Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-05-14
NEVER GUILTY OF MURDER
So Declared the Condemned Man While
on the SGafOld.
THE MURDEREN'S NECK BROKEN
His Great Nerve Manifested
to the End.

=
Them GOOD Bye"-Became Unconscious
the Instant the Drop Fell.
Philadelphia, May I'll. II. Holmes
was hanged in Moyamensing prison
this morning. The drop fell at 10. 1915
o'clock. 1t was not until half hour
later that he was pronounced dead.
His neck was broken.
The marvellous nerve of the man
never deserted him to the very end.
Even on the scatfold he was probably
the coolest person In the solemn
assemblage. In few we'll chosen
words he proclaimed his innocence of
any murder, including that for which
he was convicted and hanged. He dc.
clared that the only wrong doing, in
the taking Of human life, for which he
could be held responsible, consisted in
the death of two women who had died
as tho result of criminal operations
performed by him. He did not name
these victims.
Holmes spent the greater part of his
last night on earth writing letters. AT
midnight he went to bed and silent
Eoundly until 6 O'Clock this morning.
1t took two calls to awaken him.
Promptly arising he received visit
Daley and Macheak of the Church of
the Annunciation. They administered
the last sacrament and loft him until
nearly O'Clock. During their absence
he ate a breakfast of eggs, dry toast
and coffee.
At 1902 O'Clock the sheriff called
together the official Jury and after each
man had answered, to his name and
subscribed TO the certificate the solemn
march to the gallows began. While tho
gathering stood in intense silence be-
fore the scaifold murmured sound
came from behind the partition
erected Immediately back of it. IL
was the dolorous chant of the two
priests accompanying the doomed man
to the scaiiold. They were uttering
the Psalm Misere. At l0.0S o'clock
they mounted the fatal platform. A
moment of prayer elansed and then
Holmes stepped to the front of the
scaifod and, resting his hands on the
rail before him, made his statement of
innocence. ii was received in absolute
silence. Two minutes later he had
finished his valedictory. Thon, at a
silent signal from the priests, he bent
to his knees, his eyes fixed ON the
crucitiX clasped in his thin hands
Until 10. II O'Clock the prayer CON
tinued. Immediately afterwards he
arose, shook hands with the priests
and his lawyer and. in a firm voice,
bade them good bye. " Without an
instant's delay his hands were bound
behind him and the black cap ad-
juHted. Sheriff Clement put the moose
about his neck and after an instant of
terrible stiffness the crack of the bolt
rang out like Il pistol shot and the
murderer had fallen to his doom. Con-
seriousness left him instantly, said the
doctors, although his huart continued
feeble beat for 10 or 20 minutes
After an examination had been made
by several physicians Holmes was pro
nounced dead and the swinging corpse
was cut down.
At IL 30 O'Clock the big iron doors in
the rear of the prison swung open and
an undertaker's wagon rolled out. In
IL was a plain black cgsket containing
Holmes body. The wagon was driven
rapidly to Mount Moriah cemetery,
where tho corpse was placed in q
vault.
Almost Immediately after tho execu.
tion letter carrier walked up to the
gates Oh Inc prison anu delivered 0
newspaper addressed to Holmes.
After the undertakere wagon rolled
out Of the court yard it was pursued
for some distance by crowd OF
gamins, who pounded glccfully upop
the sidus of the vehicle until driven
away by the police
There was no autopsy on tho body of
Holmes, among his last words being 4
strict injunction to his attorney tc
that effect.
Holiness statement On tho acatrold
was as follows:
Gentlemen have very few word.
to say. In fact would mako 10 NJ,
marks at this tirle eXcent that by moi
speaking | would appear e. ac1uirsee
in my execution. | only wish ID M,
that the extent Of my wrong doing II
taking human life consisted in the
death Of two women, they having dior
at my hands as the result vi crlmipu
operations | wish 10 also state here
so that there can be no chance Of mis-
understanding hereafter, that | AN
not guilty Of taking the lives If an,
of the PitezeI family, the three chill
dren and Beniamin, tho father. u
whose death | was convicted and fo
which | am to-day to be banged. ina
ID all ! have to say.