The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-20
FEARLESS on THE SChFFOLD.
KELSEY PORTER. MURDERER, Ex-
DCUTED AT UNION, On.
Slayer ~ AgeA BENJAMIN Mache,
wife ana Sen Expiates His Crime
Last Houfs Given 20 Spiritual
Consolatiou-DeatA Instantaneous.

UNION, Or, Nov. 1s.-Kelsey Porter
was hanged here this morning.
Gov. Lord had been petisioned to COM
mute the sentence. but no word was re-
ctiyed from him until last night. when
the sheriff received . message stating the
governor could not interfere with the
course Of the law. The sheriff at once
completed his arrangements for carrying
out the order. Last evening Porter sent
for Rev. Mr.. Shields, OF the First Pres
oyteriau church. who gave the condemned
man spiritual advice Porter had been
studying his Bible. and said that he real
lied that he had committed q great sin
and that he knew his only hope was to be
found in the words OF the scriptures.
This morning Mr.. Shields again called on
him and remained until the end came.
AS soon as daylight appeared everything
was In readiness for the execution. Por-
ter was informed he had but a short time
20 live. and in the presence Of twelve Gill
zens the death warrant was read TO him.
He was prepared for II. he was clad in
a new suit OF clothes, and at Gas o'clock
was taken from his cell in the jail and
led to the scsffoid. There were about
fifty persons present. Porter manifested
the greatest courage. and walked to MS
doom with steady step.
On reaching the platform thu sheriff
asked him IL he had anything to say. He
said he had not. He was then hand
cuffed, straps put around his limbs and
body. the black cap slipped over his head
and the moose adjusted. The sheriff
quietly stepped to one side. and saying:
Prepare TO meet your Maker" pulled
the lever that opened the door. The body
shot downward a distance of six feet and
all was over. Not q movement of the
muscles was visible. Death was in
Simultaneous. the neck having been broken
by the fall. After waiting twelve min
utes the attending physicians pronounced
the body dead, and 1t was taken down.
The funeral took place today.
The crime for which Porter suffered the
death penalty was the murder OF three
people. Benjamin Mache and his wife, an
aged couple. and their son, Benjamin
Mache. jr., on January /, 1896. on Porter's
farm In the eastern portion Of Union
county.
There had been trouble between the
Maches and Porter for long time. and
Porter had been greatly harrassed by
threats made by the Maches. specially the
young man, who was regarded as a bad
character. having just finished term in
the penitentiary. Porter had forbidden the
Maches from passing through his field.
as they had been accustomed to, but on
the morning of the tragedy the Maches
drove up to the fence enclosing the field,
threw it down and passed in.
Porter saw them coming, and armng
himself with a Winchester rife, climbed
TO the top Of a shed adjoining his barn,
where he secured for himself a well
guarded position. When the Maches
neared the barn Porter claimed that he
told them to stop, but young Mache
opened fire upon him with a revolver.
Porter returned the fire, and at the first
shot killed young Mache. The old people,
who were In a sleigh. started to drive
away, but Porter descended from the
shed. and taking deliberate aim, sent a
bullet through their bodies. killing both
instantly. Porter went to the nearest
justice Of the peace and gave himself
up. He was tried and convicted and SEN
fenced to be hanged April 10. 1896, but an
appeal to the supreme court stayed the
execution.
The supreme court affirmed the decision
OF the lower court, and on October Is of
the present year Porter was resentenced
to be executed on November H.
Hanged for killing Ills Mistress.
PADUCAH, KY. Nov. 19-For the
brutal murder OF his paramount, Winnie
Bell, George Weston, colored, was hanged
here this morning. He met his death
without a CULVER, warning all people,
black and white. to beware of bad COM
pany and whisky.