Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-09-21

to several whom he recognized in clear
tones. He paused for moment be-
tween salutations he exchanged, cleared
his throat and began to speak. 81 see
down there q great many people" he
said "who are anxious to see me hung.
see great many young men down
there, and to them want to say that
liquor did this Here he stopped,
and his opening statement led the
witnesses to think that he would fol-
low this with a complete confession.
But he changed the tenor of his re-
marks and broke into violent TRADE
against his attorney. He talked in
this strain for several minutes and
then declared that he was innocent of
the crime for which he was about to
suffer punishment. He paused, and the
moose was adjusted about his neck and
the black cap pulled down, over his
face. After the cap had been drawn
down completely over his features he
shouted through its folds in loud tone
of voice II am an innocent man." The
lever was sprung and the condemned
man shot down through the trap. The
body swayed slightly and turned as
the rope was frightened The trap
was swung at STA, and at S:23 the last
sign of life had vanished. The body
was cut down and placed in a coffin
which was there to receive it, and was
taken Immediately to the home of his
relatives, whence it will be inferred.
When the body was taken down Il
sealed envelope containing a number
OF letters in his handwriting were
taken from his person. The only let
ter of public interest was brief note
addressed to Mr.. Patterson, signed Ira
0. jenkins, which read: please clear
the old man for take all the guilt on
myself" Another note was addressed
to States Attorney Allen, stating the
fact that he had left letter which
would clear the old man.
The funeral of Jenkins will take
place from the home Of his relatives
tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. The
remains have been taken there, and
there was little distortion or disfgure-
ment of the features discovered when
the cap was removed. There is gooc
deal of sympathy for the young wife
and the mother-in-law of Jenkins, who
have been persistent in their efforts to
save him from the gallows. 1t is to
be regretted that the sins of the young
man should find such an end as will
cloud the lives of the women who
have been left behind. Aside from
his wife, Jenkins leaves an infant
child.
With the confession of Jenkins that
his father was not guilty of .De crime,
the case against the father, James M.
Jenkins, will be dismissed. States
Attorney Allen will file the written
statement of the executed man exon
Grating his father, with his reasons for
the dismissal of the case, and the old
man will probably be released in day
or two.
The preparations for the execution
were all made by Sheriff Bogue, ana
the matter has been a considerable
strain upon him. That the mandate
of the law was so we'll and fittingly car
ried out, without hitch or incident, is
due to his care and watchfulness, and
he Is to be given credit lor the same
faithful execution of the duties Of his
Office in this case that has characterized
him in all cases that have come before
him for action.
THE CRIME.
The crime for which jenkins was
convicted and executed is SO recent as
to be familiar to all residents of the
county. Last spring Ira Jenkins
brought word that dead man had b zen
found in the coal mine at their place.
The authorities went out and discov-
cred the dead man to be Gust Stark,
who had been working for the Jenkins
family. When Jenkins and his father
were questioned they told such contra
dictory stories about the discovery Of
the body that they were suspected. The
two men were placed in confinement
and before the coroner's jury told the
same contradictory stories. States
Attorney Allen subjected them to
rigid cross-examination and filed in
formations against them for murder,
upon the verdict Of the coroner's jury.
Mr.. Allen has been convinced from
the first that Ira Jenkins was the man
who killed Stark and he prosecuted the
case with that view, weaving such
chain of evidence against him that he
was convicted and sentenced to death.
Prior to the trial, the father confessed
that his son had killed Stark and that
tho fun hoH oo,saoxl -