The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-03-09
HARRY Hill
Extreme Demano
Been sa,
Murderer Pays !
Walked to the sca1
Smile ON Ills ~
Was Instantly
P%lattsmouth. Neb., Nj

-".. AH a
Portsmouth, Neb., M N
Hill paid the last penalty los me -
der of Farmer Akeson at just six min
utes after 8 o'clock Friday morning.
He met his fate without a single indf-
cation of emotion, and apparently well
coined the end of his long suspense.
This was the first legal execution tina
has been performed i'll Cass county, but
1t proceeded without II hitch and five
minutes from the time the prisoner left
his cell his neck was broken.
;he prisoner passed the latter hours
the night in much the same manner
as those which preceded 1t. After he
retired at midnight he slept soundly
until 4:30. when he got up and talked for
a few minutes with his jailer. He in
CURED what time 1t was, and then said
he guessed he would have time to lake
another nap. He knelt down by h
side of his cot and said his prayers. and
then went to sleep n slept until +,
when he arose and dressed.
Father Carney arrived with his
breakfast soon after, II HiM ate
a fairly heavy meal of eggs, toast and
coffee. During the next hour his spir-
itual advisers. Father Carney, Father
Nugent of Louisville, Neb., and Father
Cook of Hamburg, Ia, We're constantly
with him. Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Tighe..
who nave taken q good deal of interest
in the prisoner during his confinement,
were also admitted and spoke with him
for a few minutes. During this time
Hill retained the same demeanor that
he had assumed on the previous even
fyr IJn Ln1nf%r1 D1aaca,t1xyE H,ytf1,- hf1
visitors and assured them that he was
satisfied to die. He listened readily to
the priests and joined in the last
prayers that they offered before he left
his cell. Outside of those mentioned,
Sheriff Eikenbery permitted no one to
see him and his last hour was passed in
devotion and conversation with the
Hiests.
There VA no Crowd.
1t had been purposely given out that
the execution would not occur until
about / o'clock, and this prevented the
congregation of the crowd that was eM-
pected. AT no time during the morn
ing was there more than 200 people in
the neighborhood of the Jail, and these
We're mostly those who had been pro-
vided with tickets of admission and as a
tip as to the real hour of the execu.
ton. Sheriff Eikenbery had sworn III
twenty special deputies from the mem.
bers of the G.. "A. r., and these Were
armed with militia rifles and patrollef
the street adjacent 10 the Jail. Their
presence was not necessary as far as
preserving order was concerned, for
the crowd was very quiet and there was
no sign of demonstration at any time.
a nnO,har pP xtSiftro. nfJfoo,.c ne u,,11
as a dozen or SO of Plattsmouth citi-
zens We're admitted to the Jail at an
early hour, but ii was nearly 8 o'clock
before the representatives of the press
We're allowed admission. The reporters
We're then assured by the sheriff that
If they attempted to look toward the
cell in which the prisoner was con-
fined, or to ask questions of the sheriff
" his deputies, they would be immedi-
ately elected.
A few minutes before 9 O'Clock the
outside door of the enclosure was
opened and such of the crowd as had
tickets We're allowed to enter. There
were over 200 tickets issued, but as most
of the holders did not know that the
hour was set so early not more than
half that number witnessed the exc
cutlon.
Walked Smiling to the Scanold.
The town clock was just striking 3
when a deputy sheriff brought out a
cooling board, which he deposited in
the space under the scaffold. A few
seconds after this suggestive proceed
ing ex-Sheriff Tighe entering, assembled
the scaffold. He was followed by Sher-
If Eikenbery with the other deputies,
and behind them walked the prisoner,
attended by Fathers Nugent and Cook.
Father Carney had been compelled to
leave on account of illness. The pris-
oner steadily with his hands
cross e 5upont Ms breast. AS he ascend
q scaffold he turned partially to-
ward h crowd and smiled with Tn. cir
OF a man who was about to receive q
degree OF honor. He placed himself on
n trap without assistance and bowed:
his head while the priests read the final
absolution, Then he kissed the cruci-i
FIX. The priests retreated to the back
OF the scaffold and Deputy Sheriff Hol-
loway came forward and bound his
hands and limbs. All this time the VIC
tim maintained his calm and uncon-
cerned appearance. The smile never
left his lips and not the slightest tre-
NOR gave evidence Of internal fear. His
face was no paler thai usual and those
who stood silently around the scaffold
could scarcely realize that this man
kne" that he had but a few seconds
more to live.
According to his own request he was
not asked to speak, and as soon as the
straps We're adjusted the black cap was
pulled tightly over his head and the
nn0CA Hrnrna6 n 49, 1t.H H@
Plunged Through the Trap.
It was just five minutes from the time
he mounted the scaffold when the depu-
ties stepped back and all was ready for
the signal. The prisoner was immoya-
Bile as a marble statue and he stood
firmly under the shadow of the awful.
retribution. Deputy Tighe raised his
hand. Sheriff Eikenbery instantly
moved the lever behind him and almost
before the spectators could realize what
was coming the trap was sprung Hill
shot suddenly downward. The body
bounded once or twice as the elasticity
OF the rope was tested, and then swung
quietly part way around. With thee x-
ception of the slightest possible draw
Ing up of the feet as the rope frightened
the victim did not move a muscle. His
neck was broken by the fall and It is
supposed that consciousness lasted only
for an instant after the trap fell from
under him.
me Body was surrounded by the ply
slcians in attendance, who mere Or.
Van Ness of Omaha and Drs. T. P. Liv-
ingston. Il. d. Cummins, John Cook,
+. j.. Champeny. W. A. Humphreys,
w. H. Schildknecht, z. w. Cook and
J. H. Hall of Portsmouth. His pulse