The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1896-05-08
Holmes, the Fiend, Hanged
at Philadelphia.
he MAINTAINED HIS INNOCENCE
Declared He Had Never VviLfully De-
stoyed Human Life---He Was
Accompanied BY Priests.

PHILADELPHIA, May III. II. Holmes
was hanged at Moyamensing prison this
morning. The drop fell at 10:121s.
Half an hour later he was pronounced
dead. His neck was broken by the fall.
Even on the scaffold he was probably
the coolest person in the solemn assem-
blage In a few well-chosen words he
proclaimed his innocence of any murder,
including that for which he was con-
victed, and hanged. He declared that
the only wrong doing in taking human
life for which he could be held respons-
ible, consisted in the death of two
women, who died as result of criminal
operations at his hands. He did not
name these victims.
Holmes spent the greater part of his
last night writing letters. At midnight
he went to bed and slept soundly until
O'Clock this morning. 1t took two calls
to awaken him. Promptly arising, he
received visit from his spiritual adj
visers, Fathers DAILY and MacPeak, of
the Church of Annunciation. They ad-
ministered the last sacrament and did
not leave him until nearly 8 o'clock.
During their absence he ate a break
fast of eggs, dry toast and coffee.
AT 10 :02 o'clock the sheriff called to-
gether, the official jury, and after each
man had answered to his name and sub
scribed to the certificate, the march to
the gallows was begun. AS the gather
ing stood in silence before the scaffold a
murmuring sound came from behind a
partition, erected Immediately back of
it. It was the dolorous chant OF the two
priests accompanying the doomed man
to the scaffold. They were uttering the
psalm miserera.
At 1o:Os they mounted the fatal plat
form. A moment of prayer elapsed.
Then Holmes stepped to the front of the
scaffold. and, resting his hands on the
rails before him, made statement of
his innocence. 1t was received in abso-
lutte silence. Two minutes later he had
finished his valedictory, then, at silent
signal from the priests, he bent to his
knees, his eyes fixed on crucifix,
clasped in his thin hands. Until 10:12
the prayer continued. Immediately aft
erward be arose, shook hands with the
priests and lawyers, and in firm voice
bade them "Good bye"
Without an instant's delay his hands
were bound behind his back, and the
black cap adjusted. Sheriff Clement
placed the moose about his neck. and
after an instant of terrible stiffness the
crack of the bolt rang out like pistol
shot, and the murderer had fallen to his
doom. Consciousness left him instantly,
said the doctors, although his heart con-
tinued to feebly beat for Is or 20 min
utes.
Holmes speech on the iscafold was as
follows: Gentlemen, have very few
words to say in fact, I would make, no
remarks at this time except that by mot
speaking would appear to acquiesce in
my execution. I 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. i
wish to state here, so there can be no
chance of misunderstanding, that 1 am
not guilty of taking the lives of any of
the Pitezel family, the three children
and Benjamin, the father, of whose
death was convicted, and for which I
am to be hanged. That is all have to
say.
Browns Request Granted.
SAN FRANcIsco, May 7.-Dr. Charles