The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-05-04

At a few minutes after 10 o'clock this
morning George X. Van Horn will be
executed on a scaffold in Corridor of
the county Jail for the killing OF Mrs.
Josephine Wescott
He maintains stoutly that he never
intended to kill her.
Had no idea at all of taking her
life" was the way Van Horn himself
phrased it last night when talking to
a Tribune man.
1t was 10 o'clock when the reporter
reached his cell, and Van Horn had
concluded long interview with his
spiritual adviser, the Rev r. r. Bull
gin. of Dunmore.
II made a little statement and gave
il to the preacher" the condemned man
said, "and after I'm dead he will give
it to the papers"
The statement will he to the effect
that Van Horn never contemplated
committing murder.
Have l any fear about tomorrow?
Not a bit. Why should |? It's got to
be done, and there's no use of feeling
bad about it. l heard them working
on the scaffold all afternoon and saw
them, too, and it didn't make me bit
nervous did 1t. AL" and he turned for
confirmation of his statement to Al.
Atkinson, a member of the death
watch, who was sitting in front of his
cell. Again addressing himself to At
kinson, he said:
Now, honest, AL. do you think I'm
any different than / have been any day
since YOU came here?" Atkinson said,
if anything, Van Horn was more cheer
full yesterday than he has been in
weeks. and this was the general opin-
| ion of the officials. Again addressing
himself to the reporter, Van Horn said:
WOULD REST WELL.
"Ive just smoked a good cigar and
in few minutes I'm going to bed and
| get a good nights rest. | want to tell
| you that they have treated me fine
| You couldn't find a man in the county
who would have been better to me
| than Sheriff Pryor and Warden Simp-
| son, and all the rest of them have done
| everything they could for me. too. I've
got no cause to complain about any
one around here.
when they were putting up the
scaffold today queer thing happened. -
| continued Van Horn, with a smile
John Orgille was helping them. and
| when ii was finished he stood there
| looking at 1t with a sledge in his hands
| Orgile thinks a lot about me, and he
seemed so sad looking that l thought
| I'd cheer him up a little. He looked
| over toward me and said he was very
| sorry for me, and / called back, laugh
ing, like That's all right, John, but
they can't have any fun with that
thing until they get me on it. can they? 4?
John dropped his sledGe and walked
away. He seemed all broke up"
Orgille is the North End constable
who is serving a term for stabbins
Robert Elliot. He is one of the run
ners" in the prison and therefore has
the liberty of the corridors. A strons
friendship sprung up between the tive
men. Orgile said it was too much fol
him when he heard Van Horn talk tha
way and he walked away to keep from
breaking down in the presence of Var
Horn.
After relating this incident about Or
gille. he fell to moralzing on the hard
ship it is to the old man to he locked
up in prison. He seemed to think Or
gille stood in much greater need q
sympathy than he did. Speaking of tn
farewell visit of his relatives, Van Hori
said:
| HARD ON HIS MOTHER.
1T was hard on mother and l fel
awful sorry for her I told her to bea
up and not to mind, that didn't
told my folks that they could com
around tomorrow to see me If the
wanted to, but probably it would b
better il they didn't. They took tina
view Of it, and so bid them good-b by
for good"
The principal event Of Van Horn
last day on earth was the farewell Wis
it to him of his mother, his sister Mrs
2 Fred Harper and his brother, Fran
= Van Horn. They spent two hours wit
= him and their parting was very affect
) ing especially that of mother and soI
I She is "A years of age, and has quit
l exhausted herself in the service of he
son. She cried bitterly as she kissc
5 him good-bye
Van Horn was depressed for a tim
l after his relatives left, but he 500
regained his usual cheerfulness an
when the Jail officials brought his sur
per to him a few minutes later tina
usual he said he was glad II had al
rived, for he was very hungry. TT
o way he disposed of the victuals prove
the truth of his statement. After ca
: ing a hearty supper he was given seN
eral bananas and ate them with
Z, relish.
n IT is doubtful if a man was ever e2
Z ecuted in this country who with ii
shadow of death creeping upon hi
more closely each hour maintaine
such a stolid and Indifferent demeano
: His manner would indicate that he hf
- not fully realized that death certainl
awaits him today, bu5 his speech give
lie to this idea. He says he Is prepare
TO meet his fate and does not propo
. TO do any worrying about it, Whe
the sheriff asks him TO walk to Il
scaftold this morning he will do so wit
firm, steady step.
Z SCAFFOLD ERECTED.
q The scaffold was erected yesterda
: afternoon and afterwards tested
7 make sure that everything was
e right. 1t worked perfectly. A broa
= flight of stairs leads from the scaffo