The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-09-24
JACK DAVIS MUST DIE.
Sentenced By Judge Stockslager to
Hang October 90th.

GAN&AA 40 49, - $500 49,
Sentenced By Judge stockslager to
Hang October 3sth.
Jack Davis, alias Diamondfield
Jack, convicted of the murder of
two sheepherders in Cassia county
over . year ago, was sentenced by
Judge Stockslager at Albion, Friday.
Sept. 10th, to hang October 18th.
The General News, published At
that place gives the following par
ticulars Of the grewsome ceremony !:
1.-THE judgment of this court is,
that you shall be taken to Jail and
there kept until on the day of the
18th of October, when you shall
by the sheriff be taken to some
point within the confines of this
county and there be hanged by the
neck until you are dead"
What awful words to fall from
human lips upon human ears.
And yet, but not with . full under
standing Of their meaning and the
terrible import they bore. Judge
Stockslager, full of sadness and in
voice trembling with emotion pro-
nounced them upon Jack Davis,
and in turn listened to the kindly
spoken words. "thank YOU" from
the lips Of the condemned man.
II was a terrible ceremony to wit
ness, but we believe Jack was the
coolest, most self-possessed Of any
person in the room, although the
seats were all occupied and the isle
was crowded in its stonding room.
The time for sentencing was set
for 1870 p. m. on Friday, but long
before the hour had arrived every
available inch of room in the capa-
cious court chamber was occupied,
and even the crowds craning their
necks stood upon the stairway and
in the entrance door. In anticipa-
ton OF the prisoner making some
remarks it seemed the entire town
turned out en- masse, even to the
normal school, and they were not
disappointed; Jack talked seven
hours and ten minutes, going over
the pages OF his life, turning them
one by one from the date of his
sixteenth year, and in his own way
reviewed at length the evidence upon
which he was convicted of the kill
ing of Wilson and Cummings, the
two sheep herders. Jack claims to
be innocent of the charge, and when
asked by the court if he had any
legal excuse why sentence should
not be pronounced, said, "Yes, your
honor, | have; | am not guilty OF
killing those men. | did not kill
them," and with those words COM
menced the long seven hours OF
pititul pleading for his own life.
But for all intents and purposes his
words were wasted, for what could
the court do but sentence him,
since the case had been appealed to
the supreme court and the sentenc-
ing magistrate was then acting
upon and under a mandatory order
from that tribunal. But Jack made
his talk, and we dare say that not
many, at least, just like it were
ever made before. And listening
to that speech one could not but
feel the awful sorrow of that poor
soul, and fancy, as if in dream, a
voice coming from afar befond the
grave, a whisper from the dead "Oh
save my soul, Oh! Father !" And
as those sentiments pervaded the
room the speaker talked away, and
though no fond mother was there
to kiss away the perspiration from
his forehead or soothe with fervent
hand his troubled brain, there we're
more than one woman in that room
that night who, from the very bot
tom of her heart prayed for some
deliverance for him. But the strong
hand of the law has been invoked
the stern decree has been said, and
barring the Intervention of the par
doning power of this state Jack
Davis will die on the 28th day Of
October, 1898.