The San Francisco call., 1895-12-30
He Now Adheres to the Story
That McKercher Killed
His Parents.
ANXIOUS TO FACE DEATH.
Sad Fate of a Youth Who Never Saw
a City During His Life.
time.

awaiting execution of death sentence, is
certainly very unusual young man. He
will be hanged on Friday, January 81, by
Sheriff McFeron, and although he has but
little more than four weeks to live he
apparently gives the matter very little
consideration and seems to be in the best
of spirits. Until two or three days ago he
was under the impression that he was to
be hanged on December 81. He misun-
derstood the date set for his execution,
and for more than week he thought that
his life would be forfeited just one month
earlier than the law demanded. When
informed OF his mistake he expressed very
little concern and said he was ready to die
at any time; that it made no difference to
him one way or the other.
Last night Montgomery was visited by
reporter. He talked freely and did not
hesitate about making statement for
publication.
II am going to hang on January 81" he
said, "and there is nothing l can say TO
you that will make me any friends or set
aside the death sentence. But / would
like very much to have the people know
that 1 am not such bad boy as have
been made out by the lawyers and news
papers. did not kill my father or mother,
but l did kill McKercher. He shot my
father and mother and would have killed
me had 1 not had fight with him and shot
him before he could do it. Of course"
continued the boy after a moments
thought, ''no one believes my story now,
for l am told l admitted killing all of them
when my head was wrong. Now l feel all
IL r
honestly that 1 only killed McKercher.
But am ready to die, and the sooner i: is
over the better. / will have more peace in
the next world than in this, the way I'm
situated. Everybody thinks L killed my
parents and even if l were free | would
suffer more than death by knowing that
everybody thought l ought to hang. l
don't see any way to establish my inno
cence and have given up thinking about it.
Everything is against me and l want to
die. don't want to go to the peniten-
tiary. What's the use?'
Don't you have some fear about the
future?"
"No; why should 1? am innocent of
any serious crime. l never murdered any
one and [ killed McKercher because he
killed my parents. l won't suffer for
causing his death. don't know anything
about the next world, but 1 don't fear it in
the least. If l had killed my parents,
though, l should"
Montgomery discussed the hereafter
with evident interest, and if he fears to
meet his God he does not show it. He
showed considerable intelligence, and,
for youth whom no one believes inno-
cent of tue crime for which he is convicted,
SHOWS wonderful nerve in talking about it.
"Will you go on the scaffold without
fear?" was pointed question asked the
young man.
Il don't see why there should be any
thing to be afraid OF, he replied. 81 was
never scared in my life, and if l am to die
by hanging l won't be baby. l am as
anxious to have the thing over with as any
one else, and as long as l am Of this opin-
ion why should l fear the day of exc
cution?"
Montgomery was then asked how he
spent his time in Jail and if he slept well
or had bad dreams. When he was first in
carcerated he was very restless at night
and seemed to be distressed at times.
Now, he says. he sleeps like log and is
not disturbed by dreams. He explains
this by saying that he has submitted TO
the inevitable, and that he is somewhat
accustomed to his somber surroundings.
when 1 first found myself in this cage"
he said, 81 didn't know what to think. l
was heartbroken and discouraged. Then
l had been used to open-air life on the
farm, and to be locked in this room was
pretty tough. 1 had never been in town
before"
Haven't vou ever visited Portland ?''
was asked.
mo, Albany is the largest town l have
ever been In and have seen very little of
it. / was never here before l was brought
to Jail. l was born eighteen years ago on
farm near Brownsville. in the vicinity of
the farm where my parents were killed. l
had never been further away from home
than Belknap Springs, which is about
seventy miles. / would like to see big
city like Portland before 1 die, but OF
course it's too late now."
There was something peculiarly affect
ing about the young mans story of his
isolated life on farm. He said he never
read much about the cities, but had always
thought he would see Portland some day.
His education, of course, had been ne
elected and his English is anything but
perfect, but he speaks fuently and does
not waste woras. He is not profane,
judging from his conversation yesterday,
and does not use much slang. To all ap-
pearances he is nothing more nor less than
an average son OF farmer. whose life has
been spent in constant rustic surround
ings, with little educational advantages.
Before the interview ended the young fell
low was asked how he expected to spend
the time until he was executed.
ooh, I've got fiddle here, and then l
read some. I'm not worrying"
Montgomery is a most remarkable young
man, and has great deal of nerve. His
interview is most extraordinary, especially
that part in which he talks about Nc
Kercher killing his parents. No one would
believe him, and he evidently knows this.
Deputy Sheriff Probst said the hanging
would take place within inclosed walls
behind the JAIL in private. He is conf
dent young Montgomery will be game to
the last.
''Does mans mouth open when he is