The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-05-07

IT'D U-A IL. M AY &. S96.
isteged The last rites Of the church to the
condemned man. They arrived shortly af-
Ter six O'clock and only few minutes
they remained with him until half-past
ten o'clock. The death watch was then
peing kept by Keeper George Weaver, who
TINS morning by Keeper Henry Weaver
said this morning that Holmes had re-
slred ABOUT midnight and slept soundly
uuIlng the entire time until called at six
9 CLOCK. So sound were his sfumbers in
dact that twice was he called before
aa,Wa,kening a,s az when the arrival of the Rev.
nounced. He greeted them warmly, but
with no snow OF undue emotion and with
the same air Of self-possession that has
markeG q. his conduct throughout the entire
case. Tney We're come to administer the
sacrament or communion and every pos
by 9s eilfs for PryaGy was
For nearly two hosIrs theysremained in
the cell within and then were almost i'm
es es adSser SdGsadsa q aos PK hswysT Ro4p
also he greeted him. There were several
matters pertaining to his worldly affairs
death, andsthis time was taken for giving
the final details and explanations.
While discussing his affairs breakfast
Joy. the meal. 1t was substantial but
plain, cons sting of eggs toast and coffee,
W1lch We're .takep with an evident relish
though only. MS Attorney remarked Mr.
Rotan, after leaving the cell Gle is the
most and cool and possessed of ali in any
way connected with the case
The remark, seemed in no wise exagger-
ated. Every story was to the same ef-
rect, and to the end he maintained the
same stoicisln. 1t was not the clustering
eraggadocio of the toul-mouthed bully or
desperate who curses the hand that Of
reas @ : n2 spiritual solace. but the calm de-
pelled byea will of iron.
Z w nen the morning meal was ended and
! snor5ly !. before nine o'clock Holmes pre-
pared to dress himself. Contrary to the
general custom he refused to don a new
sult, but arrayed himself in trousers, vest
ana !. .cutsWay coat of some dark mixed
lsnad Deeh worn by him frequently before.
Even in this he was careful, giving every
attention to even the most minute details
Collar and necktie were, of course. not
Worn, put their place was taken by a
White handkerchief knotted careiessly
| The time had been slowly dragging
along as the many details and incidents
We're being enacted. Ten o'clock had
just sounded when a call came from the
cell corridor for Sheriff Clements. He
snad been gone but moment when the
doors leading through the long corridor
IN which We're placed the gallows were
opened, and two by two, led by the
Sheriff's jury, the party passed down The
cell of Holmes was to the left of the
corrldor, and the tramp of the many feet
must have been plainly audible to him.
as he sat behind the closed and covered
door. The gallows was about half way
down the corridor, and to either side was
nigh partition, that once through the
doors shut off any view of the approach
OF the condemned man as he came to
the scaffold Affairs We're quickly ap-
preaching crisis, and the other incidents
of the execution seemed to take shape
o. r,Nc
idity. The last man of those attending
had just passed through the doors and
the latter closed when from beyond was
heard the slow and measured tread of
the little coterie comprising the death
party. The greatest stiffness prevailed
among the group watching with up-turn-
ed faces for the first glimpse of the
condemned. From the other side could
! muffled tread Like solemn accompani-
ment to queries of the priests and the
low-toned responses of Holmes. The sus-
pense was almost painful, brief though
it was, and then preceded by Sheriff Gle
ments and Superintendent Perkins,
Holmes stepped onto the trap. On the
right was Father Daily, to the left
were Lawyer Rotan and Assistant Su-
perintendent Richardson. The little party
stood for moment locking. down, and
those beside him, Holmes stepped for
ward and spoke. Pallid, naturally, after
his Incarceration, there was no other evil
dence of any fear or disquiet. He spoke
slowly and with measured attention to
every word-a trifle low at first, but
louder as he proceeded until every WORD
was distinctly audible.
Gentlemen" he said, ST have very few
words to say: in fact, I would make no
statement at this time except that by not
speaking I would appear to acquiesce in
that the extent of my wrong doings in
taking human life consisted in the death
of two women they having died at my
hand as the result of criminal operation.
will be no MISUNDERSTANDING hereafter.
/ am not guilty of taking the lives of
dren or. father. Benjamin. f: Pitezel, of
whose death / am now convicted and for
which 1 am today to be hanged.
"That is ALL
and kneeling between Fathers Daily and
McPake, Joined with them in silent prayer
fog 0 ef 6on minute ute Or banI of ali Of thos
about him, and then signitied his readl-
ness for the end.
Coolest of the entire party. he. even
went to the extreme of suggesting to the
assistant superintendent, Richardson, that
the latter need not hurry himself. Take
as the official exhibited some little haste,
the evident outcome of nervousness.
These were almost his last words. The
cap was adjgstsd, loW-toned e, query, 1er
toned response, Eyes, good bye,'' and the
trap was sprung.
The neck was not broken and there were
a few convulsive twitches of the limbs
that continued for about ten minutes:
But he suffered none after the drop"
said DR. Scott, the prison physician: The
trap was sprung at precisely lG:121a and
fifteen minutes later Holmes was pro-
nounced dead. though the body was not
cut down until 1915.
When it was laid out on the stretcher
occurred the only incident approaching
the revolving in connection with an affair
naturally gruesome. The knot had become
jammed and the best efforts of the doc
tors failed to loosen it as they attempted
to remove the moose from about the neck.
The head was twisted about from side to
side in the unavailing attempt and finally
tendent Perkins objected, however, and
the knot was undone after several min
utes of trying work.
The remains were given into the charge
of Lawyer Rotan at the request of
Holmes, and he turned it over to an un-
dertaker At three P. M. it was placed in
a vault in Holy Cross Cemetery. There
were no services
The two women referred to by Holmes
in his confession from the scaffold were
Julia Connor, of Chicago, who with her
daughter were believed to have been mur-
dered by him, and Emily Cygrand of
Anderson Ind
A STRANGE STORY.
Details of a Life Given Over 30 MUIR
der and FrauG.