The record-union., 1895-07-27

Forgiven for the Deeds He Has
Committed.
| SAN QUENTIN, July 26.-William N.
| Fredericks, stage robber ana murderer.
closed his career OF violence and blood
| shed at 10 o'clock to-day.
He spent the early morning hours IN
converse with the priests who had been
in attendance upon him, and declined to
see the newspaper nlen who called in the
hope of receiving from him an ante
mortem statement il relation to his past
! life
This is my last day on earth," he told
Warden Hale, and l want 10 have that
to myself" The Warden respected this
! wish, and no one was permitted to visit
/ his cell.
Fredericks rested well last night, and
felt well this morning. He several times
said to his guards that he did not kill
Sheriff PaScoe. but admitted that he did
plan the break in Folsom in an effort to
| permit Sontag and six others to escape.
| This is the first statement that Fredericks
had made on this subject since he was
condemned to die. He had made general
that 90; that's Of the past"
| The guards saId this morning that his
nerve was still good, and that he would
die like u man. He had abandoned his
| braggadoclo manner and refrained from
InduIglng III any of those flippant witt
cisms which have been SO frequent in his
conversation OF late.
Warden Hale's plans carried perfectly.
The clock had just reached the hour of 10
when ne LETT the room in which the appa-
ratus stands and went into that part of
the old jute mill where the murderers
| await their end. He had been gone
scarcely minute when the expectant
crowd heard the shu11iing OF feet and The
murmuring of the voices of the priests.
The sounds came nearer and nearer, and
then the door opened and the white head
OF the " arden again appeared. Chaplain
y. brahms followed hIm and then came
two priests reading. Eredericks next
stepped through the door. He was pale
and seemed much stOuter than when con-
hned IN PRISON III San Francisco. He
walked erect TO the foot OF the stairs and
with firm tread mounted to the scaffold
! followed by several guards. When he
had set his foot squarely on the trap he
glanced at Father Lagan, who then
turned to the crowd and said: "Mr
Fredericns desires to say few words to
you"
t'redericks then began TO make speech
which he had committed to memory
The en barrassment OF the speechmaking
seemed TO be the predominant sensation
OF the moment. lie spoke in his usual
| tone OF voice Gentlemen" he began,
| u forgive everybody and hope to be for
| given. and l can assure you that do not
entertain any hard feelings against any
| living mortal. BY the will OF an omnip-
otenI creator die in the Roman Catho-
lie Church. l cheerfully cousign myself
TO the viii of one over and above all
| Amen"
While delivering the brief address
Fredericks forgot his lines and said in an
undertone to rather Lagan that he would
have TO be prompted. The father him
sell could not on the moment recall the
words. by the will of an omnipotenE
God" broke in t'redericks, and after that
he got along with only one other brief
pause. Then the rope was put around
his neck. He held his head to one side
| to facilitate the operation, and while il
was III progress said to Warden Hale:
"Have it liked tight, please"
1t was fixed tight and the cap was then
adjusted. Scarcely had the cord which
draws it together at the bottom been
frightened when the guards stepped back,
the heavy trap shot downward and Fred
erlckS' body daugled at the end Of the
rope. The doctors crowded about him
and waited patiently, watching the action
OF his heart.
The execution was entirely successful.
The drop broke the prisoners neck but
1t was eleven minutes before the physi-
clans pronounced him dead. He had
been unconscious from the instant OF the
jerk, and he swung at the end OF the ropa
like bag OF sand that was swung when
the machine was tested q few days ago.
Practically tredericks died instantly.
/! There was no movement OF the hands or
feet. No muscular CONFUSION tc indi-
cate the presence of life, and the general
verdict was that he never knew what
struck him."
The crime for which Fredericks to-day
suffered the extreme penalty OF the law
was committed in this city on March %,
1894. He entered the branch bank of the
San Francisco Savings Union at Market
and Fell streets for the purpose of rob-
berry. Approaching Cashier Herriok, he
exhi bited u bottle which he said con-
tanned nitro-gIycerine and with it nole
in which he had written ambling state
ment to the effect that he was desperate
and had decided that unless he was given
money he would die beneath the ruins OF
the building. Mr.. Herrick refused to
give him any money and Fredericks
drew revolver and fired at him. lie
thon ran toward the door and turned and
fired another shot, wounding the cashier
fatally. Herrick, however, returned the
fire ind his assistant also shot at the re-
treating murderer. Frederioks was pur-
sued and caught hiding in a cellar near
the scene Of his exploit