The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-13
LAST WEEK FOR MOSHlk
MURDERER OF JOHN LENIKE WILL.
NEVER SEE ANOTHER SUNDAY
GnIIOvvs on Which He Is to EXpinte
His Crime Awaits Its Victim
Every PrecnutiOn Taken to Fre-
vent Blunder at the Execution
First Hanging In the New Jail.

Each tick of the watch. each chime
of the big court house bells, each half
hour, when John Moshik's guards re-
port bring nearer and nearer the hour
when the convicted murderer shall
swing from the gallows.
One week from now it will be over.
John Lemke's cruel murder shall have
been avenged. John Moshik'S body
will lie cold in death. as does that of
his victim.
The machine of death is completed in
the Minneapolis Jail. Under the beams
supporting the huge roof above that
part of the new court house known as
the Jail. it stands. CHASTITY and somber,
terrible structure, calculated to make
the timd shiver.
John Moshik will be the first muir
derer to hang in Hennepin county's
new court house.
Next Friday morning, the date
named for the execution, by Gov.
Clough. a somber and silent process
sion will wend its way from the in
sane ward of the Jail. Down the cor
ridor it will slowly move. Turning in
to the room of execution on the right,
it will proceed to the other end. There
stand the gallows. Up the stairs to the
platform they will go. After a few
formalities. the drop will swing and
John Moshik will be a corpse.
The condemned man seems not at all
unnerved by the terrible destiny which
is to overtake him this week. He is
taking life easy in his narrow cell up
in the Fifth street tower of the court
house. He eats but little. His appe-
tite is poor for he gets no exercise,
and Moshik's years of confinement
have not left him in the best health.
But he will not commit suicide by
starving. Moshik loves life too dearly
His so-called attempts at self destruc-
ton have been only bluffs" He
reads, talks and smokes cigarettes, but
the greater part Of the time he spends
in resting. It is the desire Of his
from excitement as possible for the re-
mainder of his days.
GalIows Completed.
The gallows stand completed, casting
a CHASTITY shadow into the room as
the sunlight penetrated through the
skylight in the roof near by The
engine of death is not different from
the regulation gallows. It's outlines
are the same. 1t will serve the pur-
pose. Constructed out Of pine lumber
it is put together in a substantial man
ner and will serve to hold the neces-
sary number of people on the small
platform, which is about 12x15 feet in
size. The drop on which the victim
stands is of iron. 1t is about three feet
square. The brake, which does the
work, is at the rear Of the platform.
AS it is pulled backwards. down goes
the drop without warning.
The room where stands the gallows
is just across the corridor from the
exit from the Jail Office on the fifth
floor. The room was formerly used as
store room. 1t is not very large, but
will be ample to allow the $50 or ITS
who are to be admitted to crowd in.
1t is entered by one small door. A
rope is to be stretched down the side
so as to admit Of the passage of the
party which takes it's stand on the
gallows. The room will not be bril-
liantly lighted. Two thirty-eight in
candescent electric lights will be plac-
ed on the beam Of the gallows. An
other will be on the wall behind the
machine Of death. A fourth will shine
out at the entrance to the ROOM and
two others will be in requisition I'M
der the platform.
1t is almost incredible what morbid
curiosity is displayed by the general
pubic to see the gallows and to wit
ness the hanging. Sheriff Philips, his
entire corps and every official of the
county is besieged by men, and also
by women, many of them young, hand
some and refined, for permission to
take look at the gallows or to see
Moshik swing off. However, the sher-
iff announced that all the space in the
room has been spoken for and posi-
lively no further invitations will be is
sued. The general public will not be
permitted ITO see the gallows under any
circumstances. Last Friday over 800
people visited the jail in hopes of be-
Ing able to catch a glimpse of some
object of interest in the case but they
were doomed to disappointment.
MOshiIS Quiet.
Moshik was visited yesterday by his
spiritual adviser, Rev. H. Jajeski. pas
tor of the Church Of the Holy Cross;
his sisters. Mrs. Herman WenzeI. of ST
Paul, and Mrs. Hattie Karen, of Mon
tana. The condemned man was quiet
and docile yesterday. He showed
more interest in what the man of the
church had to say than usual and
seemed to be beginning to realize his
position. The reverend father "scold-
ed John, as the latter's sisters said
for not taking more interest in relig-
1ouS matters in view of his near eXecu-
ton. At various times Moshik has ac-
cused his mother of having taught him
all his bad habits, but he has repent
ed somewhat Of this and seemed to feel
sorry for what he had said. The priest
will visit him frequently from now un-
til the last of earth.
The two sisters had over an hours
audience with their brother yesterday
afternoon. Mrs. Wenzel and Mrs. Kar-
rem stated that they will be over to
see John several times next week. They
will say farewell to him Thursday, as
they do not want to witness the execu-
tion. Both declared themselves OBJ
posed to having an autopsy performed
upon the body.
Asked if the relatives were to do
anything further for the prisoner, Mrs,
Karen said: mo, I think we have
done all we could. and now 1t Is too
late to have anything else done We
have given up all hope, and so has
John"
The execution will occur about 3
o'clock Friday morning. AS near as
| possible to that hour, even when the
clock is striking, the party will leave
| the cell and make their way to the
gallows.
| A number of sheriffs from all parts
of the state are expected to attend the
hanging. Probably the room of the
county commissioners may be turned
into waiting room for them. No one
will be allowed in the jail before mid
night.
Will Rest Until Monday.
The of the American Book company