Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-19
An Execution at the District Jail De-
void of Unusual Incident.
NECK NOT BROKEN, BUT DEATH EASY
The Prisoner Leaves a ConsoIinp
Letter for His Aged Father.
UNUSUALLY SPEEDY WORK

out any hitch, and was wholly devoid OF
any incident beyond those attending the
ordinary enforcement Of the extreme penal
ty of the law.
The last hours Of the murderer were pass
ed in prayer, and he quietly and resgnedly
awaited the dread hour. Yesterday after
noon the condemned man was visited by
his old father and by one of his sisters, who
had come in response to a letter from the
mans counsel. The meeting was a pecu-
liarly affecting one, but Travers was ap-
parently the least moved, and bade his
relatives farewell with the assurance that
he was fully prepared to meet death, and
would die in full confidence OF Gods for
gaveness. His relatives had come up from
Charles county, Nd, where Travers was
born and raised, and where he lived until
he came to this city few years ago.
Religious Influences.
Travers refused to see any clergymen
yesterday but Father Sullivan of S: Pc
ter's Catholic Church and Father Mat
thews Of St. Peters Colored Mission The
priest remained with him until about
o'clock last evening, and after they left,
the unfortunate man read his Bible and
prayer book until nearly 10 o'clock, when
he retired to his cot He soon fell asleep,
and slept until o'clock this morning. when
he was awakened. he said, by the flies. He
almost Immediately fell asleep again, but
his slumbers, until he finally arose at 9,
were somewhat fitfui-
Reading the Death Warrant.
The priests returned to the Jail about an
hour later. and were with their charge
until all was over. They early administer
ed the last sacraments of the church to
him, and from then until the march to
the scaffold was directed the time was
spent in prayer and religious meditations.
The man early dressed himself in a neat
suit of black cheviot, white shirt and black
tie and patent leather shoes. furnished by
Warden Leonard, and at l1:30 precisely
the warden entered the mans cell, the one
that was occupied by Griteau when Sergt.
Mason shot at him, and while the official
read the warrant of execution Guard
Waters pinioned Travers arms and wrists
behind him. The march for the scaffoId
was then taken up, Warden Leonard lead
ing, Fathers Sulliyan and Matthews follow
Ing and reading the service for the dying.
Travers followed them, being supported by
Deputy Warden Russ and Guard Wood
ward.
At the Scanold.
The scaffold was reached at 1872. ana
as the guards bound the unfortunate mans
ankles and knees the priests continued the
reading of the service for the dying. Just
before the black cap was placed over his
head Travers kissed the cIucifix, which
Father Sullivan held before him. and after
the cap had shut out forever his sight OF
the world the doomed man continued to
respond in a perfectly calm and collected
voice to the words OF consolation coming
from the clergymen.
The Drop Falls.
At IL :36, just as Travers was repeating
the supphcation, 'Oh, Lord, Jesus, have
mercy upon me-" Warden Leonard waved
bis handkerchief to the unseen executioner
in he coll ia he
ers shot down into eternity. He fell over
Six feet, and. save for a slight twitching
of the arms and legs and twice convulsive-
ly drawing up his knees, he swayed to and
fro without sign of life.
"One More Man Cone"
AS the slight noise of the falling drop
was heard, one of the prisoners in the
north wing of cells yelled out to his mates:
"One more man gone." but no other sound
was heard. The body was lowered at II Al
a few feet that Jail Physician d. X. Shute
and the other physicians might examine
the pulse and heart. The heart beat until
11:5S although he was then practically
dead. At 1903 he was pronounced dead
and was then lowered into coffin. Upon
examining the mans neck II was found by
the doctors that it had not been broken.
The lower jaw, however was discovered to
be dislocated. and the verdict OF the phy-
sicians was that the man died of strangu-
unanimous opinion that death was perfect
ly painless, the dislocation of the jaw al
fecting him as does the Knockout blow
known in the pugilistic world.
A Small Asscmblage.
The number of spectators present at the
execution was one CT the smallest in the
history Of the jail, and the warden was
congratulated upon the fact that it was
conducted without the slightest hitch. A
force of about fifty policemen, under Leuts.
Kelly and McCathrsn, preserved order. but
the crowd was small and orderly that
their services were not necessary. The
grand jury with Foreman Joseph c. john
son was present, and but for the policemen
and the members Of the grand jury the
crowd would Rave numbered less than fifty.
The jury, who certified to the carrying out
of the judgment Of death, was composed
mainly of newspaper men. Among the
spectators was the father Of the murdered
woman.
A Letter to His Father.
Just before the execution Travers handed
Warden Leonard a letter which he had
written to his father The letter was writ
ten last right, and implored his father to
teach the writer's sisters and brothers to
walk in the fear of the Lord As for HIM
self, said Travers, his family should not
orry, TO- he was fully prepared TO meet
God and would walk through the shadow
OF the valley OIL ueatE WITHOUT VI SNA
He asked his father to take good care OF
his little girl, and requested him TO get pos
session of her. To sister he ieft MS
string of beads.
To he Buried nt Mt. Olfvet.
After the coffin had been closed up it was
taken in charge by an undertaken and the
body carried to Mount Olivet cemetery
where 1t wilr be buried today In lot DO
mated py the Catholic Church. In just one
hour and fifteen minutes from the tmc
Warden Leonard entered Travers' cell to
read the death warrant the nan was oeao,
his body On the way to the cemetery, the
expenses incident to the enforcement or
the sentence paid for, and the return to the
court required by law on its way to the
clerk of the District Supreme Court.
Travers' Crime.
The crime for which Travers today paid
the extreme penalty of the law was the
murder of his mistress, Lena Gross, the
10Th of last November. For several months
previous to that time he and the young