Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-13
A WYOMING EXECUTION.
Marksmen Concealed Ina Tent
shoot the Prisoner.
N ONo) correspondence OF SAT-
Ike Trlbune)

evanston tA vo) correspondence VI odil
r Ike Tribune)
IN a sage-dAyered fiat, whose stiffness
before had been broken only by the dole
full howl OF the coyote, Patrick Coughlin
expiated the crimes Of Palmer's cabin.
Twenty minutes after the execution the
ulain was again surrendered to the coyote
and the jack-rabbit.
Coughlin died as he promised-game.
with scarcely a tremor he viewed the
pregarations Of death, and without one
sigh Of regret he submitted TO the black
cap and the mortal destruction that fol-
lowed il fast. No man could have dis
played more unfinching courage. The
only indication of the feeling that rent
his breast came when DR.. Lee was PIN
ming over his heart the white paper target
for the concealed marksmen. Coughlin
appeared for a moment 10 eaten ms
breath; then again calmness possessed
him.
The scene Of the execution was about
twenty-five miles north OF the little cabin,
near Wasatch, where Dawes and Stagg
were killed. 1t was the first execution
i'm Rich countys history, and, though 1t
created 10 little excitement, not more
than two hundred people assembled to
see Coughlin's taking-off. Though com
paratiyely small I'm numbers, the crowd
was much I'm earnest. Many were armed
with Winchesters, in apprehension Of
some overt act that might follow the
numberless rumOrs ahoat. But none oc-
Cured happily.
The execution passed off without
hitch. 1t was exceedingly well-planned
and managed. No miscalculatlon was
made Coughlin is not believed to have
1909, l,oo,T ba ranort of the rifles. Death
was not instantaneous, though insensi-
bility seized him at the moment Deputy
Sheriff Calverly gave the word to fire.
Four minutes later he was pronounced
dead. Ii was part of Sheriff Dickson $
ARRANGEMENTS that he should arrive on
the place Of execution at 1910 O'Clock,
which. with an allowance Of ten minutes
for final preparations. would fix the event
itself for 1880 o'clock. At the time agreed
unon. almost TO a minute, the canvas
covered wagon Of the Sheriff, surrounded
by mounted guards, rounded corner
Of the hill, a short distance or. me
wagon was driven rapidly up IN 'front.'
of the chair. and its occupants dismount-
ed. very few minutes after the iatelul
word was given, the rifles rang out IN
volleylng chorus, and the last act OF the
Dawes-Stagg tragedy had been completed
by the expiation of the crimes.
Sage Hollow, the scene of the oxecu-
lion * a little depression In the mats
ABOUT three miles north of Woodruff. All
ohout is n cherries waste. with here anu
rbere a low hill that scarcely breaks the
r,onotony of the view. To the north Il
e0uple OF miles is a spur oil the NdSatch
Mountains, at the base OF when ilppie'
he Bear river In the middle OF the nor
row the chair of execution was pidSou'
facing the east The chair Was com
mon oak affair, with rounding arms US
.os we're fastened 10 stakes driven deeply
40 the ground. while its back was sup
,orted by two heavy planks. Thirty rect
ron, the chair was the rihemen's tent at
ne west side OF which were five aper-
.-res lust below the junction point OF
he roof and the side wall. Tie most
southerly of the apertures was ulree'iy
ornogite the chair, the remainder peing de
lightly varying angles 10 the hoTlh""iu "
r,,-o hours before the hour fixed for the
xecutlon by Sheriff Dickson the cary
,,.i,aIs nj Sage Hollow began. Those
irst upon the ground were deputy -oiie ~ "a
,alverlv OF Evanston, Wyo., and the nve
zen selected by him TO do the actual VIZ
innictine the death penalty. At S:51
o'clock they arrived. Before the eonilhS
the next quota, CalVerly men nlu
ractlced several times the duty they WI
- nerform From that time they re-
NAMED within the httle tent thnt 70
cen erected on Monday. VINO they "ei'
,on. knew. and none sought 10 learn
\fter the crowd had dispersed the quinte'
sharpshooters emerged from their 0'''''
yas tent, unknown and unseen