Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-06-25
JAMES POLLARD To DIE UPON THE
sCAFFOLD AT ST. JOE.
NOT EVEN NERVOUS LAST NIGHT
POLLARD KILLED JOSEPH IRVINE
TWO YEaRS AGO.
intended to Kill Dave Irvine, but His
MarksmanShiP Was Bad-A Des-
perate Legal Fight Made to
Save His Neck-The
Crime Record.

st. Joseph, Mo-, June 24-(Special) James
Pollard, the negro whS is to be hanged be-
fore noon tomorrow for killing Joseph lr-
vine, is not even nervous tonight, and
says he is fully prepared TO die. The scaf-
fold is ready and the rope by which Pol
lard is to be hanged was tested to-day
The scaffold will not be covered with the
tent that was used when Joe Dusty was
hanged. The father Of Pollard sat in the
Jail office and in the office Of Sheriff Hull
all day, expecting a letter or telegram
from the governor. When any reference
was made TO the hanging. his eyes illed
with tears and he turned away. The elder
Pollard lives five miles north Of Dekalb,
and is a farmer. He has five other children
all Of them younger than the one in jail
The condemned man win probably be
hanged at 9 o'clock.
The crime for which Pollard is to hang
was committed July 30. 1895. For several
weeks prior to. the killing. Pollard had
murder in mis- heart. Both men resided one
mile northeast OF Dekalb and were farm
ers. Some time in June, Dave Irvine.
brother of Joe, angered Pollard by twitting
him about colored girl, the daughter of
a neighbor. Assertions on the part OF lr-
vine at that time led to a quarrel which
resulted in PolIard's attempting to kill Ir-
vine, from which he was prevented by
friends. On the evening Of July 30. armed
with a Colts revolver, he went to the
home Of Dave Irvine, with the intention Of
killing him
This was about o'clock in the evening
and Dave was sitting inside the door. Pol
lard said he wanted to see Irvine, and the
latter. divining his purpose, refused TO
leave the house. whereupon Pollard en-
tered and began shooting. His marksman-
ship wac poor and, instead of hitting Dave
Irvine, one of the bullets landed in the
neck Of Joseph, the brother, from the ef-
fects Of which he died two days later.
Dave Irvine grabbed Pollard by the wrist
of the hand in which he held the weapon
and endeavored TO wrest it from his grasp.
Failing in this, he made his escape to the
yard, hoping to elude his assailant in the
darkness. Pollard followed and fired two
shots at the fleeing form. neither Of which
took effect. His revolver being emptied,
Pollard reloaded the weapon and made a
more thorough search for Dave Irvine. but
failed to find him. He left the premises
and was captured the next day.
His trial in the criminal court Of this
county was stubbornly contested, some Of
the most prominent attorneys having been
engaged in his defense. Pollard disavowed
any intention Of committing murder when
he entered the Irvine home, but the evil
dence for the prosecution on this point was
conclusive. An appeal was taken to the
supreme court upon his conviction and
sentenced TO death, and all the technical
tiles OF the law were resorted TO by his
attorneys in order TO secure a term of i'm
prisonment, instead of death. Pollard Il
q years Of age. and, up 20 the time he
murdered Joe Irvine, had borne a good
renutatiou.