'
with great earnestness and vlgor, ne lni-
pressiyely said ,uoo
"1is.ep listen to this II l killed Alice
Martin, my wife, the woman loVeo' pl"y
this minute. my last minute on eartn, Ptoy
that the eternal God will put me IN e'e'n"'
hell. that he will keep me in this eterna''y'
n there is one man in this audience 'ha' 10
an American All American citizen, on you'
soul Isay on your soul-see that the nlur'
derer of Alice Martin is found.
Inst az Fainter bad uttered his last wofus
the signal was given and the trap sprung
Then the horrible happened. Inc lope
snapped in two and the man was precipl'a'eu
TO the stone floor eight feet below. The blood
pushed in stream from his head. lie was
nicked IN unconscious AMI another moose
adjusted and the drop was again spruos'
| This time The execution was successful
tHE cEIME AND THE EVIDENCB'
The crime ,or which Painter was nohgeu
Was The murder Of Alice Mclean, genera"y
known as Alice Martin, at sc Green street on
the night of May 7. 1891. The couple llYeu
=. man and wife The murder, which was most
brutal In It's nature, is shrouded In mystery
which the latest developments in the case
have only served 10 deepen. Only this mucn
ia known: AT about midnight FAINTER was
ooor to enter the house. A short time later
he ran down the stairway exclaimlngi My
God some one has killed my Alice. he
,ushed in search OF the police, who arrived
few minutes later and going to the room
found Alice Martin dead, with the lmprlnts
ON strono hand on her throat Her head
was crushed by blows, which had eYdent'I
teen dealt with a chair, found lying DroAel
on the floor. The walls and room were spat
tered with blood. Painter was arrested, an'
from that time strenuously denied his guilt
Many things go to support the PROOF oi III
statements but the one which has the great
est influence with those familiar with tn
crime Is the fact that while the muruef wa
ola most sapguinary character and pioo'
was spatterel all about the room, none wa
found en- Painters othing. The peoPi
who signed the af1davts used in the recen
enpeals Tor executive clemency estaplshe
7 an apparently strong alibi, but these athd'
Wits did not produce the expected result o
r the Governor. The other point maze
3 Painters ehalf was the theory OF the w
3 mans murder ly man named DICK E'
t words now confined in a Southern peni'e
| tiary on charge of committing very sim
lal murler.
e Several witnesses bhve testified TO q
: Governor to hearing the Martin woman
3 conversation with the man who ansWer'
a Edwards description short time before Il
l murder vas committed and to hav ng hea
T, this man make threats against the woman
!, life. Unfortunately for Painter much OF 10
u evidence was conflicting and disagreed WI
) his own statement of The case. 1t was the
9 facts which inluced the Governor TO dechl
8 the petition for n reprieye.