The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-02-11
DIED ON THE GALLOWS.
Gus Wachline Expiated His Crime in
HilIsborO.

Gus wachline Expiated His Crime in
| Hillsboro.
| Hillsboro, Or, Feb. 7.-Gus Wach.
line, the condemned murderer OF John
D. Ledrick, expiated his crime on the
gallows at 1910 o'clock this afternoon.
The hanging of Wachline was made
good deal of a holiday affair in Hills.
boro. Not only were the residents ol
the town alive to the occasion, but there
were many people in from the country,
particularly from Iowa Hill, where the
murdered man lived. In addition there
was a trio of negro singers from Port.
land, peripatetic fiddler patrolling
the saloons in an effort to pick up few
dollars, and photographic outfit on
the streets, with all the latest songs
at a dime per tune. The hanging
brought business to town, and in emu.
lation of city dailies the Independent
and Argus, weekly papers, issued lex
tras'' shortly after the execution.
| Wachline passed his last night on
earth much the same as he had since
he was sentenced to death. He spent
most of the time talking to the death
watch, and went to sleep about $3.50
o'clock this morning. He was up be.
fore but refused any breakfast.
Three hours before the execution took
place, the Office of Sheriff Bradford was
beseiged with a crowd of men, all anx.
ious to be close at hand when the
prisoner was brought from his cell to
| the scaffold. So great was the crush
that at times it was difficult to move
about.
1t was nearly 10 O'Clock when Cap.
tain A. NJ. Collins appeared with the
rope, and, walking out of the west win
dow on to the scaffold, he adjusted it to
the crossbeam. In this he was assisted
by Sheriff Bradford, Sheriff Ply, Of
Union county, and ex-Sheriff Ford, OF
Washington county. After the moose
was adjusted, the rope tested with a
weight of sand and the trap found to
work without hitch, the more active
preparations to enforce the death SEN
tence we've begun.
1t was 11:l5 A. M. when Sheriff
the corridor of the Jail through the
door leading from the sheriff's office.
Ordering the door of the cell opened,
Sheriff Bradford said:
"Wachline, come out"
The condemned man shuff1ed out
from the cell, coatless, both hands IN
his trousers pockets, with an ugly, surly
look upon his face. The sheriff told
him he was about to read the death
I>,,k l.,
mark. During the reading Wachline
seemed to riYet his eyes on the floor,
and when the ceremony was over walk
ed back into his cell, sat down on a
chair, rested his head in his right hand
and seemed absorbed in thought. He
was then asked by one of his spiritual
advisers if he intended to make any
statement on the scaffold. Wachline
signifed his intention of doing so, and
it was thought ne would at the last
moment make full confession.
Wachline was brought from his cell
to the scaffold through the sheriff s
office at 1908 P. M, accompanied by
Sheriff Bradford and Deputies G. E.
Dechman and J. H. Westcott. He
was placed on the trap, facing north,
and asked by the sheriff if he had any
thing to say.
The prisoner said "yes," and then,
in an almost inaudible tone, continued:
"All that want to say is that the
statement l have made is true. am
an innocent man. Let Jesus take me
as 1 am
This was a disappointment to the
crowd, which had expected a confess
sion. 1t was all he would say, and his
legs, arms and hands were quickly
pinioned, the black cap put over his
head, and the moose adjusted about his
neck. At a signal from Sheriff Brad
ford, the trap was sprung at 1910 P.
M, and Wachline was hurled into
eternity.
Life was pronounced extinct in IA
minutes, and one minute later the body
was cut down and placed in the wait
ing coffin. The body was afterward
removed to the undertaking establish
ment of g. w. Patterson, where it was
viewed by many men and women dur
ing the day.
Wachline was hanged for the murder
of John D. Ledrick, an aged German
farmer, who lived three miles south of
Cornelius.
n