The San Francisco call., 1898-01-08
FOR 4 CRIME
 SIMILAR TO
 DURRANT'S John O'Neill Pays the Penalty for
 Murder. He Dies on the Gallows Tremblingly Protest ing His Innocence. Weakens in the Closing Chapter and Freely Forgives
 His Enemies.
STORY OF HIS FOUL DEED.
Waylaid, Assaulted, Robbed and Killed Mrs. Hattie Evelyn McCIoud,
 Young Widow.
Special Dispatch to The Gail.


 BOSTON, Jan. 7.-With the same words trembling upon his dying lips John O'Neil Jr. paid the penalty of a similar crime at the same hour which saw the hanging of Durrant. O'Neil was hanged in the Franklin County Jail at Greenfield this forenoon for the murder of Mrs. Hattie Evelyn McClOud in Buchand, Mass, a year ago to- morrow. The drop fell at 10:41 o'clock and the execution was accomplished without accident or any unexpected in cident save possibly the pitiable con- dition of the condemned man, who seemed well nigh helpless and in need of much assistance from the officials who attended him. This was particu- larly noticeable as he ascended the stairs leading to the scaffold, when he weakened ViSibly and seemed to miss his footing on one of the steps, falling back to the next one. He quickly re- covered, however, and resumed his walk upstairs. As he reached the floor of the Scaffold and was assisted to the spot on the floor on which he was to stand and meet his death he again lost control of himself, and it seemed that all his strength had left him.
 One of the deputies was compelled to hold him up while preparations were being made for the execution, and his condition was such as to indicate that without the officers assistance he surely would have fallen. The straps were soon adjusted and Rev. Father Sherry recited prayers for the dying. Between O'Nen and the clergyman was small cross.
 A fTQr> 4GT17- wearing his high hat and carrying his mace of office, asked the prisoEer if he had any statement to make. O Neil re Tlied: T am innocent 1 forgive all who have injured me, and may God have mercy on my soul" The words were spoken in a low voice, and could not be heard distinctly by the specta tors in the rear of the room. Up to this time the man had refused to for give William O'ConneN. Additional straps were then placed about his arms near the shoulders, and also near his ankles, while Deputy Sheriff Fowler drew down over his head the black cap. The moose was adjusted, the spring was touched by Sheriff Richard son and the drop fell, just five minutes after the prisoner and his guardians had entered the room. As the body fell through the drop there was a gurgle and a slight moan, but that was all.
 
 tions. In nineteen minutes the soul of Murderer O'NeiI had gone to it's re- ward. George D. Crittenden, the father of the murdered woman, was in the rear of the guardroom and wit messed the execution.
 The following letter, penned by O'Neil this morning, was given to the press this afternoon as statement from him:
 GREENFIELD, Mass, 1898.
 To the Editor: l see by your paper that O'Connell has been sending pieces to you for publicatfon. I wish you to do me the same favor that you have him. In regard to the testimony of Davis, Cur that I said drank with O'Connen at 6:30 or at any other time that night. Now, what I should like to have O'Connell tell the public is who did he buy that. pint of whisky for at 4:30 that night, and whose money paid for it. am sure it could not have been O'Connell's, for he had no money If O'Connell will tell who paid for that pint and who drank it with him think the public would feel differently toward me. want to thank Sheriff Chen cry and MT. Richardson for their kind ness toward me, also all the officers con
 JOHN DWELL JR.
 The crime for which O'NeiI paid the penalty was the murder of Mrs. Hat tie Evelyn McCloud, young widow of Shelburne Falls, on the night of Jan uary 8, 1897. The murdered woman lived about one and one-half miles from the village, on what is known as the Crittenden road. She went to the will lage in the afternoon, leaving her Iit- tie daughter, g years of age, alone Af- ter making a few purchases she set out for home at about D. m.
 Within a quarter of a mile of her home she was attacked by O'Neil and dragged into the woods, down an en- bankment, assaulted and choked to death. Her purse was then rified of it's contents and the murderer hastened away to the village That night and the next day O'Neil was flush with money, and spent it with his chums for rum. Suspicion pointed strongly to O'Neil. because on the afternoon of the murder he was without money and that night, after the murder, he was flush. He was arrested three days after the murder. The inquest developed a good deal of circumstantial evidence against him, and he was indicted by the Grand Jury which reported on March 4.
 The defense at the trial was every way weak and almost from the start it was clear that the jury would con vict the defendant. The trial lasted nine days.
 O'Neil was 2S years of age He had been drinking hard for weeks before the crime. His family are respectable Irish people. hard working and honest.
 CROOKS OFF 70 ALASKA.