The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-08

o'clock IN the morning II required two calls
to awaken him At o'clock Fathers Daily
and MacPeak arrived. Holmes received
them silently. and knelt with them while
they went over the communion service
They administered the last sacrament
and did not leave him until nearly 3
O'Clock. During their absence he ate q
breakfast of eggs, dry toast and coffee.
The only sign Of defiance that he made
was Just after the priests left. Am
nervous" he asked. stretching his hands
out to Keeper Weaver. They were steady
- o rock.
Meantime . nervously expectant crowd
had gathered outside the gates Of the
prison. A rope had been stretched across
the entrance to the passageway leading to
the convict department and inside Of this
were assembled the sheriff. city officials,
Jurors and reporters who had been admit
ted to witness the execution The gates
were opened at Q O'Clock and the party
filed in. Sheriff Solicitor Wagrew read
the list Of jurymen In the superintendent
ONCE At the head of the corridor contain
Ing the scaffold- The sheriff administered
the oath. and at two minutes after 10
O'Clock the procession to the galiows was
begun. headed by Prison Superintendent
Perkins and Assistant Superintendent
Richardson Fifty or more men with un-
covered heads made up the parade and
halted before the scaffold- The platform.
which stood eight feet above the level Of
the floor. was approached by . flight Of
steps. The witnesses passed around the
structure and faced It, Silence followed
for moment
Then a murmur arose from the other
side OF the scaffold. It was the prayers
OF the priests who were ezcorting Holmes
to the gallows. A moment later they
mounted the steps and came into view.
The priests. aryayed in their secular vest
ments. stood on either side OF the con-
demned man and chanted the psalm
Miserere. Holmes, his eyes fixed upon .
crucihx. whsch he clasped In his hands,
walked steadily between them.
There was a pause as they reached the
trap and then Holmes stepped forward
and delivered his speech. as follows:
Gentlemen: have very few words to
say. In fact. I would make no remarks at
this time. except that by not speaking
would appear to acquiesce In my execu-
ton only wish TO say that the extent OF
my wrong doing In taking human life con-
sisted In the death of two women. they
having died at my hands as the result OF
criminal operations. I wish to state here
so that there can be no chance OF misun-
Outstanding. that am not guilty OF taking
the lives OF any Of the Pifzsl family. three
children and Benjamin. the father. OF
"
am today TO be hanged. That is all have
to say"
1t took Holmes exactly two minutes to
utter what every man there regarded as
the last OF a series OF lies. During the
delivery Of his speech. the voice Of the
condemned man never quavered. the hands
clasped on the railing Of the scaffoid did
not tremb'e. The nerve which had NIL
along characterized this most marvellous
OF assasssns. did not desert him at the
end. After shaking hands with his law
yer. who then left the scasfold, Holmes
turned and hace farewell to Superintend-
en-, Perkins and Richardson and the
priests. who were the other occupants Of
the gailo~s. Then he and the ciergymen
o'clock. In another half minute the end
had come.
Holmes hands were maracied behind
him the moose and the hiaek-car were aS-
tl,ssed. and the stiffness was broken hy a
sound that echoed all along the corridors
ike the sharp crack Of pistol The body
| shot up. ard then hung without a trernor.
Five minutes later six physicians examined
the body They gave no official opinion.
but stated TRAIT a broken neck had IN
douh'ediv caused death. The body was al
| lowed TO hang until ia45 O'Clock
| AZ I, o'clock the Dprs IN THE rear O.
| tire prison swung orch. and an undertak-
er's waTor rolled out In IL was q plain
black casket containing the body. The
| man drove rapidly TO the cemetery. wnere
| II was placed In q vault Here It VIII
| probably remain fer two or three DAYS.
| when u VIII be quietly inferred in a grave.
| Whether c- rot II vsil be finally buried
| IN cor.ec-arrf ground depends unoa
/ Holmes last words with Father DAILY. ans
/ Tire viii o. ArchbisAep Ryan.
| The murder OF BENJAMIN F. Pitxei. for
! which Herman Nnixett. Alias II. X.
| Holmes. was hanged. occurred on sun
| eay. September . 1884, Ths crime was the
| elimination OF 8 conspiracy between the
| men TO Gefrani the Fidelity Mutual Tggs
| Association OF this city % sla.eaa an.s the
! svtrdie was successfully accosnnftshe4s
| Holmes ant Pitsel became acquainted II,
| Chfcsxo IN lSa Pigsel was married ana
1 had children. He Was poor, and was no,
aVerse 20 engaging In dishonest business
u g. were lucrative Holmes bad been
pEscticsrE forgery. and Re induced fettz..l
/ 70 enter the same tire. lr January. IS9
/ Pitxei was arrested IN Te-re Hante. rns
fer passing forrei paper Holmes wen,
thsre and save 81 saa straw bail tor Tst,xet
who shereuTsn ran away. Holmes sen.
him 60 Fort Worth. Tex. under the mama
81 fsertcn T Lyman. He had With him /.
deed 70 properly sheTe, vai1e1 az 81 asl
which belonged 10 Minnie y. Williams
enc % Holmes victims. Holmes ara :
ha f~sfta-t Afa