The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-07

gloomy old prison, which resembles in
architecture a medieval fortress. A
rope had been stretched across to the
entrance of the pasSageWay leading to
the convict department and inside Of
this were assembled the sheriff. city Of
dcials, jurors and reporters who had
been admitted to witness the execution
The gates We're opened at O'Clock and
the party filed in. SheTiff's Solicitor
Wagrew called the list of jurymen in
the SUPPLEMENTARY Office at the head
of the corridor containing the scaffOId-
Those who responded included two
ex-sheriffs Of this city, seven phys1-
clans and an undertaken
Sheriff Clement administered the
oath and at two minutes after 10 o'clock
the procession to the galloWs was be-
gun. headed by Prison Superintendent
Perkins and Assistant Superintendent
EIchardSOn- El1ty or more men with
uncovered heads made up the parade
and halted before the scaffold. The
instrument of death lOOmed high in
the center of the corridor on the first
floor of the convict side of the prison.
The platform, which stood eight feet
above the level of the floor, was ap-
preached by a flight of steps The
witnesses pasesd around the structure
and faced it. Silence followed for q
moment
Then there arose a noise from the
other side of the scanold. Tt was the
prayers of the prieses who were escort
ing Holmes to the galIOWs.
A moment later they mounted the
arrayed in their secular vestments,
stood either side of the condemned man
and chanted the Psalm AIiserere-
Holmes. his eyes fixed upon a crucIfIx
which he clasped in his hands, walked
steadily between them. He wore a
sack coat and trousers of gray material
and a white shirt. There was a thin
growth of beard on his chin.
There was q pause as they reached
Che trap, and then Holmes stepped for
ward and delivered his speech. 1t took
=
every man there regarded as the last
of q series of lies
Father Daily knows, if any living
man does whether or not Holmes went
into eternity with lie on his lips, for
to him Holmes, either last night or to-
day. made a final confession. What the
murderer conhded to the priest is a
secret to the confessional and it viii
never be made public
After shaking hands with his lawyer
who had left the scamOld, Holmes
turned and bade farewell to SupeIin-
tendents Perkins and Richardson and
the priests. who were the other Occu-
pants of the gallows. Then he and
the cIergymen knelt in silent prayer.
They arose at 1912 o'clock. In an
other half minute the end had come.
Holmes hands were mancled behind
him. the moose and the black cap were
adjusted and the stiffness was broken
bv q sound that echoed along the cor
ridors like the sharp crack of a pistol
The body shot up and then hung with
a
the voices of the priests softly arose
They were chanting the prayers for
those in the agOnies of death
Five minutes later six physicians ex-
amined the body. They gave no Off
ciaI opinion. but DR.. Butcher private
ly stated that a broken neck had I'M
doubtedly caused death. The heart
beat feebly for fully I'VE minutes after
the fall but to all lntents and puF-
poses the man was killed by the drop.
The body was allowed to hang until
1915 o'clock Then it was cut down
and placed in a coffin.
AT half past u O'Clock the big iron
doors in the rear OF the prison swung
Open and an undertaker's wagon rolled
out In it was a plain black casket
containing the body The wagon drove
rapidly to Mount Moriah cemetery
where it was placed in a vault Here
it will probably remain for two or
three days. when 1t viii be quietly in
TERED in another grave yard.
Whether or not it viii be finally bur
led in ocnsecrated ground, depends upon
Holmes last words with Father Daily
and the wiz Of Archbishop Ryan.
Almost Immediately after the execu-
ton letter carrier walked up to the
gates of the prison and delivered 2
newspaper address ed to H. II. Holmes.
As the undertakers wagon rolled out
of the court yard, it was pursued from
/ a distance by q crowd Of gamins, who
pounded gIeefully upon the sides of the
vehicle until driven away by the po-
lice.
The Philadelphia papers varied il
their reports OF the exact time Of the
HANGING anywhere from 1906 to 10 2o
The first authentic report came from
the Associated Press representatlve
who was the arEt person to leave the
prison after the execution.