Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-24
BEAM is REPENTANT
The Condemned Man Manifests Marked
Change
Is Glad to See His Spiritual Advisers
Everything Ready for the Exc
cutiOn Next Friday.

When Joseph A. Beam, who shot his
stepdaughter, Annie L. Leahy, to death the
ODD of last December, is told, next Friday.
that the scaffold awaits him the jail Of
ficials now believe that a penitent, mercy
seeking man will walk to his death. Here
tofore, as appeared from the interviews
had with the murderer by Star reporter.
Beam violently and profanely referred to
death and the world beyond. declaring that
death held out no horror or fear for him.
and that he would walk to the scaffold as
the bridegroom steps forth to meet his
bride.
Up to within the last few days, even
after Travers had suffered death on the
scaffold within earshot of him, Beam was
seemingly Indifferent to his fate, ana Slori-
fed in the belief that In sending a de1ense-
less woman into eternity he had rid the
world of what he termed an tnhuman
monster. All is now changed, and, on ms
knees the wretched man is praying 70 God
for mercy and forgiveness. He is no longer
profane. violent Dr. defiant, but quietly ana
calmly, if not resign edly awaits death.
Last Sunday Beam informed Warden
Leonard that he had become very favor-
ably Impressed by Father McAtee OF st;
Aloysius Catholic Church, and intimated
that he would be glad to see him. The
warden communicated with the priest, and
Monday the clergyman called upon the I'M
fortunate man, and also yesterday and TO-
day. This morning Beam informed the
warden that Father McAtee should be
recognized as his spiritual adviser, and no
one else. The priest, accompanied by
Father Dolan, also of st. Aloysius Church,
spent an hour or more with Beam this
morning, and the man evidently derived
much consolation and encouragement from
the visit of the clergymen.
He sleeps well, heartily consumes all the
food placed before him. which, as is GUS
49, to, r,n6 frof n r.
ever the mans fancy suggests. That he
enjoys the delicacies provided for him by
Warden Leonard may be inferred from the
fact that he remarked, after finishing his
breakfast this morning, that he wished
they would hang him often.
The execution will take place about IL 30
o'clock Friday morning, and everything is
in readiness for the carrying out OF the
Beam was weighed. and, contrary to gem
eral expectation. he weighed but 1GO
pounds. Warden Leonard will furnish the
man with a suit of new clothes, black
cheviot, white shirt and collar. black tie
and patent leather shoes.
The Invitations to witness the execution
were issued by the warden this afternoon.
Tomorrow Beams wife. the mother Of the
He Is denying himself to all callers but
the clergymen. and is earnestly endeavor-
Ing. he says, to prepare for the next world.
He says there need be no fear OF him
weakening, Tor ne INTENDS 10 walk 10 the
gallows without fear. and confident of
leaving this for better world.
Thomas J. Taylor, whose sentence was
yesterday CT mmuted to life Imprisonment.
Is today calm and very happy. although he
is confident that he cannot survive i'm
prisonment more than two or three years.
He was yesterday afternoon visited by
his sister and by his little daughter. the
latter carrying him a bunch of flowers. To-
day quite a number of friends visited the
man. He will not be taken to the peniten-
tiary for a week or two. He Is very CRATE
full to all those who assisted in the effort
made in his behalf. and says that hereafter
all his thoughts will be of the world to
come, for which he will endeavor to pre-
pare himself.