The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-05-22
At THE LAST MOMENT
Murderer Windrath Is Granted a Stay
Of Sentence.
A TRIPLE HANGING SPOILED
Ey the Interference of the Governor In
One Case and of n Judge In AM
other--The Galiows Claimed
Only One Victim.

CHICAGO, May l5,-For the first time
since the execution of the Haymarket
anarchists, double hanging was on the
schedule in the Cook county Jail. The
condemned mon were Alfred c. Fields,
negro, convicted of the murder Of
Mrs. Randolph, and Joseph Windrath,
German, convicted of the murder of
Carey B. Birch. 1t was to have been a
triple hanging, but Governor Altgeld
Of the murder of Fritz Holzhuetter, a
butcher. Fields was apparently uncon-
cerned.
His companion did not get any sleep
until long after midnight. He, how
ever ceased the raving which he has
kept up for the last three or four days
and apologized to the guards for the
trouble he had given them, but pro-
tested that he was innocent. When his
wife left the Jail he cried hysterically
for nearly an hour. Then Fathers Deere
and Finn were admitted and prayed
with him for time. When they had
gone Windrath laid down upon the
couch in the death chamber and with
tyCS otullIb up OlN NNlllbls INAliftlIlNAl
moved.
Alfred O. Fields, according to his own
confession made under oath i'll court,
committed particularly horrifyinq
murder. On the night OF Feb. 20 last
he had a quarrel with Mrs. Ellen Ran
dolph, wife of Pullman car porter, at
her rooms on Dearborn street. He beat
her head into a pulp with flat iron
and then set fire to the place, after hav-
ing stolen $40 from bureau drawer.
The fire was discovered and eXtin-
guished before the body Of Fields vic.
tim had been burned.
1t was early in the morning, June 23
last, that Joseph Windrath, with julius
Mannow, an ex-convict, entered tho
Office OF Carey b. Birch, money receiver
for the Chicago Street Railway COM
pany, at the Armitage avenue station.
Both were masked and with drawn re-
volvers they ordered Birch to hand out
the money in his charge. He responded
by taking up revolver from the desk at
which he was sitting and firing at tho
masked robbers. AT least dozen shots
were exchanged. Birch fell pierced
with three bullets. The robbers gath
cred up $3.50 and fled While on trial
Mannow made complete confession.
The wife Of Windrath pleaded with
him to confess and throw himself on the
mercy of tho court. This he refused to
do, and has since maintained his inno-
cence.
AS the hear for the execution ap-
preached Windrath again became vio-
lent, shouting vehemeutly, Hang up
Mannow." Ills insanity, or imitation
of insanity, was of such character
that it was decided separate execution
would be necessary for him if an awful
bungle was to be avoided. just before
tho time set for the execution word
came that stay had been granted
Windrath, J':dge Baker allowinga a post
ponement of three weeks.
Fields, the negro the only remaining
one of the trio who were to be hanged,
was executed at ~ ~ p, m. Fields
smiled on the scaf'old, said "Goodby
old sport" to an acquaintance present,
and was strangled to death, his neck
not being broken by the fall. The other
prisoners in the jail SGT up loud shout
when the drop fell. Above the din
could be heard the shIill yell of Wind.
rath who had just been reprieyed.