Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1895-10-03
A Public Execution!
MYERS, THE ASOTIN MURDERER
PAYS THE PENALTY.
He Faces Death Bravely
Two huadred lavited 0uests view the Taking
Of Life BY LAVA Barbarous Show
at Pomeroy.

All OF our readers have been called
upon to consider the gruesom specta-
Gle of the legal execution of a human
being In the nearby town of POmeroy.
Some OF the press representatives have
iabled the affair AS though 1t were a
holiday entertainment gotten up for
their own diversion. The Spokesman.
i.eview gives u plain statement of the
affair, which we reproduce, as fol-
lows: "FulIy 1000 people saw Charles
E. Myers hanged ut Pomeroy, the first
execution to take place in the county
The scaffold was SO built that view
could be had only from two sides, and
every available point was packed to
the utmost by anxious spectators.
Five hundred Invitations, emitting
the ho)ders to enter the yard, were out
but only $50 took advantage OF them.
Myers rose at $50. after q sound
sleep, and partook Of hearty break
fast. He maintained a careless air and
spoke freely and resignedly with refer
ence to his impending fate. He re
fused to shave or don new clothes, and
directed the sheriff to use his pleasure
in the disposal of his body. During
his last hours in Jail " refused to see
any one except the Rev. Buzzell, who
extended religious offices.
AT 10:40 the condemned man .eft
the Jail for the scafold. With an I'M
p ssive demeanor he walxsJ ast hi,
open fin and up the scaliold step
between Sheriff Baldwin OF Garfield
county and Sheriff Warn,ell of Asotin.
and faced the crowd without Il tremor.
On the scaffold besides Sheriff Bald.
win and deputy. were the sheriffs OF
King, Asotin, Whitman, Snohomish
and Ne1 Perce counties, together with
representatives of the press.
On the gallows Myers nerve was
more apparent. When the sheriff an
nounced that Myers would speak the
old man stepped forward and with
quiver in his voice declared
that he died as he had lived, an inno-
cent man.
Close confinement and nervous ex-
element had wasted his form; his face
was pale, but composed; his weight
was appare ntly about $50 pounds. AT.
ter speaking, he stepped back on the
trap, and the Rev. Buzzell delivered
IN eloquent appeal for his soul.
While the straps were being applied
to his limbs he stood firm in military
position. There were no signs of any
physical weakness. After his hat had |
been removed he again desired to
speak. This time it was prayer for
his own soul. With his long hair stir
red by the breeze, again addressing the
sea Of strange faces before him, in his |
imperfect English, he said: "May the
Lord save my soul as he will save
yours, amen" A moment more and
the strap was adjusted and the black
cap cut of his vision.
At just II the trap fell. The knot
quickly slipped from behind the ear
and he slowly strangled to death.
Eight or ten times his chest heaved;
his fingers twitched neryously and at
II: :Os the last Pickering of the pulse
had gone out, at which time he was
pronounced dead by the attending
physicians. The body was then cut
down and placed in the coffin without
removing the black cap, and turned
oyer to the sheriff, no friend being
to claim it. The executed mau
was about fifty years of age and had
spent the last two years in Jail"