, 1897-12-18
A F|END EXECUTED.
THE MISSOURI CHILD-MuRDERER
EXPIATES HIS CRIME ON
THE ~SCAFFOLD.
At the End He is as Weak as Il Child
and Goes Sobbing to the Scaffold-
A Sensational Scene After the
Hanging-A Hooting and Laughing
Crowd-Story of the Crime.

Kansas City, Dec. T.-William Carr,
the child murderer. was hanged at the
Clay county court house at Liberty AT
1924 this morning.
Carr passed a restless night. When
breakfast was brought to him. he turn
ed from it with disaS:st and lighting a
cigar, stood for a long time looking out
from his window. Presently the under,
taker arrived and asked Carr what dis
position he wanted made of his body.
Let my wife take care of it: oh, lie;
her take care of it," he exclaimed with
a sob. His spiritual adviser followed
and urged him to face his fate like a
man.
I'll try" Carr sobbed: that's the
best l can do" The bible was read to
the prisoner. followed by the singing of
a hymn, during which Carr sobbed and
trembled like a child.
Carr presented a pitiable sight as he
was finally led to the gallows, but brac.
ed himself systematically and went
through the ordeal with a comparative
show of strength. The sheriff pulled
the trigger at 1924. and two minutes
later the life had gone out of the child
murderer. The neck was broken. crack
ing like a whipcord.
Following the first momentary lull
after the drop had fallen, the mass of
800 spectators. as if moved by a single
impulse. rushed forward, calling, cry
ing, s%hrieking and laughing as they
surged under the gallows and packed
closer around the dangling corps. 1t
would not be satisfied until a close view
of the hanged man was revealed. The
men were angry and cursing one an
other tried to force themselves up the
gallows steps. and cried and hooted at
the sheriff.
Finally. in their excitement. the
crowd attempted to break down the
~barricade, surrounding the scaffolG.
Sheriff Hymer rushed through the frs,
breech and e%xcitedly warned the crowd
against any further violence. The sher-
IFS deputies ranged about him, and the
crowd halted for a moment.
Then, suddenly. with one accord. a
mighty scream was sent up. and surg
ing forward, the crowd swept back the
guards and burst their way through the
frail stockade. Once in the street, the
crowd gave vent to its feelings with
further shouts. but finally dispersed
without trouble, and what for a few
ended quietly.
William Cars crime was one of the
most brutal and u%nprovoked in the his
tory Of the state. His capture and exc
cution followed with fitting dispatch.
On October 10 last. the body of lelle
Carr, a 3-year-old child by the murder
er's first wife, was found on a sand-bar
in the Missouri river near Kansas City.
The case remained a complete mystery
until October %, when Carr was arrest
ed at his home in Liberty.
ne al lTSl ueHleu HIS Sulll. DuI Wnen
brought to Kansas City to prevent a
lynching broke down and confessed.
Later Carr, who is a gaunt back
woodsman. 81 years old, told, without
the least show of emotion, how he had
carried the child from its home, tied
its arms and limbs securely, corded a
heavy stone to the little ones breast.
and then, not needing her query, What
are you going to do. papa" threw her
into the water. He admitted that Mrs.
Carr had told him to get rid of the
child. and it developed hat she had
been brutal to Belle, but Carr maintain
ed stoutly thai his wife had no hand in
the crime.
For a time Carr delighted in his no.
toriety and talked glibly to his visitors
Of the crime. This was followed by a
spell during which he begged to be
done away with without delay. At his
trial on November Is. Carr was con-
| victed promptly and since then he has
weakened p~erceptibly. A week ago
| Sunday he tried to commit suicide by