St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-10-19
LAST DAY On EARTH.

Ermisch and WOnigkeit Spent 1t
in Devotion aud seeing Friends.
Charles Ermisch and Otto W0nigkeit
spent their last day Oh earth with re-
markable cheerfulneSs and fortitude.
They received no visitors save the
eight-year-Old sister of WOnigkelt and
Mrs. E. j. Horst. the mother OF Deputy
Horst, whom ErmiSch sent for, as he
wished to ascertain whether she bore
any grudye against him for the shooting
OF her son. If she did Ermisch said he
wanted to make any reparatiOn in his
power. Mrs. Horst saw ErmiSch outside
the corridor. Sac assured him that she
did not bear any malice. The interview
was exceedingly affecting. Mrs. Horst
said to Ermisch:
God bless you, my boy. Don't think
bear you malice. pity you"
Tears glistened in Ermisch's eyes as
he grasped the hand OF Mrs. Horst. and
babe her farewell.
The only persons besides these who
saw the doomed men yesterday were
Sheriff Chapel and Mrs. Chapel. Matron
Akers. Evangelist W. Ii. Jones, Rev.
Niclaus Bolt. Rev. Ernst Irmscher and
the turnkeys. and Deputies Schultz and
Cline, the death watch, day and night.
The men arose at 10 O'Clock yesterday
morning. They had retired at miG-
night and
Had Slept S oundly
for nearly ten hours. They looked re-
freshed and cheerful. At l0:30 they
sat down to breakfast OF eggs, toast
and coffee. but partook sparingly of it,
as they have always done with their
morning meal.
The young men donned the clothes
that they wore upon the scaffold. They
seemed highly pleased with them.
Ermisch, i'll particular, was delighted.
"All need uow," said he. sis cane
and plug hat to make HE dude"
Then Strengthening himself up ne added:
"NoN, where is my best girl" Ermisch
then put on yachting cap presented to
him by Deputy Qaint, and walking
along the corridor, said that he was
a sailor.
Dinner was served at p. IN. Ermlsch
told Matron Akers that he wanted a
porterhouse steak, and it was provided.
The dinner consisted besides of baked
potatoes, baked squash, sauerkrant,
custard pie. coffee, grapes, peaches and
other fruit. Both boys ate heartily.
In the afternoon they were visited by
W. H. Jones. Christian worker. MIR.
Jones spent large portion of the after
down stairs he said that the boys were
saved. They had put their trust in
God, and were prepared to meet their
fate. The boys sang 'NeaIer. My God,
to Thee" and other hymns with Mir.
Jones. Deputy Sheriff Frank Picha
visited them about o'clock. He brought
them two beautiful
Roses. Sent by a Lady
who did not want her name mentioned.
Ermisch and Wonigkeit accepted the
flowers. put them i'll the buttonholes of
their coats. and asked Deputy Picha to
thank the donor. Ermisch then shook
hands with Mr.. Picha. and as he grasped
the deputy'S hand thanked him, in a
voice broken with tears. for his kind
treatment. Before Mr.. Jones left the
boys handed him two sealed letters,
addressed to Mr.. Jones himself. but
they requested him not to open them
until after they were dead.
They said they did not fear death.
Ermisch explained it this way: death
is more in the Imagination than any
thing else. l might have died after
weeks of suffering. 1t doesn't matter
much"
Wonigkeit was equally reconciled. A
visitor in the evening said to him:
well. Otto. every one has to die some
time"
EYES," responded the boy, "a man
who didn't die would be above Christ"
When the GLOBE reporter visited the
condemned boys in the afternoon Otto
said TO him: 81 feel happier now than
at any time in my life. l am
Going to Meet NV Saviour
If there is any such thing as com.
plete TRANSPORTATION Of the human
countenance. Wonigkeit's face was Ger
tainly TRANSPORTED. 1t was not the
same face of the day before. There
was no deception or affecta-
ton in his demeanor. He was
calm, composed and cheerful. He
looked as though he stood On the thresh-
old of heaven. He spoke in soft tones
without the slightest tremor or indica.
ton of excitement. To look upon him
and converse with HIM one could moi
possibly have imagined that he knew
within twelve short hours he was to be
hanged by the neck until he was dead
1t was not SO with Ermisch, though he
appeared to be cheerful. He talked
philosophically of his fate, and seemed
resigned, but the light in his eyes wa:
not that which shone from Otto's coun,
tenance. But Mr.. Jones. the evangel.
ist. was hopeful for Ermisch. He said
mot until Wednesday night did
have hope for Charley. Now l am con.
fident that he Is saved. His only trus
is in God. He knows that he is goips
to meet his jesus
For the first time since the boys wer,
incarcerated they sat down to the sam,
table together. 1t was their last supper
At the request of Charley and Otto
Mrs. Chapel prepared the meal as they
ordered it. Ermisch asked for Dutcl
herring, and Otto wanted a German
pancake. These were furnished, to
gether with bread and butter, tea
fruits, etc. The
Supper Was Not a Lonesome One
either, for Mr.. and Mrs. Chapel, Matrol
Akers and Turnkey Peterson sat at The
same table with the boys. 1t was spreat
in the corridor just outside their cells
The boys ate heartily. No one VIII,
could have witnessed the party would
have dreamed that the doom of dealt
was to fall upon two of the number.
In the evening, after the supper wa
over, Rev. Mr.. Bolt, Rev. MIR. lrmsche
and w. 81. Jones visited the boys. Rev
Mr.. Bolt brought wish him Theodore