Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-05-11
GEORGE n. vAs HoRs HANGED.
Executed IN thu Lackawana County Jail
yst His FATE without a Tremor,


Scranton, Pa, May 4,George X.
Josephine Wescott, was hanged in one
Of the corridors of the LaclSawanna
county Jail, this morning, the drop
falling at 10. OBJ o'clock. The execu-
tion, under the charge of Sheriff Pryor,
was attended without any incident, Van
Horn meeting his fate calmly. He WAS
accompanied to the soaffold by his
spiritual adviser, the Rev. r. K Bulgin
Of the Dunmore Christian Church.
The condemned man had nothing to
say. He gave statement to his
spiritual adviser previously, in which
he said that he owed his terrible end
ing to a life of vice. One hundred
, persons witnessed the hanging. Van
| Horns neck was broken by the fall,
and he was declared dead after hanging
16 minutes. His body was taken in
charge by his brother, and will be
buried at Dunmore.
| The crime for which Van Horn suf.
fered death was the murder of Mrs.
Josephine Wescott, at her home, in
this city, on the evening of August
29th, 1896. The murdered woman,
living apart from her incorporate hus.
band, kept clearinghouse, and Var
Horn, for some timel previous, except
ing the four weeks Immediately preced
ing the crime, had boarded there. Or
July 21st previous, Mrs. Wescott causet
the arrest of Van Horn. for the larceny
of some jewelry and cash from one q
the rooms of the house. On the way tt
the alderman, he threatened he woulc
kill her. He repeated this threat tt
many persons. After he had been il
Jail week, Mrs. Wescott, through
his pleadings, rclented, aud had hin
released, but afterward repeatedly ro
fused him shelter in her house. Oh
the night of the murder, he secretet
himself in the cellar of the house, anc
when Mrs. Wescott came down to ee
some potatoes for the next morning
meal, Van Horn pounced upon her, an,
cut her throat. Then he fled, and Mrs
Wescott stumbled up the stairs, tn
blood streaming from the wound. Sh
said Van Horn had cut her throat. Sh
died the next morning.
Nothing was heard of Van Horn unit
July 7th, 1897, when he was capture
in lumber camp near Wadena, Iowa
He was brought back to Scranton, an
on September 10Th, 1897, was indicted
On application of his counsel the tra
, was postponed to the next term. o
. November 29th, 1897, he was put o
trial, pleaded not guilty, and, after
} weeks trial, lin which the defenc
; claimed accidental homicide and ir
sanity, he was found guilty, and ser
, fenced to be hanged A rule for ne
. trial was granted, but was discharge
! on March Goth, 1898, The case VIZ
: carried to the State Supreme Court, O
0 many assignments Of error, but I'll
a judgment Of the Lackawanna count
y courts was affirmed. The governor fixe
i December 2lst, 1898, for the execution
y but further delays arose. Then, a
attempted appeal was made before IL
S Supreme Court of the United State
4 but Justice Shiras refused the appea
i The case was then taken before IL
i Board of Pardons, on the grounds
o alleged insanity, and Or. Henry n
Wetherill of Philadelphia, an exper
d was sent by the board to examine Vi
y Horn. He reported him to be perfect
n sane, and on April 25tll last tho Boa
j. of Pardons refused to interfere. Tod;
!. having been fixed as the time for I'll
IS expiration Of the last respite. Van Ho
Is ended his life on the gallows, being q
If second murderer to thus suiIer.for
y offence in this county, in which the
J. is today a record of nearly 100 hon
10 cides