Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-29

this morning Smell repeatedly remarked that
he loved his family, and he spoke OF tndi-
vidual members at considerable length.
Babe Him Good-By.
Shortly before noon Warden Harris Wis
tied Smell to bid the prisoner farewell. In
reply to the warden's remark, Smell said:
Wont you be in again?''
Yes replied the warden, "Tll be back
again, by and by
Unlike Horton, the last man executed at
the District Jail, Smell made no attempt
to say good-by to his fellow prisoners and
the Jail officials.
One of the most interested men in the de-
tails of the execution was Frank w. Funk,
who occupied an adjoining cell to that of
Smell. Funk is very much Pleased because
he has secured respite, and is thoroughly
confident that he will not be hanged. After
the execution today he wanted particularly
to know if Smell had suffered.
Nelson Vale who is to be hanged next
Friday. and Charles L. Mcuin. who is a so
under sentence of death, kept very quiet
today Vale. it is reported. is prepared-in
fact, is anxious to die. Life. however, is
dear to Mcuin, who states that he is trou-
bled by visions at night.
An Orderly Execution.
Up to noon today the District Jail was as
quiet any institution in the District of
Columbia There was no hustle. no con-
fusion. absolutely nothing to indicate that
a human being was soon to be rushed into
eternity. Outside the brownstone structure
a crowd of curious people assembled: inside
the Jail officials attended To their custom
airy duties. and the few citizens admitted
sat quietly in out-of-the-Way corners.
Admission by card only. individuals
bearing invitations from the warden had
TO prove their identity in the most COM
plete manner ina ginahle The caller at
the door was required to present his card
and then asked for his name. The
list OF persons entitled to admission was
produced in each case, and if the card,
the name given and the name on the list
tailed To the satisfaction of the clerk the
warden was summoned and the facts eX-
planned to him. Not until the warden gave
the word was the visitor admitted.
All doors leading from the Jail office to
the rotunGa were barred and guarded I'M
ii Il few moments prior to the execution.
This was Il departure from the custom that
has preva led at former events of similar
character. All in all, the carrying out OF
the sentence of the law in the case of Ben
jamin II. Smell was as orderly as could have
been desired by the most eXacting.
The watch, of which Captain Ransdeli is
IN charge, was on duty last night, and
Guard A c. Armstrong occupied chair
outside the cell in which the big prisoner
was confined This was cell No. l. Smell
having been transferred there early last
evening from No. "A. the double cell he
occupied from the time of his arrest. The
death watch was set at O'Clock. and an
hour later the condemned man retired.
According to the guards he passed the
night as restfully and as well as he has
any since he was first taken to the jail.
He aWoke three times, but had little or
nothing to ray.
Awoke at @ O'Clock.
About 6 o'clock this morning Smell awoke.
When asked If he desired to dress he re-
piled in the negative. remarking that he
wanted to rest awhile longer. Smell dressed
without delay when he finally arose. and
partook hungriy of substantial breakfast.
One of the first remarks he made was:
rs Father Mcguire coming?'
The priest spent some time with him last
night, and was requested by Smell to call
this morning.
In conversation with Father Mcguire and
Guard Armstrong the man about to die
asked II he would be permitted to go to the
scanold alone. On being informed that it
would be necessary for the guards to walk
with him Smell took occasion to say:
That is unnecessary. for will show that
l won't give any trouble
Promptly at ii o'clock the wagon of I'm
dertaker William 8. Riley approached the
Jail. With him was Mr.. Daniels. father of
the young man who recently married SHELLS
daughter. Blanche. They brought with
them the casket in which to place the body
after life should be declared extinct 1t de-
veloped that the casket was only six feet
three inches in length, while the height Of
Smell is six feet six inches. discussion on
this subject ensued. The undertaken,
though. gave the assurance that the casket
would properly inclose the body and it was
taken to point near the scaffold, but not
in sight of 1t.
Smells Life In Jail.
While Smell gave the jail officials but
little trouble, his conduct at times
caused some anxiety. When he reached
the prison in August of last year. the day
after the commission of the horrible crime
for which he was executed today, he meas
ured six feet and six inches in height and
weighed more than 800 pounds. Previous to
reaching the jail he had attributed his crime
to liquor drinking. Then he had nothing
special to say. and it soon developed that
insanity was to be the plea entered in court.
Experts were appointed to make an ex-
animation as to his mental condition.
The man behind the bars started out by
an exhibition of violence added to Bolster
Gus conduct. Whatever the real condition
methods of the prison brought about a
change in his demeanor. FROM time to
time he was closely watched by the jai,
officials. and they observed that his queer
conduct was manifested only when some
body approached his cell. He was never a
laxative man, and while making prepara-
tons for his trial he seldom answered Dues
lions. and never addressed the guards.
When friends or relatives would call he
would sit and engage in earnest converse
ton with them. and at the same time pre-
tend he did not know the guards who were
with him almost daily. Then there came
time when he almost refused to eat. and the
impression was given that he wanted to
starve himself to death. This he did not
succeed in doing. for a raw onion and milk
diet had the effect OF giving him an appe-
lite for food that he could not resist. In
the meantime he had recovered from the
fully sixty pounds In weisht. He freduent-
ly referred to his logs Of flesh As II he Inn
agiped 1t had some bearing on his mental
condition.
Would Read the Papers.
From time to t,pe he read the news
papers, especially when. It 10 believed, he
thought no one could see him, and on sew