Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-07-21
pRENDERGAST IS HANGED
The Assassin of Mayor Harrison
Executed.
the Murderer Awoke In n surIy Mood and
Expressed Interest I'm Nothing but
Hr Breakfast--Ate Like =
Starving Man.

CHICAGO. July IA crime against
the state was expiated on the gallows
of the Cook county Jail this morning.
Nearly nine months have elapsed since
the bullet of an assassin deprived Chi
cago OF her chief executive, the state OF
one of her most illustrious citizens and
the country at large of n statesman and
n patriot. Today the crime was
avenged and Patrick Eugene Prender
CAST suffered an ignominious death at the
hands Of the hangman. The execution
was devoid of incident, for the assassin
went to his death like an OK going TO
the SHAMELESS. Up TO the last moment
the hope OF interposition from some
source or another did not desert him,
When 1t came to the end he nerved
himself for a supreme effort and paid
the penalty of his crime without a
whimper and without a word.
Up TO s o'clock there were no signs
on the exterior of the county jail that
anything out OF the regular run OF
events was about TO occur. At that
hour, however. twenty-five police Off.
GERS from the East Chicago avenue
station, under command OF Sergeant
Sauer, drew up in double rank at the
main entrance. Sixteen Of the number
were assigned to positions at the -four
corners of the structure while the re-
mainder were stationed on the side
walk before The steps with order. &c
keep any crowd that might assemble
nF IN IL I. D.0n -
additional detail of twenty-five officers
from the central detail were marched
into the Jail yard, and double sentries
were posted at the doors and in the
corridors of the court house. A.,
II was nearly midnight when the
condemned man lay down on the couch
that had been prepared for him in the
private room of Jailer Morris. Five
minutes later, according TO the death
watch, Bailiffs John Writ and
William johnson, he was sound
asleep. Chancellor Muldoon of the
Cathedral of the Holy Name and Father
Barry called at 3 o'clock. but Prender-
CAST was still sleeping soundly and he
vas not disturbed. At 6:10 he awoke
with a start. The death watch
gave him a CHEEKY greeting,
but he was in a surly mood
and did not Immediately respond. He
slowly dressed himself in the suit OF
black clothes that had been brought
him by his brother Yesterday
afternoon and then remarked 10
the guards: what about my break.
fast" What would You like?'
asked Writ. Prendergast expressed
a nrAfarnnnn fn. an 1,ah - ham a~I
eggs, fried potatoes and coffee, and ia
fifteen minutes a dainty meal had been
prepared from a neighboring restau.
rant. 1t did not suit his appetite. how.
ever, and after going through the bill
Of fare he finally decided that a re.
past consisting of a porterhouse steak,
French fried potatoes, sliced tomatoes
and cucumbers, hot biscuits and a big
pot Of chocolate would be more tempt
ing. The second meal was promptly
ordered, and when it appeared
he ate like starving
nan until the dishes were
cleaned. He answered in the negative
when asked if he could eat anything
nore and then the priests were nd.
nitted 10 the room.
HIS breakfast finished Prendergast
listened quietly to the m~inistration OF
Father Barry. Twice he made a re.
quest foi more chocolate and two quart
pitchers were taken to him. At 10
o'clock Sheriff Gilbert entered the cell
and read the death warrant Prender-
gust made no direct Response
to the official but remarked to
Father Barry. Eve may yet near from
the governor" Meanwhile the physi.
clans composing the jury, the member,
Of the grand jury, now in session, and
about 200 ticket holders had been ad'
mitted to what is now known in the
Jail as the death corridor"
scaffold raised his hand to command
silence and one minute later the pro
cession rounded the upper corridor and
came into view. Sheriff Gilbert led
the way with Father Barry close be
hind. Prendergast walked between
two deputy sheriffs and half q dozer
deputies brought up the rear 1t was
apparent TO everyone that while the
condemned man was on the verge OF
collapsing he was nevertheless deter
mined to present a nervy 'front.'. He
looked neither to the right nor the left,
but straight ahead and seemed uncon.
scious of the people before him. AZ
he advanced to the front oi
the scaffold he made a silent
cross upon his breast and upon hi,
forehead. Father Barry repeated
a prayer in an undertone while the
deputies adjusted the straps at hi.
kness and fastened his arms behind
him. The two deputies led him to tho
center of the trap, quickly adjusted the
moose and drew the white cap over hi.
head. His limbs seemed to tremble fol
a second and then there was a move'
ment from under the white robe al
though he were bracing himself. The
signal was given to the unseen execu
TONER, the trap shot downward. The
body swung round and round, Their,
was one brief convu,sive struggle and
the murder of Carter Harrison had beeE
avenged. The body was surrounded
by the jury Of physicians and as soos
as life had been pronounced extinct hs