Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-07
HANGING OF HOLMES
Execution of the Murderer in Moy-
amensing Prison.
PROTESTED His INNOCENCE TO FHE LAST
Slept Soundly During His Last
Night on Earth.
DEATH WAS INSTANTANEOUS
PROTESTED HIS INNOCENCE TO FHELASF
DEATH WAS INSTANTANEOUS


amensins prison at twelve and half min
utes after 10 o'clock this morning That is
the time the drop fell. 1t was fully half
hour later before he was officially pro-
nounced dead.
A half minute before he was shot into
eternity he made this declaration to the
solemn assemblage gathered about the scaf-
fold:
Gentlemen: 1 have very few words to
say. In fact, 1 wouLI make no remarks at
this time except that by not speaking 1
would appear to aCquiesce in my execution.
1 only wish to say that the extent of my
wrong-doing in taking human life consisted
In the death of two women, they having
died at my hands as the result of criminal
operations. 1 wish to also state here so
that there can be chance of miSunder-
standing hereafter, that 1 am not guilty Of
taking the lives of any of the PitezeI fami-
ly-the three children and BENJAMIN the
father. of whose death 1 was convicted, and
for which l am today to be hanged. That
is all | have to say
1t will be seen that the words which ne
used We're Well chosen. They were equally
We'll pronounced. The voice never quaver-
ed; the hands clasped on the dark railing
OF the scaffold did not tremble
The nerve which had all along character
lied this marvellous assassin had not de-
serted him to the very end AS the last
syllable fell from his pallid lips he turned
to his attorney.
Clasping the right hand of the young law
Yer, Holmes gave him a firm Srasp-frm
even at that terrible moment-he laid his
left on the other mans shoulder, and gazing
voice, Goodbye"
Then he carefully buttoned his coat. nod
ded to the sheriff, and in an instant he shot
to death.
He was undoubtedly the most stolid of
any III that assemblage of nifty oid men.
ne paiior of his face was no deeper than
Inc ordinary prison bleach, ard he stood
erect; gazing steadfastly before him, until
the horrible black cap shut out his last
look a earthly things
He spent his last day of life uneventfully
Iurlng part of yesterday Father Daily of
fhe church of the Annunciation visited
BIN and said prayers. In the afternoon his
lawyer, Samuel Rotan. called for a short
time. The balance of the day Holmes oc-
cupied reading his Bible and other deyo-
tIonal books. Father Daily came again
early IN the evening and remained until
lo.lo O'Clock. After he left Holmes wrote
letters Of farewell until midnight. 1t is IN
derstoOd that these commGnica tions were
addressed TO his wives-thc one in Gilman
ton, NH, and Georgianna Yoke of Frank
LIN, Ind. the third wife. whose testimony
did so much to bring about today's execu-
ton. He also rerLed a letter of instruc-
tlGEs 10 Mr. Rotan, his counsel. Absolute
secrecy is maintained regarding the con-
tents of these letters
At II O'Clock he undressed and went to
led. under the watchful eye of Keeper
George Weaver, who fearful lest the
man in the cell beyond might commit sui
eide But apparently nothing was further
tCm the abnormal mind of his charge.
Holmes slept the sleep of an innocent babe
and at o'clock in the morning it required
two calls to arouse him to his last day of
life. At Z O'Clock Father Daily came with
Father NcPeak of the same church.
Holmes received them silently, and knelt
with them while they went over the COM
munion service. According to the rites of
the Catholic Church, to which he had been
he aalr in
at least. he had been fasting since mid
night The service once over, his break
fast Of eggs, dry toast and coffee was
brought in, and he ate it with an apparent
relish.
The only sign of defiance he made just
after the priests left
Am l peryous?" he demanded stretching
his hands out to Keeper Weaver. They
we're steady as rock. Holmes smiled and
retired to the rear of his cell. He declared
that ne had never felt better in his life.
Soon after this the priests returned and re-
mained with him until the end.
Outside the Prison.
Meantime a nervously expectant crowd
had gathered without the gates of the
gloomy prison, which resembles in archi-
lecture a medieval fortress. A rope had
been stretched across the entrance to the
passageway leading to the convict depart
ment, and within this were assembled the
sheriff, city officials, jurors and newspaper
-C- 'iAS A4eht oSSIA iAiNiICu " sec liiS tAC-
cution.
The gates were opened at o'clock and
the party filed in.
SherifS Solicitor William Grew called the
list of jurymen in the superintendent's Of
flee. at the head of the corridor containing
the scaffold.
They answered to these names: William
II. Wright, DIR. Benjamin Pennebaker, John
j. Ridgway, K. r BTinghurst, DR.. Sanael
Wood, DIR. w. j. Hearn, DR.. W. j. Roe, A.
b. Deitweiler, DIR. " B. Dwight, DR.. j. C.
Guernsey nd Dr Job, T
Phillips. OF these Messrs. Wright and
Ridgway were eX-sheriffs of this city,
seven physicians. and the others business
men, including an undertaken.
Sheriff Clement administered this oath:
Gentlemen of the jury, you and each of
you do solemnly swear that you will act
as jurors summoned by the high sheriff of
the county of Philadelphia, and that you
will witness the execution of Herman W.
Mudgett, alias H. II. Holmes, and certify
the time and manner of such execution ac-
cording to law, and so you do swear, so
help you Cod
The Procession.
At two minutes after 10 o'clock the pro-
cesSion to the gailows was begun, headed
by Prison Superintendent Perkins and AS
sistant Superintendent Richardson. Fifty
or more men, with uncovered heads, made
up the solemn parade, and halted before the
scafold.
The instrument of death doomed high
Ii
floor of the convict side of the prison The
platform, which stood eight feet above the
level OF the hoor, was approached by a
flight of steps.
Tie Witnesses passed around the structure
and faced ii. An awful silence followed for
moment Then, murmur of sound arose
from the other side Of the scanold. 1t was
the prayers OF the Priests, who were es-
ccrtins Holmes 10 the gallows. \ moment
later they mounted the steps and came into
view. The priests. arrayei in their secular
VeSCmSQtS- stood Rifhar af tba
demned man, and chanted the Psalm Mis-
erere. Holmes, crucifiX ciasped in both
hands, upon which his eyes were fixed,
walked steadily between them He wore
sack coat and trousers of gray material,
and white shirt. There was a thin growth
OF beard on his chin, and his hair was so
rufied as to display a small bald spot at the
top of his forehead
There was a pause after they had reach
ed the deadly trap, and then Holmes STEP
ped forward and pronounced his valedictory.
1t took him exactly two minutes to pro-
nounce what nearly every man there re-