Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-02-17

| Jn9 Sn6rlu-FtGIQS6Q 10 zoe Il
Spiritual Advisor-Brief Descrip-
tion of the Crime for Which He
was Hanged.
Union, Mo-. February 16.-Not until
this morning, when he arose after a
fitful nights rest and saw for the first
time the gallows upon which he was to
/ die, did Dr.. Arthur Duestrow, the con-
demned St. Louis murderer, show any
signs of the realization Of his fate For
the first time since the crime was com
mitted, three years ago, he shed tears.
Turning from the window from which
he had gotten a glimpse of the engine
of death. he began to sob like a child.
/ He put away all semblance of insanity
which he had carried out for so long
and groancd: Il know I've got to die;
| | killed nv wife and child. but 1t was
| not my fault. 1t was something with
in me that made me do it. l was not
myself"
These words were repeated over and
/ over again as he lay on the cot in his
cell. tears flowing fast and sobs occa-
| sionally checked his utterances.
/ The condemned man had called him
/ self General Brandenburg, OF the |. >.
+ army. and assumed martial air This
morning he wrote the following mes
/ sage to his attorney and asked to have
/ il sent:
Governor Charles P. Johnson, ST.
Louis, Mo-:
Il am in a predicament. lntercede
with Gov. Stephens for me immediate
/ ly. I now need your advice. / was
/ insane. but it did no good. / have
nothing but hope of forgiveness left.
/ 1t was a short time. however. before
/ the condemned man regained his com
posure. He talked with all his visit
I ors and even smiled. This was prob
/ ablv the result of the Sheriff order re-
/ scinding one yesterday that the prls-
+ oner should not be allowed to have any
/ whisky. At 10 o'clock he decided that
| small doses should be given DuestroW
/ from time to time TO Keep his courage
m and Duestrow was much gratited.
! Duestrow was not visited by any Spir-
| itual advisors, he having announced
| that he would die without such consoia-
ton. His wishes were accordingly re-
| spected.
/ At 1890 Sheriff Puchta entered the
iail to read the death warrant to Dues
trow. The crowd all about was so
dense that it was almost impossible to
/ get near the place. A rope fenced oil
| n space about 20 feet wide and 90 feet
long. Here the deputies - in number.
patrolled backward and forward, keep
| ing back the crowd. When the news
! Daper men attempted TO enter the jan
! they were denied admittance. Inc
| sheriff had promised that they might
| he present at the reading of the war
rant. but he changed his mind at the
/ last moment.
They were even denied admission
within the ropes. The Sheriff was 50
| excited that he did not know what he
| was doing.
! II was but 4 few moments before the
r,ur Of one O'Clock that the door Of the
faf opened and the prisoner accompanied
by the sheriff and his deputies made
| their appearance I'm the court yards
The prisoner looked like 70 walking corpse,
/ save for the light i'm the brilliant dark
/ eyes that not even the confinement Of
nearly forty months could dim. He was
clad i'm a black suit turn-down collar ana
| light fedora hat His head was erect
| The sheriff looked really more perturoed
As they came to the stockade door the
| deputies swung it back and the little party
uassed i'm. I-p the steps they went, and
| behind them came the newspaper men,
/ at last accorded the privilege Of seeing