The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-17
PEARL BRYAN'S MURCERERS
TO SWING FROM THE SAME GAL.
Lows ON THE 10Th OF MARCH,
Governor Is Opposed to Hanging
Days on the Ground of Expense.

the last For some time he has pretended
TO be Gen. A. f. w. Brandenburg. of the
United States army. This morning he
wrote the following message to his attor-
ney and asked to have it sent TO Governor
Charles p. Johnson" ST. Louis. Mo-: Il
am in predicanent. Intercede with Gov
ernor Stephens for me Immediately. i now
need your advise. L was insane but il did
no good. l have nothing but hope of for
giveness left" This was signed .Branden-
burg. The sheriff took the message but
did not forward it as requested. Duestrow
was not visited by any spiritual advisers,
he having announced that he would die
without such consolation. His wishes were
accordingly respected.
AT 1880 p. m. Sheriff Puchta entered the
Jail to read the death warrant. The crowd
all about was so dense that 1T was almost
impossible TO get near the place. A rope
fenced off a space about twenty feet wide
and fifty feet long. Here the deputies,
twenty-five in number. patrolled backward
and forward kee0ing back the crowd. 1t
was but few moments before the hour of
1 o'clock that the door of the Jail opened
and the prisoner, accompanied by the sher-
iff and his deputy, made their appearance
in the courtyard. The prisoner looked like
az
brilliant dark eyes that not even the con-
finement of nearly forty months could dim.
He was clad in a black suit, turned down
collar and light hat His head was erect.
The sheriff looked really the more per-
turbed. AS they came to the stockade door
the deputies swung 1t back and the little
party passed. Up the steps they went and
behind them came the newspaper men. The
ri ha fol
trow placed himself on the trap. The sher-
iff bound his hands behind him, his knees
and ankles together. One woman passed
a newspaper woman.
Have you anything to say?" she asked,
almost ready to faint herself.
Yes. let US have war" said the pinioned
man.
The grewsome work went on. The ropes
were all fast.
Arthur Duestrow," said the sheriff
'have you anything to say?''
Il am not Duestrow," was the quick re-
ioinder.
Have you anything to say?" repeated
the sheriff
Il say that have war said he. II
want to say that l am dying illegally /
am not the man who killed that woman; it
is all mistake. 1 wish that some of you
would give my kind regards to Governor C.
p. Johnson. Say goodbye to him for me.
Say goodbye also to the Countess Won
Brandenburg. L want to say, Furthermore,
while L cannot comprehend all this, there
must be something wrong. 1t is beyond
reason. L have tried to do my duty all my
life. have obeyed orders TO the best of
/ w ned tc
| be right.
| Here Deustrow hesitated moment and
| the sheriff made a move to pull the black
cap on his head. He nodded a little impa-
| tiently. let the faint trace of smile flash
| over his thin, wan face, and cried out once
more: Say farewell to Governor johnson.
The black cap was adJ Justed, he moose beng
| slipped around his neck by the sherif's own
| hands. Deputy kreckel took a hatch2t in
| his hand TO cut the rope that held the trig-
| ger. Goodbye Duestrow." said several
men on the scaffold. There was no re-
| sponse.
Ready" called the sheriff Kreckel raised
| the hatchet; down 1t came. flashing In the
| sun, crash went the trap and Duestrow
| plunged through. The rope frightened and
trow dying in twenty minutes from stran-
| gulation. After the body cut down ii
was placed in plain wooden box.
Before the hanging there was a sensa-
tional squabble to decide who should take
the remains of Deustrow. Undertaken
George j. Eberle, of the firEn of Ebere &
letter from Hulda DeuStrow to the sheriff.
She asked him to turn the body over to Mr..
Eberle. Dr. John H. Simon. one of the ex-
perts for the defense during the trials of
Deustrow, arrived this morning with a let
ter from Ex-Governor Johnson, the doomed
mans attorney. to the sheriff. instructing
him to turn the body over TO the physician.
Deustrow himself was appealed to to decide
the matter. but haughtily declined to have
anything to say. The efforts were made by
DR.. Simon To get the coroner 10 hold post
mortem examination of the body here for
the purpose of determining whether or not
Deustrow was insane but a telegram, re-
ceived from DIR. Schott of ST. Louis the
Deustrow family physician. instructing the
sheriff to send the body there, ended the
matter and that disposition OF the remains
was made. A post-mortem examination wi
be neld III st. Louis
Deustrow's case was one of the most re-
markable in the history of crime. He was
about thirty years of age and belonged TO
one of the oldest families IN Missouri. His
stocks, and young Deustrow inherited half
of this fortune. He had brilliant college
career. and soon after his fathers death
the ST. Louis Chronicle. Aoout the same
time he entered St. Louis Medical College
and graduated with honors. Deustrow APP
peared to have settled down TO a happy and
respectable life. but hardly year after a
baby boy came to his home the father be-
or Howard, notorious woman, and
then his downfall became very rap
id. A year after this Deus
trow committed the crime for which he was
found guilty and sentenced 10 be hanged
Ii was about O'Clock on the afternoon OF
Feb. 13 1894, that Deustrow entered his
splendid home at 172i South Compton ave-
nue. Mrs. Deustrow saw him coming and
thinking he might like to take her for a
sleigh ride, sent her maid to inquire. Deus
trow was under the influence OF liquor and
chased the maid TO his wifeS room. where
he struck her also. but was pushed so hard
in return that he staggered and fell. I'm
mediately he drew revolver and fired AT
his wife. the bullet taking effect in her side.
Almost Immediately the two-year-old boy
toddled up to his father and began To kiss
him. This aroused the parent 10 a frenzy.
and picking up the child Deustrow quickly
fired two shots into its body. and fiinging il
down beside the mother, fired another snot
into his wifes brain and fled from the
house. He to the nearest police station
where he gave himself up.
1T was an accident. accident, / tell
you,' he exclaimed. Il am murderer /
did not kill her" These words helped To
condemn him v hen he p-eaded insanity "a er
i'm defense of his crime.
During his life In prison Deustrow lived in
luxury. at one time having n negro mur-
derer as his valet. His fortune was spent
in his defense, large sums having been paid
10 experts who testified 10 his insanity. The
double murder was apparently without an