The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-17

Union, Mo, Feb. 16.-Arthur Due
strow was hanged in the Franklin
county Jail at o'clock today
The condemned man, who has sim
ulated insanity since the day Of the
crime. kept up his role until late last
evening.
He arose shortly after Z o'clock this
morning and for the first time in three
years he broke down, and his usual
air of naughty Indifference gave way
to one of despair.
He begged the guards TO save MN
from his fate and requested that mes
50 ges be sent to Governor stephens
interceding in his behalf. 10 nearly
every visitor and attendant DueStroW
appealed for assistance, and asked
that the following telegram be sent 10
Ex-Governor Johnson, his counse4, IN
St. Louis:
Il am IN a predicament. Intercede
with Governor Stephens for me lmme-
diateiy. I now need your advice l
was insane, but it did me no good: L
have nothing left but hope Tor Tor
giVeness."
This was signed by General Bran
denburg" 4 name assumed by Due
strow during the past few months
The murderer partook OF seanty
breakfast, and when it was hnlshed,
threw himself on his cot and gave way
TO a burst of tears. He sobbed con-
pulsively and cried out frequently;
"Oh, God, this is terrible!"
Shortly before l o'clock Sheriff Puch-
ia notified Duestrow that his last hour
had arrived, and in a few moments
the guards announced that all was in
readiness for the execution.
The sheriff received the order to pro-
coed. and the march to the scaffold
began, the sheriff leading the way,
followed by Duestrow, with a deputy
sheriff on either side, and large
crowd of newspaper men and doctors.
Duestrow was apparently uncon-
cerned, and when he had mounted the
scaffold he showed no nervousness.
After the ropes had been placed about
his legs the sheriff asked him if he
had anything to say.
Nothing but that a big mistake is
being made" he said. Then as the
rope was being adjusted about his
neck he asked:
May l say a few words?
The sheriff gave assent, and Due
strOW spoke as follows:
I wish to say that big mistake is
being made here. am General Bran
denburg of the United States army. L
am not the man whom you accuse L
am not a murderer of a woman and
child. 1 now stand before you, sir,
bound and tied, a criminal, but I am
innocent of any crime 1 go at peace
with my Lord. i want you to say
that I thank my attorney. Governor
Johnson of St. Louis, for what he has
done for me"
The condemned man hesitated, as if
about TO talk more, but Sheriff Puchta
raised his hand. The black cap was
placed over Duestrow's head and the
cord was drawn tightly.
Duestrow shouted TO one of the depu-
ties: Goodbye, Simon" and the trap
was sprung. Duestrow's neck was not
broken by the fall. In eight minutes
after he was pronounced dead.
The body was turned over to an
undertaken representing Miss Hulda
Duestrow of st. Louis, a sister of the
dead man, and viii be taken TO that
city this evening, where the remains
viii be inferred alongside the murder
er's father in Bellefontaine cemetery.
The undertaken stated that he had
positive instructions not to embaln
the body. and this is taken as evil
dence that a post mortenn examination
viii be made TO determine the condi-
ton of DuestrOw's BRAIN
STORY OF THE CRIME.
Arthur Duestrow shot and killed his
wife and only child, boy OF Is months.
at o'clock on the afternoon of February
80 1894 For some time the millionaire
medical student had lapsed from duty to
his young wife and was spending much
time and money upon an inmate of a
baWdy house. On the day of the tragedy
he spent several hours at the house of his
mistress in drinking. and from there
went direct TO his home. 1924 South Comp
ton avenue. He had an engagement to
take his wife Sleigh-riding that afternoon.
Deustrow sent servant to inquire if
she should prep re for ride.
You d You haven't any right TO
speak to me before ! go into the house.
he shouted TO the servant, and made n
motion as II 10 strike her.
He was inhamed with drink. and stag
gered up the stairs. where his wife met
IF you want to strike some one,
Arthur" she said. don't strike
stranger strike me-
her a blow that felled her He then took
has boy. aged is months. and went down
stairs, but returned very soon with
sDon't shoot. Arthur. you're drunk
said his wife.
siT'I show you who is drunk" he said, /
"A moment he seemed to realize the /
ensrnity OF his crime. He kneeled beside !
the dying woman and in maudlin tones
said: Tina, Tina, are you dead2"
Receiving no reply his drunken frenzy 1
He grasped his child, who |
had been a spectator of the murder. He 1
first started to 90 down stairs with the /
boy. but returned TO the hall. held the 1
shrieking babe by one arm to the wall J
and fired a shot into his brain. With the I
smoking pistol in his HAND he ran into the /
street and surrendered to a policeman !
who had been attracted by the shooting. (!
The servant girl. who had fed to the !
ton OF the house was q witness 10 the /
scene and il was her testimony that con-
viSted Deustrow. The child died at once. |
but Mrs. Deustrow fingered unconscious /
for four days.
From the day of the tragedy until the
drop today. a notable legal battle has
been fought by Deustrows attorneys TO /
save their client from the gailows. BY
the terms of his fathers will. Deustrow
received a life income of $4,000 yearly.
Ex-Governor Charles z. Johnson. the
leading criminal attorney of Missouri, /
was principal counsel for tfee defense.
He called TO his aid a corps of lawyers.
medical experts and specialists on mental
disease and set up a plea of insanity.
There have been five continuances. one
one appeal and one change of I
venue in the case The first hearing was
J mis-trial. the jury disagreeing. Before
Judge Hirzel. of Franklin county, Deus
row was convicted on February 2 1896 {
and sentenced 10 death. Every artihce
known TO legal warfare was then resorted
onged another year. His income was
exhausted every year and is now largely
lissipated.
The case attracted wide attention and
las established presidents by court rul-
ngs upon insanity pleas in ..-.ense.
Saa-
PTTNHE'S FEET