Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-02-17


dow from which he had gotten a glimpse
of the engine of death, he began to sob
like a child. He put away all sem5lance
of insanity, which he had carried out for
so long, and groaned. Il know I've got to
die" he said. II killed my wife and child,
but it was not my fault; it was something
within me that made me do it. 1 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 occasionally check
ing his utterances.
Nerved With whisky.
1t was but a short time, however before
the condemned man gained his composure
He talked with all his visitors, and even
smiled. This was probably the result of
the sheriff's order resembling one made yes
terday that the prisoner should not be al
lowed 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 up, and Duestrow was much graf
Ified.
Duestrow has not been visited by any
spiritual advisers, he having announced that
he would die without sucn consolation. His
wishes were accordingly respected.
At 1870 Sheriff PuchIa entered the Jail to
read the death warrant to Duestrow. The
crowd all about was so dense that it was
place. A rope fenced of space
about twenty feet wide and ;ifty
feet long. Here the deputies, twenty-five
in number, patroiled back and for
ward, keeping back the crowd. When the
newspaper men attempted to enter the jail
they were denied admittance. They were
even denied admission within the ropes
The sheriff was so excited that he did not
know what he was doing.
II was but few moments before the
hour of l o'clock that the door of the
Jail opened and the prisoner. accompanied
by the sheriff and his deputies, made their
appearance in the court yard. The pris-
oner looked like walking corpse, save for
the light in the brilliant dark eyes that
not even the confinement of nearly forty
months could dim. He was clad in a
black suit. rundown collar and light Fe-
dora hat. His head was erect. The sher-
III looked really the more perturbed.
On the Scanoid.
Sra pisa hss he oG the arap psSa sSaT.
iff Huchta bound his arms behind him, his
kpees and ankles together. One woman
passed him as he stood there SUFFERING
She was newspaper woman.
Have you anything to say?" she asked,
almost ready TO faint herself.
Yes; let us have war;" said the pinioned
man.
The gruesome 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-
jcinder, lowly spoken.
Have you anything to say?" repeated
the sheriff.
II say that we have war" said the man.
Il want to say that / am dying illegally.
am not the man who killed that woman.
1t is all a mistake.
Il wish that some of you would give
my kind regards to Governor c. P. john
son. Say good-by to him for me. Say
good-by also to the Countess Won Bran
denburg.
II want to say furthermore while can
not comprehend all this there must be
something wrong. 1t is beyond reason. 1
n II
have obeyed orders to the best of my abil-
ity and done what seemed to me to be
right" ta:" ;. ,a.,,,,,ss !. ,,o,,,.,, .,a a.,
sheriff made move to put the black cap
on his head. He nodded little impatient
~. let the faint trace of a smile flash over
his thin, wan face and cried out once
more: Say farewell to Governor John
son.
The black cap was adjusted-the moose
slipped around his neck by the sheriff s
own hands. Deputy Kreckel took hatchet
in his hand to cut the rope that held the
trigger.
on the scaffold.
There was no response.
Died of straneulatfon.
.Ready," called the sheriff. Kreckel
raised his hatchet, down it came flashing
in the sun; crash went the trap and Dues
trow plunged through The rope tight-
perfect, Duestrow dying in twenty min
utes from stranguIation.
After the body was cut down It was Z
Puchta announced that he would turn it
over to Hulda Duestrow. the dead mans
sister and only surviving relative, who
will bury the remains i'll st. Louis beside
those of her father.
Before the hanging there was sensa-
tional squabble to decide who should take
the remains of Duestrow. Undertaken
George j. Eberle arrived in Union last
night with letter from Hulda Duestrow
to the sheriff. She asked him to turn
Dr. John H. Simon, one of the experts
for the defense during the trial of Dues
trow, arrived this morning with letter
attorney to the sheriff. instructing him to
turn the body over to the physician. Dues
trow himself was appealed to to decide
the matter, but haughtily declined to have
Efforts were made by DR.. Simon 10 get
the coroner to hold a post mortem examin-
determining whether or not Duestrow was
insane but a telegram received from DR..
Schott, of st. Louis. the Duestrow family
physician. instructing the sheriff to SEND
the body there, ended the matter. and that
disposition of the remains was made. A
most mortem examination will be held in
st. Louis.
DIR. Duestrow's Crime.
ST. Louis, Mo-. Feb. 16.cThe case of DIR.
Arthur Duestrow. the millionaire of this
city. who on February IL. 1894, shot and
killed his wife and s.year.old son. Louis,
was one of the most remarkable ever
passed upon by the courts pr,s,. Of this state.
make people believe he was insane and
his attorneys; ex-governor Charles p
johnson and Charles T. holland. did every
thing in their power to carry out that
idea. A legal inquiry made as to Dues
trow's mental responsibility resulted in
his being declared perfectly sane by a
jury, before whom many experts We're ex-
auined. When the trial en- the charge of
murder came UP, a change of venue was
taken to Union, Franklin county, where
the case was heard before Judge HirZel.
1t resulted in disagreement.
Duestrow was given second trial and
was convicted and sentenced to hang Sew
eral appeals were made to the state su-
preme court to grant a new trial. and when
these failed Governor Stephens was asked
to give the prisoner a respite until the
case could be carried to the United States
supreme court. but he refused to do so.
DR.. Duestrow was rich man. Although
graduate of medicine, DIR. Duestrow never
made pretense of practicing. his time be-
ing spent in riotous living. His home at