Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-06-08
R. W. WIREBACK HANGED
The Execution Took Place in the Lam
caster Jail Yard This Morning.
A LARGE GATHERING WAS PRESENT
Contrary to Expectations, the
Murderer Was Calm.
BANKER D. B. .LANDlS WAS HIS VICTIM

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Associated Press Dispatches by Special Wires.
Lancaster, Pa, June Ralph w.
Wirehack, the murderer Of David B.
Landis, was hanged in the Jail yard
this morning, III the presence of sew
eral hundred persons The drop fell at
10. 10 o'clock, and life was pronounced
extinct 10 minutes later. He died from
strangulation. This was the first exc
cution in this county since 1858, when
two negroes were hanged for most
revolving murder, although there have
been number of convictions of muir
der in the first degree during that
period. Contrary to expectation, Wire
back made no demonstration. He
walked quietly to the scaffold, and died
without struggle.
HIS LAST NIGHT ON EARTH.
After eating supper, last evening,
Wireback spoke for some time to a
prison Waterman. He said: am
ready and prepared to meet my death,
| and am not afraid to 60. This is the
last supper shall have in this world.
What do you think of that for nerve
for q man who is to go to the gailows?"
| Later in the evening, he made state
ment in the presence of his counsel and
| spiritual adviser regarding his life and
| the murder. 1t was very lengthy, oc-
cupying four hours to make it, and is
said to have been rambling and inco-
herent. AT Ills o'clock he lay down
to sleep, requesting to be awakened at
IL. 30, when he prayed for 10 minutes.
At the conclusion of this, be said he
had made his peace with God, and was
prepared to die.
At AIS o'clock this morning, he
awoke, and, putting ON his prison garb
read the Bible until breakfast was
served, at $50. He ate heartily Of
beefsteak, bread, coffee and stewed
peaches. After breakfast, he donned q
new black suit, and had his hair and
beard trimmed, afterwards calling the
| prison officials, one by one, into his cell,
and giving them good by, and assur-
ing them he would be happy to meet
them in heaven.
Wireback's brother was with him
yesterday afternoon and last evening,
| but NO other members of his family
called upon him, to give him good
by. His wife is seriously i'll in ST.
Joseph's Hospital, aud all information
of the fact that her husband was to he
hanged today was kept from her. Last
Sunday. through the medium of his
spiritual adviser, he sent her bouquet.
THE MARCH TO THE tscAFFoLD.
At 8 O'Clock this morning, he was
removed from his cell, on the second
floor. to cell 20, on the lower floor.
from which platform had been erected
to the scaffold. Religious services
were held in the cell by the Rev. Clar-
ence e. Eberman, Wireback's brother
sitting just outside the cell door. AT
10. IL, the march to the scaffold was
begun, Mr.. Eberman walking on one
side of the condemned man and the
prisonkeeper on the other. He walked
steadily, with his eyes closed and his
head held high, and did not utter a
word after leaving the cell. The black
cap was quickly adjusted. and within
three minutes after the death march
from the cell began the body was
swinging in the air. The drop was
nearly six feet, and there was not even
an apparent witch of the body.
wIREBAoK's CRIME.
The crime for which Wireback was
hanged was the murder, on April It'll,
1898, OF David B. Landis, president Of
the Conestoga National Bank. Wire
back occupied house owned by Ian
dis, and which the latter sold. Wire
back refused to vacate the premises,
claiming that he had verbal agree.
ment with Landis which gave him the
option of retaining the house another
year. Dispossession proceedings were
instituted, and Judgment given against
Wireback He persisted in his refusal
to vacate; and when constable re.
paired to the house to eject him, be
found the house barrioaded from cellar
to garrett. After some difficulty, an
entrance was effected, and Wireback
was driven from room to room, unit
eventually he took refuge in the garrett,
which had been strongly barricaded,
and access to which was only by a mar
row stairway. He was armed with ar
old muzzle loading shotgun !. and from
an aperture in the barricade, he hac
complete control of the stairway. Dur.
ing one of the numerous parleys hello
with him, he asked for Mr.. Lands,
stating that he wanted to talk with
him, and intimated that he might bt
willing to make an adjustment. Mr..
Lands assembled the steps. when Wire
back asked what would be done for hi:
(Wireback'sl family il he should sur
render. Mr.. Landis made an equiyoca
anwser, and minute later Wirebacl
fired, blowing off the entire top of Mr.
Landis' head, and scattering his brains
over Constable Graeff, who was a few
feet in the rear Of Mr.. Lands. Al
hour later, WirebacK's lawyers per
suaded him to surrender HIMSELF.
In the trial that ensued, the defence
was insanity, and the prisoner in
dulged in the widest kind of talk dur
ing the trial, and at times became 81
violent that it was necessary to us,
force to subdue him. He proclaimed
that he was beyond human harm, ant
that he was amenable to God alone.