Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-02-19

Of despair. He begged the guards 70
save him from his fate and requested
that messages be sent to Gov. Stephens
interceding in his behalf.
The murderer partook of scanty
breakfast, and when it was finished
threw himself on his cot and gave way
to burst of tears. BE sobbed convul-
sively and cried out frequently: "Oh,
God! this is terrible!" He appealed 70
the deputy sheriffs to procure him q
bottle Of brandy, but the request was
not granted. It would have been hia
first drink since the day Of the tragedy
had 1t been given him.
On the Gallows.
Shortly before one o'clock Sheriff
Puchta notified Duestrow that his lest
hour had arrived and in few minutes
the guards announced that all was in
readiness for the execution. The shar.
if gave the order to proceed and the
march to the scaffold began, the sher-
iff leading the way, followed by Dues
trow, with a deputy sheriff on either
side. and large crowd Of newspaper
men and doctors. Duestrow was app
parently unconcerned, and when he
had mounted the scatfold he showed no
nervousness. After the ropes had been
placed about his legs, the sheriff asked
him If he had anything to say. He re-
piled: Nothing, but that big mis-
take is being made"
Then as the rope .was being adjusted
about his neck he asked: MAY I say
few words?"
The sheriff gave assent and Duestrow
spoke in almost whisper, us follows:
II wish to say that big mistake il
being made here. am Gen. Branden-
burg, Of the United States army. lam
not the man whom you accuse. am
not murderer of q woman und little
boy"
story Of the Crime.
TArthur Duestrow shot and killed his
wife and only child. a boy aged 10 months,
at four o'clock. on the afternoon OF Feb
ruary Is, 1894 For some time the mil
lionare medical student had lasped from
duty to his young wife and was spending
much time and money upon an inmate Of
a bawdy house. On the day Of the tragedy
he spent several hours at the house Of his
direct to his home. 1924 South Compton
avenue. He first knocked his wife down
and then went and got pistol. His wife
| accused him Of being drunk and begged
him not to shoot. but he fred two shots
into her body and then seized his little boy
who had witnessed the tragedy, held him
shrieking against the wall and fired q shot
| into his brain.
From the day Of the tragedy until the
drop fell q notable legal battle has been
| fought by Duestrows attorneys to save
their client from the gallows. BY the
| terms of his fathers will Duestrow re-
ceived life income Of $4,000 yearly.
Ex-Gov. Charles p. Johnson, the leading
criminal attorney of Missouri, was prin.
| cipal counsel for the defense. He called
to his aid corps Of lawyers, medical ex-
perts and specialists on mental diseases.
and set up plea OF insanity. There have
been five continuances, one mistrial. one
appeal and one change OF venue in the case.
The first hearing was mistrial, the Jury
disagreelng. Before Judge Hirzel, OF
Franklin county, Duestrow was convicted
on February 2, 1896. and sentenced to death.
| Every artifice known to legal warfare was
then resorted to. and the life Of the con-
demned prolonged another year. His In
come was exhausted every year, and Ia
now largely anticipated. The case at
tracted wide attention, and has estab-
lished many presidents by court rulings
upon insanity pleas in defense.