The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-20
~ TRAINING FOR THE GALLONS.
Caiisthenics Made a New Man OF Hummci. and
lie VIII Live u he Hanged.
From the PhH1iciphid Times

WUtIAMsPORT, May II All fears by tho an-
thoritie, that william Hunmel the murderer of
his wife and three helpless children would col
lapse before the time set for his execution il
passing away The murderer has been n con-
slant puzzle TO his keepers ever since his arrest
last fan Then he appeared to be without con-
cern ~ 20 his fate. which dpmeanur continued
until the termination Of his trial last March.
When Judge Metscer pronounced sentence of
death upon him he revealed. in a disconnected
speech that he made 10 the Court that he enter
tanned the belief that hc would not be- convicted
because no person had seen him commit Is
terrible quadruple crime, Then IT was thar tl"
Judge told him plainly that he should entertain
no hopes for clemenCy.
For some days he appeared detected. but he
unexpectedly braced Wy, and several weeks later
he created IA sensation by making "A iull comics
sion. To people who visited his cell h" expressed
the hope that he would, IN some manner escape
cxpiatton Of his crime. His SLOPES were shattered
about n month ago. however, when Gov.
stone fixed June 8 rs the day Of his execution.
From the moment that the dreadful tldlngs
were impaired, to him Hummel WEI k"ned
perceptlbly. The news fairly stunned him
and he began TO decline physically. His APP
petite deserted him and he grew thin.
Jail Physician Stokes watched him closely
and for several weeks feared that Hummol
would die and thus cheat the RallOws. The
physician consulted the Shern and 1t was
decided TO tempt his appetite in every way
possible. Inc wife OI me Slprn prepared
dainties and sent them To the cell of the
murderer-all for nothing. rs Hummel failed
10 relish his food He would turn with dis
gust from the most tempting morSpls To
strangers who succeeded in getting near 10
his cell Hummel asserted that sheriff Gamble
and his Snbordinatcs were trying to starVe him.
Finally the attaches determined to see what
exercise would do for iIummel Accordingly
he was daily taken from his cell and allowed
10 walk along the corridor, closely watched
by Deputy Sheriffs Smith and Miller. Hum
mel improved from the start and soon took
much interest in his prOmenades within the
ial. He was gradually given more liberty
and was encouraged in all sorts Of antics. The
deputy shrriNs reported the matter 10 those
higher in authority, They were allowed 10 20
further and a regular course in calis'henics
was mapped out and pursued.
Instead ~ the apparently weak man Of sew
eral weeks ago, Humrncl l. now somewha, ~
an athlete. he jumps over broOmSticks held
nv the deputy sherins at the hright Of the shnll-
der. He Frequently travcrsns the long corridor
walking upon his hands. with hi- foot in the mir.
and can turn n half dozen handSprings in SHE
cession. lie has also been allowed 10 atiompt
some " the featS Of u trapele performer Upon
the railing that sncirClns the corridor along
the second tier ~ cells. The exercise has been
good for Hummel. and recently Jail Physician
Stokes has remarked:
Well, Hummel Is all right nov. He has
improved 40 much physically Of late thar I
have ceased 10 fear that there is danger Of him
dying before the day Of the execution