The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-02-18
ARTHUR DUESTRON HANGED
THE MILLIONAIRE MURDERER OF
WIFE AND CHILD ENPIATES
ON THE GALLOWS.
He THREW OFF TIE INSANITY MASK
And Sobbed Like Child When He Saw
the Grim Gallows-He Admitted
His Guilt-History of the
Crime.

MS wire ana cIllu III tHut city, was haiiSeu
here in the court yard of the county Jail
at 12:5J p IN. today.
A few hours before the execution took
place, Duestrow threw off the mask of
insanity. sobbed like woman and ad-
mitted that he killed his wife and child.
Not until this morning, when he arose
from a fretful nights sleep and saw for
the first time the galows on which he
was to die. did Arthur Duestrow. the
condemned st. Louis murderer, show any
signs of the realization of his fate. For
the first time since the crime was COM
| mitted three years ago, he shed tears.
Turning from the window from which
he had gotten a glimpse of the engineiof
death, he began to sob like child. He
put away all semblance of insanity, which
he had carried out for so long, and
groaned:
| II know have got to die. | killed my
wife and child, but it was not my fault.
1t was something within that made me
| do it. | was not myself"
These words were repeated over and
over again as he lay on the cot in his
cell. tears falling fast and sobs OCCASION
ally checking his utterance.
The condemned man had called himself
Gen. Brandenberg of the United States
army and assumed martial air. This
morning he wrote the following message
to his attorney and asked to have it sent:
Governor Charles p. Johnson. st.
.,.n nslt n.
tercede with Governor Stephens for me.
now need your advice. | was insane
but it did no good. ! have nothing but
'p@ "A. +. ". BRANDENBERG."
The sheriff took the message but did
not forward it.
At 1890 Sheriff Puchta entered the
cell to read the death warrant to Dues
strow. The crowd all about was Sc
dense that it was almost impossible to
get near the place. A rope fenced off a
space about two feet wide and fifty feet
long. Deputies, twenty-five in number
paraded backwards and forwards, keep,
ing off the crowd When the newspaper
men attempted to enter they were de-
MED admittaAce. The sheriff had prom
ised that they might be present at the
reading of the warrant, but he changed
his mind at the last moment. They were
even denied admission within the ropes
The sheriff was so excited that he did
not know what he was doing.
1t was but few minutes before
o'clock that the door of the Jail opened
and the prisoner accompanied by the
sheriff and his deputies, made their ap
pearance in the court yard. The prisoner
looked like a walking corpse, save in the
brightness of his eyes, that not even the
confinement for so long could dim. he
was clad in black shroud, turned-dowr
collar light Fedora hat. AS they came
to the stOckade door the deputies swung
it back and the little party passed in
Up the steps they went. and behint
them came the newspaper men. who were
at last accorded the privilege of seeinl
the execution. The work ON the scaffolt
was speedy. Duestrow placed himself OF
the trap Sheriff Puchta bound his arms
behind him, his knees and ankles to
gether. One woman passed him as III
stood there. suffering. She was news
paper woman.
.. .'Have you anything to say sh'
+ asked, almost ready to faint herself.
"Yes: let us have war; said the pin
ioned man.
: The grueSOme work went on. Int
ropes were all fast.
arthur Duestrow.' said the sheriff
''have you anything to say"'
II am not Duestrow,' was the Qulcl
: response. -. -.......
f "Have you anything to say" repeated
5 the sheriff.
Il say let us have war;" said he. I"
=. want to say that | am dying Illegally
am not the man who killed that woman
. 1t is all II mistake. | wish some OF yo'
would give my kind regards to Governo
IC. =. Johnson; say goodbye to him for me
= Say good bye also to the Countess Vol
| Rrnndpnberg | want to say furthe
that while | do not comprehend all this.
there must be something wrong. 1t /
beyond all reason | have tried to d
my duty all my life. | have obeyed oi
ders to the best of my ability and don
| what has seemed right
Here he hesitated momentariy and tn
sheriff made move to put the black ca
over his head. The doomed man move
little impatiently, let faint smile fias
over his thin, wan face and cried ou
once more: "Say farewell to Governo
Johnson"
The black cap was adjusted. Th
moose was slipped around his neck by tn
sheriff's own hands. Deputy kreki
took hatchet in his hand to cut the rop
that held the trigger,
n Goodbye. Duestrow." said several me
4 on the scaffold There was no respons'
O Ready cried the sheriff.
Krekel raised his hatchet. down
came. flashing in the sun: crash went tn
trap and Duestrow plunged through. Th
4 rope frightened and stretched. The e!
g ecution was perfect. Duestrow dying
q twenty minutes from strangulation.
Before the hanging there was a sens;
tional sQuabbe to decide who should tax
the remains of Duestrow Undertake
J.. Eberlee arrived here last night wit
Il letter from Hulda Duestrow to the she
" iff. She asked him to turn the body ov'
to Mr.. Eberlee.
DR.. W. II. Simon arrived today wit
letter from Ex-Governor Johnson, Il
doomed mans attorney, instructing IL
sheriff to turn the body over to the pm
: sican. The letter was settled by IL
'' receipt of a telegram from. DIR. Schott
st. Louis. the family physician, instruc