Arizona republican., 1898-06-04

legs, buttoning his coat and vest HIM
self in order to admit of a free adjust
ment OF the belts, maintaining a deS-
ultory conversation during the pro-
cess, and repeatedly urging the at
PENDANTS mot to get eXcited"-a warn
ing for which there was no occasion.
Before adjusting the cap Sheriff
Ruffner asked if he had anything to
say, and he replied briefly that "he
supposed the people would be salts
fed now that they had what they were
looking for; that he felt, however,
that he had not deserved the extreme
penalty of the law. He thanked the
sheriff, the jailor and his attendants
generally for their courteous treat
ment during his Incarceration, shak-
ing hands with all upon the platform
and making an especial wish to Ruff
ner, his relentless Nemesis. of "all the
good luck in the world" The subdued
tone of his remarks was evidently a
relief to the officials, as it was feared
that he might display at the last
something of the bitter animosity he
has felt and evidenced, and vent it in
vicious harangue. Whatever reason
for his mild behavior, it removed
what would have been a most objec-
tionable feature Of the execution.
AS Deputy Sheriff Dillon adjusted
the cap and placed the moose about his
neck, he asked who was doing it
Upon being told Dillon" he said, Let
George do it, which request was COM
piled with, and Ruffner attended to
another detail in the final disposition
of the criminal who has given him
more trouble than all the rest of his
charges together The sheriff adjusted
the moose with no uncertain hand,
provoking the half stifed exclama-
ton, sit is too tight" the last words
James Parker spoke, for with a quick
motion Ruffner stepped back, laid his
hand to the lever, and quicker than
the eye could follow the detail Parker
shot down through the trap.
For full half minute the body
hung. slowly turning this way ano
that, then conclusive twitchings OF
the limbs and labored heayings Of the
chest showed the effort Of the life
Shirt to resume its sway. Perceptibly
the efforts decreased, until the body
hung perfectly limp and motionless,
and at the expiration of eight minutes
Drs. Butcher and Wall pronounced life
extinct.
With little delay the body was cut
down, placed in the box near at hand,
and the dramatic career OF James
Parker was closed. Parker'S appear
ance and demeanOr in the execution
yard were on the whole disappointing
to those who had expected to see him
carry himself with the same defiance
that has characterized him since his
introduction to the public through his
bold attack on the A. & P. mail train.
There was a conspicuous absence OF
any manly appreciation OF his posi-
ton, and his apparent Indifference to
his surroundings impressed the OBJ
server as the result of dulled facul-
ties and imperfect comprehension His
last few words were entirely without
character, and his comments as the
details were carried out, were made in
a trivial way that failed to impress
the hearers with any great amount OF
sympathy.
There could be no regret in the
minds of any who looked on, at the
demands of justice being satisfied. The
disposition to sympathize over the I'M
toward fate Of man who had proven
himself brave, if reckless character,
was considerably dissipated by his
characteristic behavior at the last.
Sheriff Ruffner and his deputies are
to be congratulated upon the efficient
way in which they carried out the de-
tails OF their disagreeable duty. Once
started. there were no delays and 1t
was carried through without halt
and with all the speed commensurate
with complete and satisfactory re-
suits.