The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-12

ring+s Murderer Before Bis S0ui
Was Ushesed Into Eternity--He E;e~
taiEed Gis Easy swagger and Cooi
Indifference 10 ihe Last--Forgave his
Brother and Prayed "a Meaningless
Prayer--Died at 2:I2 O'Clock.
MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, Dec. H.
With a gamblers phrase upon his lips
and cold smile upon his face, Harry
HAYWARD faced the eternal this morn
ing.
pull her tight, I'll stand pat"
These were the last words he utter
ed as the deputy. with blanched face
and trembling hands, pulled the we'll
soaDee7 moose as tightly about the muir
derer's neck as he could in order that
death might come the more quickly
and the more surely.
1t was twelve minutes past O'Clock
when Sheriff Holmberg pulled the
lever and thus released the trap upon
which Harry Hayward stood. In just
thirteen minutes County Physician
Frank Burton declared that the swing
ing figure, in which not a movement or
struggle had been observed, was that
of dead man. The final act in the
tragedy had been played, and the cur
tain had been rung down on the career
of the chief actor.
The coolest man at his own execution
was Harry Hayward. Debonaire as
ever. what had seemed mere affronf-
cry during his jail days, now became
the courage and indifference OF a man
who was at least not afraid to die. Not
a man of the little knot of privileged
spectators who had kept long vigil
in the guard room, but whose heart
thumped more loudly and importu-
nately than that one which was 50
soon TO cease its beating: not a race
but turned more ghastly than ms III
the cruesome light. 1t was scene
never TO be forgotten when. al iast'
after what had seemed endless hours
of waiting. the death party appeareQ
at the door.
The one gas jet had been turned on
and the room was illuminated only Dy
a locomotive headlight suspended a.
bout, four feet from the floor opposite
1he scaffold The huge cone OF hght
threw horrid distracted shadow OF
the engine of death on the rough
white washed stonewall behind. Two
nooses were discernable, both we'll
tried and tested, one being held IN re-
serve. A deputy had carefully chalk
ed two circles where the feet OF the
doomed man were 10 stand and had
outlined the trap that there might be
no mistake in the uncertain light
The chief deputy mounted the scat
fold where Warden Wolfe, of the State
penitentiary, ex-Sheriff Winn bracket
and Sheriff Chappell, OF st. Paul, We're
a .f.s.4
already waiting, and directed tha1 eF-
ery hat be removed and that there De
no smoking. a Gordon OF policemen
filed In, and made little passage way
for the death party. Meanwhile the
prisoner had been made ready IN the
cell room; his black silk robe had been
put on. and the black cap adjusted.
Suddenly the door was drawn wide
omen and the sound Of an inarticulate
veil emanated from the cell room
where the prisoners comrades were
taking their farewell; then came three
hoarse cheers for the sheriff, Holm
berg, led by Hayward himself, and
ending with He's all right"
1t was awful Such demonstration
led by O. man on his way to meet his
death AS it's echoes died away, the
sheriff appeared followed by the pris-
oner between deputies. Harry Hay
ward entered the death chamber with
the same easy stride that marked his
pronaaes when he was a staggering
youth in society.
GOOD morning, gentlemen, said he
in clear and even tones as he bowed his
way into the room, wearing his SOM
bre garb so jauntily that its grotesque-
ness was forgotten. He made his way
up the stairs to the scaffold, tripped
on the unaccustomed gown. This
amused him, and he laughed at the
first step. AS he strode upon the trap,
the deputies looked more like fright
ened children hanging to a parent
than officers of the law. Harry Hay
ward might have posed for a figure of
Justice defending the weak instead OF
a murderer going to his doom. Care
fully placing his feet on the marked
spots, he drew his splendid figure TO
its greatest height and glanced about
with calm face. occasionally bright
ened by a smile of recognition as he
deserted some friend in the crowd.
Upon being asked if he had anything
10 say, he replied in a careless drawl-
ing tone, well, you" He moistened
his lips with his tongue. We'll, to you
ALL" he began, there has been a good
deal of curiosity and wonder at my ac-
tions, and some of you think that ] am
a very devf'-with n peculiar drawl-
ing accent on the first syllable of that
word-"and if you knew my whole life
YOU would think SO all the more.
have dictated the full statement to-
dav Of my life TO Mr. Edward Good
sell, MIR. j. +. Mannx and a stenOgra-
pher-let's see. what's that stenogra-
piers name?" and Hayward peered
down over the edge OF his scaifold as il
expecting some one to answer.
"Where's tliuc - he went on some
what disconnectedly. "UIine here .
/ promised To take his dog with me
under my arm to make him a record
1t would he good thing for the dog
DoyIe,you told me to bow to you
Where are you? Aren't you here?
can't see YOU" and the speaker peered