The morning news., 1897-08-29

was led out of his cell to meet us He had
just been writing his last letter and came
forth nodding pleasantly to US. Each of
us handed him a cigar
" I thank you, he said, but I'm afraid
that I won't have time TO smoke all
these.
mo one could be more agreeable than
Nasquez that day. He saw that we had
the easiest chairs, and were seated before
himself. He told me that he had heard
of me many times, and said he believed
he had once got hold of a horse with my
brand upon him, and that it was a fine
animal.
The editor of one of the San Jose news
papers came in, greeting him with a
boisterous hilarity, meant at once to
cheer the condemned and display to the
San Francisco reporters mis- intimacy with
a celebrated character. The editor actu-
ally took copy of the paper from his
pocket, and, with the remark, I suppose
you want to hear what l said about you
tonight? sat down and read to Vas
quez three solid columns about his crimes
the preparations for the hanging and
minute description of the gallows, with
mention of the other criminals who had
stepped upon it. Nasquez bore it in silence
without a vince or frown. He occasional
ly pu1fed the harder a his cigar. when the
editor read some extra murderous raid
Vasquez had been on.
when the editor had gone away Vas
quez turned to us and said cheerfully;
" I'm sorry. gentlemen, to have my
time SO engaged especially when 1 have
so little of it left for anybody or any
thing
Soon there was a tramping of feet
without, the key turned, and the iron
doors were thrown open. Two men bear
ing coffin, and followed by a black
coated undertaken with a pair of trestles
in his hands, came in. The coffin a fine
haa Cd
placed on the trestles, and the brigand,
cigar in teeth, stepped up and inspected
it with lively interest He half squatted
and ran his hand along the side.
" It's too short he said, with surprise
looking a the awed undertaken, who as
sured him that it was all right that it
should be measured near the top, not near
the bottom. Then, pleased at the quality
of the coffin which had been provided by
his friends, he put his hand inside, felt
the padding pressed the little pillow, and
with an upward fiirt of his cigar observ-
ed; Well, l shall leep there very we'll.
ION the next morning Vasquez walked
out into the sunlit Jail yard, climbed the
steps of the scaffold, gazed indifferently
at the gaping mob of men below, threw
glance beyond the walls at the blue hills
and then gave all his attention to the
business of the moment. They sought to
unbutton his coat and collar. He waved
them aside politely and did it himself He
assisted the hangman in adjusting the
straps and rope, glanced down to see that
his feet were precisely on the crack, kiss
ed the crucifix held out to him by the
priest, and bore himself with patience
and dignity while they drew over him
white shroud and placed on his head and
shoulders a great black hood.
&" 1 am ready, he said, serenely closing
his eyes, and that was the last of Vas
quez."
Col Hiram yVilfaros ,e,,,orl,o1 +ta. 80
believed that a man about to be hanged
who could play a skilful game of billiards
a few hours before the execution showed
the greatest degree of nerve he could think
Of
Il saw a fellow once who could play
billiards for an hour or so the night be-
fore he was hanged. and he made some
mighty delicate plays, too. 1t was that
man CONS tock, who was hanged in San
Bernandino in March, 1873 or 1874 He kill
ed mining prospector off in the noun
tains for his gold, and several months
later was tried and sentenced to be hang
ed. My brother was deputy sheriff in the
county at the time, and the jail was the
old brick affair that was torn down six
or seven years ago. I went into town
with all my ranch hands the evening be-
fore the execution to get a good place
from which to view the hanging the next
morning.
when I went inside the Jail there was
the condemned man, Comstock, in the
sherins private office, talking with his
lawyer about the disposition of his mules
ard wagons and other property. My
brother and several other deputy sheriffs
sat near When Comstock had finished
his directions to his lawyer I was intro
duced to the man. Why, he was the very
last man in any party that l could have
thought was spending his last night on
earth, and to whom the governor had only
an hour before telegraphed that his doom
was inevitable.
'Howdy do. colonelr said he, as he
shook my hand. Suppose you have come
20 see me hanged haven't you?
81 nodded assent.
"'Well. from all l can hear, there'll be
a big crowd there tomorrow. 1 have been |
to see several executions In my day, and
never thought that ia be the CHIEF actor
myself.
Just then the sheriff himself came in.
lie was perspriug and flushed with ex-
citement at the preparations outside for |
the hanging.
Now. here. Walt said Comstock. |
what's the use Of your boiling and fret !
ting so about this execution business? You |
won't have no bother with me.
"Tho sheriff was too hustered TO speak |
for o time. Then he asked Comstock what |
he could do TO make his last night of life |
agreeable
anybody TO sccg' he asked.
We'll now that you do really want 10 |
make me happy replied Comstock, grin |
ming in the lamplght, IN tell YOU what |
ia be ticklcd % 20 to that saloon next |
door. with you fellows as guards. of /
course. and have a last game % billiards. /
You know ] used 10 be- crack billiard |
player in San Diego and Santa Anna, and |
many "a time I've lain here Ia iail and /
heard those billiard balls clicking next /
door. and lonRed 10 have one more game /
with q good pinyer.
"fH'm-m. replied the sheriff, looking /
of into the dark corners 0i the room y i
want 40 90 the decent thing by you. Com. \
stock. but ] don't sse how can 40 that /
Come. now. wait said tho doomed /
murderer. 'rll only play o littlo while. /
and y0u can put those steel ankle brace. /
ieir on me- and call your armed deputies /
to watch me. You needn't have no fear /
thaf I'Ii run away. fur my fheum1f.em b. /
too bad ANYHOW
"The shor'n nnaiiy aFrood fhai if fho
billiard COON Has cleared. AMI 30 outlii- ]