The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-27

George X. Van Horn will die one
week from this morning on a scaffold
in corridor No. of the county Jail
for the killing of Mrs. Josephine West
cott. and he will die game.
The shadow of his doom is now upon
him, but has no perceptible effect
That he realizes the awfulness of his
position is apparent from his calm, SER
ious manner, but there is no evidence
that his wonderful nerve is weakening
There is nothing flippant in his talk
or manner. He gives those who are
privileged to converse with him the
impression that he has clearly made
up his mind he must die and will
walk on the scaffold to meet it with
out any visible evidence of fear.
Van Horn on Wednesday afternoon
first learned from his sister, Mrs. Fred
Harper, of DunmOre, that the board
of pardons had refused to interfere in
the case. She received a telegram
from Harrisburg and Immediately con-
Neyed the information to him.
Apparently he was in no wise dis
turbed by the dire news. He went to
bed Wednesday night at Q O'Clock and
slept soundly until yesterday morn
ing.
During the day he was visited by
his aged mother, who had long talk
with him. 1t was the first time he
showed any signs of emotion. Mrs.
Van Horn until now has never wholly
lost faith in her sons case. Since he
was brought back from Wadena, Ia,
on July Q, 1897, she has been his de-
voted friend and has done everything
IN, h,, l.. A.
Jail the greatest sympathy is felt for
her by the officials.
VISIT OF CLERGYMAN.
After Mrs. Van Horn visited her son
the Rev. X. r. Bulgin. of the Christian
church of Dunmore. was with him for
long ume. The clergyman succeed
ed in turning the condemned man S
attention to a consideration of the
| hereafter He has had several inter-
views with him of late and will con-
| tinue to visit him daily.
A Tribune man had talk with Van
Horn after the Rev. Mr.. Bulgin left his
| cell yesterday.
"Tve just had a long talk with a
! clergyman" said Van Horn, with a
| smile as the reporter was introduced,
| land my mind is in somewhat of a
Whirl. | was never very much of a
| church member. especially after / grew
up, but this clergyman who was to see
me has set me to thinking" Taking
| a Bible in his hand, Van Horn con-
| tnued:
"He marked some things in here that
| he wanted me to read and think about,
| and I'm going to do it,
| Have you any statement with ref
| erence to your case you would like to
give TO the public?" asked the reporter,
."I don't feel just in the mood to talk
| about the case now" replied the con-
| demned man, land, anyway, / don't
| believe it would do any good. The
| board of pardons has decided against
me, and | suppose that most of the peo-
pie have made up their minds as to
what they think about the case"
He said this in as Indifferent a man
ner as if it was a matter of no i'm
| portance whatever to him that he was
! discussing. He was indirectly asked il
! he feared to meet the death that has
| been allotted to him. There was not
| the suspicion Of movement of any OF
the muscles Of his face as he answered
| that he does not fear death, but dis
! likes the manner in which it comes tC
him.
GUr TO COME.
| IT'S got to come. you know" he said
| My health is excellent and has beer
| ever since / have been in here, and my
| nerves have always been the best
| They are yet" he added as he held out
his arm to show there was not sus-
picion Of a nervous tremOr. Reverting
| to his case, he said
| Il have had the services of good at
torneys and they have done the best
| they could for me, but somehow things
| have gone against me from the be-
| ginning of this case, and I suppose
must be contented didn't expect
much from the board Of pardons and
I'm not much disappointed at their re-
| fusal. | don't see that anything further
can be done for me-" and Van Horn
| laid down the pipe on which he haC
been placidly putting and drawing some
tobacco from his trousers pocket, he.
gan industriously to chew a portion
| of it,
The officials at the Jail who have
watched Van Horn closely for months
are much impressed by his wonderful
GOODNESS and nerve. They have no an.
ticipation of any dsagreeable scenes or
| the sCaffOld.
Sheriff Pryor yesterday began hi,
| preparations for the execution. A few
| days ago Van Horn was moved from
the upper to the lower tier of cells in
corridor six, He now occupies cell
number eleven, near the western end
This is the corridor in which MerolC