The San Francisco call., 1895-10-18
st. Clair.

left to themselves. Only officers of the
law and members OF the press and of the
ministry have been allowed to see them.
Even Miss Ella Petersen of San Jose, Han
sens fiancee, had been denied last in
terview with her betrothed. Late last
evening, however, Marshal Baldwin found
himself unable to further withstand her
pleadings and he consented to the inter
view.
Miss Petersen is a young Danish girl,
pretty and pleaSant-sp0ken. She has a
round face, plump figure, clear ewes and
long brown hair, and was attired in we'll
fitting garments of deepest black. 1t was
long after dark when she was admitted to
the prison inclosure, and passed leaning
on the arm of Prison Chaplain brahms to
the condemned cells. She shrank back a
little as the iron door opened with clang
chaplain she stepped forward and listened
closely while Captain Edgar explained the
conditions upon which the meeting was
permitted.
Hansen was taken from his cell. Two
rocking chairs were placed facing each
other six feet apart, and the condemned
man seated himself in one while the
woman sank into the other chair The in
terview was limited to ten minutes and
during that time the lovers spoke in
Danish.
Miss Petersen had heard that her lover
was to die Christian, but wanted to hear
it from his lips, and much of the precious
time was spent by him on his confession
of faith and in urging her to look to
heaven for comfort.
Hansen has written a farewell letter to
his sweetheart, and he warned her
earnestly against allowing it to become
public.
The allotted ten minutes having expired
the couple arose.
May l not shake hands with him p"
asked the girl.
Edgar held her wrist while the last hand
clasp was given. kissing had been for
hidden, and the stricken girl with a
broken "good-by," parted from the con-
demned sailor. There was no passionate
outburst of grief, and scarcely ANYTHING
more commonplace or less dramatic
could be imagined.
After the execution Miss Petersen will
claim her lovers body and take it to San
Jose for burial. Hansen has thoroughly
made up his mind to die bravely. He is
native of Denmark, q years of age, and
has been sailing from this country for
eight years. His father, brother and sis
ter are still living in Denmark. and know
his present position. His tiancee. Miss
L u
" die a Christian and Baptist" said
Hansen. "I have forgiven all my enc
mics, and | want to thank my attorneys
for their efforts in my behalf, and Marshal
Baldwin and guards for their kindness"
st. Clair, who will be Hansen's COM
panion on the scaffold, was equally uncon-
cerned. ALI trace of nervousness or ap-
prehension has vanished, and he laughed
and joked even while the sound of the
falling trap came distinctly from the ad-
joining room where the hangman was at
work testing the gallows. He still affirmed
his innocence and secuted the idea of sui
eide, which he condemned as "worse than
killing some other man.
St. Clair is native of Dublin, 46 years
of age, but looks scarcely 80. For twenty
years he has sailed from American ports,
chiefly on the eastern coast. For four
years he commanded a cutter in the
Chinese customs service and he has served
in the United States nauy. He is one of
eleven children and his parents are still
living. but do not know where he is. His
real name is not St. Clair and he expresses
a fervent hope that his people may never
learn his fate.
''If thought my old mother would ever
know of this" he said, with the only ap-
proach to emotion he has shown since his
incarceration, sit would make it twice as
hard. 1t is bad enough anyway. 1t is
trying to ones nerves, you know. | have
been as near death as this six times already.
but one don't get used to it. One may get
used to prosperity, but to this never; and
yet the formal preparing for death gets to
be a chestnut. But never think of death,
only what is beyond. | am Catholic and
will die Catholic"
Being asked if he forgave his enemies
''as condemned men usually do" ST. Clair
replied with laugh, "Is that usual? 1
don't know. This is my first experience
But my list of enemies is so long that 1
have not had time to run them all over.
Yet forgiving is easy. If one could only
forget as easy"
st. Clair spoke OF Baldwin's visits, re-
marking, II always want him to hurry
away. l don't like to see men take on,
and he feels worse about this than | do"
st. Clair talks freely of the crime for
which ne is to die, but protests his inno-
cence, and fondly clings to the hope of in
reference on the part of President Cleve-
land.
''If could only have secured a second
trial would have been cleared" he said.
II have learned many things since my