The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-01
CONFESSES ON
THE GALLOWS,
Lloyd Montgomery Admits
That He Took Three
Lives.
EXECUTED AT ALBANY.
de Appeals for Future Mercy
While in the Shadow of
Death.
A BRUTAL CRIME AVENGED.
The Youth Had Slain His Parents and
a Visitor Because of a Re.
proof.

occurred shortly after O'Clock this morn
ing.
Nothing of Importance had happened
during the early part of the night At 1
O'Clock the Sheriff asked Montgomery if he
old not want nap, when he lay down
and was almost instantly asleep. He slept
until O'Clock, when he was awaken ed by
the Sheriff with difficulty. So sound were
his slumbers that it was necessary to raise
him up before he could be maGe to under
stand what was desired Then prepare
tons began for his long journey.
Among the early callers was Rev. Mr..
Shultz OF Shedd, who talked and prayed
with him fervently. To him the boy in
sisted that the McKercher version was
correct; that he killed McKercher after
the latter had killed his mother and
father. Mr.. Shultz believed that he had
kept the fact in his mind so much as to
have become convinced of its truth. Mont
gomery declared that he believed he was
saved.
new suit of clothes was put on him
and he was ready for the gailows by 6
O'Clock. a half hour before the time set
for the execution Joseph Hume, brother
in-law of the Sheriff of Brownsville and a
neishbor of the boy. went to him in his
cell. He sat down beside him and placed
his hand on his shoulder and cried out,
so Lloyd, Lloyd, Lloydr and then he
prayed as few men ever pray-a prayer
from the soul, which made deep impress
sion on those who heard him and wit
messed the scene.
Hume told the boy impresslvelY that he
was in no condition to meet his God with
out making complete confession of the
crime, and must not die with a lie on his
lips. The words seemed to impress Mont
gomery and in a few words he admitted
his guilt-that he had killed all three, his
father, mother and Daniel McKercher. !
In the confession he gave no details, but
ahey were not necessary. At his own de-
sire he wrote the confession of his guilt I
and signed 1t as follows:
did it I am guilty. God have mercy on
me- Take me as 1 am, poor sinner. l am
sorry for what 1 have done God, do have
mercy on poor soul; for my sake do, and for
give all my sins, and each and every one of
them, and forgive those who sin against thee.
God, help more precious souls to seek the
ways of life; for my sake do help them and
guide them through this life. Amen.
LLOYD MONTGOMERY.
A jury of twelve men was called into the
jail, and the death warrant was read TO
the condemn ed man in their presence At
7:05 o'clock the prisoner, with the Sheriff, |
deputies and Rev. Messrs. Shultz, Snyder !
and Little, marched through the residence |
rooms OF the Sheriff directly upon the |
scaffold. The murderer took his place upon |
the trap, with great GOODNESS and nerve,
and, in a strong voice, though somewhat (
husky, said:
II am sorry for what l have done. 1 /
hope you forgive me. l want God to have t
mercy on me, poor sinner"
Then Rev. Mr.. Snyder of Brownsville I
stepped forward and prayed for the man /
on the trap. nd that the end of his life /
should be an awful example to the rising
generation. The prayer was somewhat /
long, but it did not seem to disturb the I
one most interested He coolly raised his |
head and looked at the rope above him
and at the lever on the side. AT his re-
quest he was shown a model of the scaffold |
about o'clock and was familiar with its |
makeup. Then he coolly viewed the au-
dience, but nevertheless there was a slight I
nervousness he could not conceal. At the /
end OF the prayer the Sheriff placed the |
black cap upon his head, when Mont
gomery again cried out:
"Good-by, friends, l hope to meet you
in heaven. l ask God to take a poor
slnner''
The moose was placed over his head by
the Sheriff and his deputy, Q. E. Propst,
and drawn tightly to his neck. Three /
straus were around his arms and legs The |
knot had been tied by the Sheriff and |
deputy. While this was being done the
prisoner cried:
"God. have mercy on me, a sinnerl Take
me as amp
AS it was completed he, for the fourth |
time. spoke:
kind friends, farewell, farewell"
The last word was uttered as the Sheriff |
stepped upon the lever and Lloyd Mont I
gomery fell six feet. DR.. Starr felt his |
pulse and Drs. Ellis and Davis his heart /
and DR.. Mason held a watch. The beats I
were normal at first and then rapidly in
creased. At four minutes the rate was 173
a minute; then they gradually decreased.
at six minutes were 126, at eight minutes
65, with very little pulse, at nine no pulse,
at ten only flutter, at eleven an uncertain
sound, at twelve minutes a slight move
ment, which was felt up TO fourteen min
utes. At fourteen and a half minutes he
was pronounced dead His neck had been
broken
The execution was well arranged and
carried out. The absence of any slip or
Iepulsive exhibition was commendable.
ABOUT fifty men witnessed the hanging.
"a hong them were number of strangers,
:, iieFiiis from other counties. John Nc
Nercher, brother of one of the murdered
men, witnessed the execution. He wore a
Oanu Oh Grape around his hat McKercher
' %atened the proceedings without any
demonstration, but with apparent salts
lacIiol' and when the rope was cut he was
ole Oh o. On me hrst to secure a piece, and
suit, and the rope that hanged LLOYD Erv-
son Montgomery will be exhibited in
many places in Oregon
4Ae body Was taken down. nlaced ON q !,