The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-18
MURDERER CARR HANGED
Killed His Own Daughter at the 1nstiga
tion OF His Second Wife.

mu.ucE lNlo pIioiioSi dPii.
MURDERER CARR HANGED
Killed Hi. Own Daughter at the 1nstiga
tion OF His Second Wife.
Kansas City, Dec. 17.-William, Carr,
the child murderer, was hanged at the
Clay county court house at Liberty at
1924 this morning.
Carr passed a restless night. When
| breakfast was brought 20 him, he turned
from It with disgust and, lighting
cigar, stood for long time locking out
from his window. Presently the under
taker arrived and asked Carr what dis
position he wanted made Of his body.
Let my wife take care OF it, Oh! let
her take care Of it," he exclaimed with
a sob.
His spiritual advisers followed and
urged him to face his fate like man.
"T'u try" Carr sobbsd. that's the best
/ can do
The Bible was read to the prisoner,
followed by the singing OF hymn, dur
| ing which Carr sobbed and trembled like
child.
| A little after 10 o'clock the gallows
was tested and found to work perfectly.
Inside the death cell, Carr sat with his
| face turned toward the wall. Ministers
sat with him constantly, sometimes talk
/ ing 10 him, sometimes reading from the
! Bible, but most Of the time sitting in
| silence.
| In the intense stiffness, a knock sound
! ed at the door, In came the sheriff,
| holding a pink paper in his hand. He
J 49,, 1sra xNfG
other officers, some with black straps
: in their hands
| Carr never moved muscle. His head
was bowed down to his knees. The sher-
I iff opened the paper and began reading
| the death warrant in hasty, nervous
way. Carr did not hear; he had no ears
now, nor eyes. nor other senses. He
| had but one fixed idea, and that was
that he must die.
When he was asked to rise up, he did
so. He groped about like man in the
dark; he could not see things; he had al
ready lost his senses The officers caught
/ his hands and bound them together
with straps; then his arms were bound
I fast to his body and he was hurried
/ out. He staggered on the steps but the
officers supported him. When he was
| led UP the steps to the gallows he seemed
stronger. He stepped out quite firmly
over the trap door and stood on ii with
| his heels together and his body slightly
stopped. The strap around his knees
| and that around his ankles were quickly
adjusted. The moose was put down over
/ his head, the black hood was strapped
| on and the trap pulled. 1t seemed that
| it was all done in the time il takes to
draw breath.
The sheriff pulled the trigger at
| 1924 and two minutes later the life had
gone out OF the child murderer. The
| neck was broken, cracking like a whip
| cord.
Following the first momentary lull
after the drop had fallen, the mass or
500 spectators, as il moved by single
impulse, rushed forward. calling, cry
I ing. shriesing and laughing as they
surget under the gallows and packed
| close around the dangling corpse. IL
| would not be satisfied until close view
I OF the hanged man was revealed. The
! men were angry and cursed one an
other: tried 80 force themselves up the
! gallows steps and cried and hooted at
| the sheriff. Finally in their excitement
7 the crowd attempted to break down the
ba-rfcade surrounding the scaffold. Sner-
| if Hymer rushed through the first
breach and excitedly warned the crowd
against any further violence. The sler-
| ifs deputies ranged about him and the
| crowd halted for a moment. Then sud-
| denly with one accord a mighty scream
was sent up and, surging forward. the
| crowd swept back the guards and burst
their way through the frail stockade.
| Once in the street, the crowd gave vent
| 10 its feelings with further shouts but
| finally dispersed without trouble, and
what for a few minutes looked like a
small sized riot ended quietly.
William Carr's crime was one Of the
most brutal and unprovoked in the his
! tory Of the state His captdre and ex-
| ecution followed with fitting dispatch.
| On October 10, last, the body OF Belle
| Carr. a 3-year-old child by the murder
! ers first wife. was found on sandbar
/ in the Missouri river near Kansas City.
| The case remained a complete mystery
| till October %, when Carr was arrested
| at his home in Liberty. He al first de-
nied his guilt but when brought 20 Kan
sas City to prevent lynching. broke
| down and confessej. Later. Carr, who
! is gaunt bac1woodsTnan, 81 years old.
! fold. without the least show OF emotion,
| now he had carried the child from its
home. tied its arms and limbs securely.
/ corded a heavy stone 10 the little ones
| breast an5 then, not needing her query,
what are going to do. papa" threw
! her into the water. He admitted that
| Mrs. Carr had told him to get rid Of the
child. and il was developed that she had
| been brutal - Belle. but Carr maintain
ei s;outIy that his wife baG 10 hand in
| <he crime. For time Carr delighted in
his notoriety and talked giibly 20 his
visitors OF the crime. This was followed
| by a spell during which he begged TO
| be done away with. without delay At
his trial on November Is. Carr was CON-
vicse5 promptly and since then he weak
enei psrceptieiy. ami only week ago
Sunday ne tried TO commit suicide by
l swallowing pounded glass.
| HANGMAN BUSY ELSEWHERE
| Legal Executions OF Rspists and NlF-
| de;e-s in tie Soush-