The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-29

building was the Mecca toward which the
morbidly inclined residents of Hender-
son turned their steps. Beginning early
in the morning, there was a constant
stream of visitors, who noted with eager
curiosity all the details of the prepara-
lions that had been made for the execu-
ton. They inspected the gallows, tested
the ropes, lifted on the weights, made
guesscs as to whether the condemned
mans neck would be broken whether
he would die by strangulation, and in
dulged in speculations that must have
sent them to their homes with cold shud-
ders creeping up and down their spinal
columns.
The yard of the jail in which the hang
ing took place stands at the foot or
hill several. hundred feet in height. To
make the SecluSion complete, the sheriff
had caused a wooden structure to be
built around the gallOws, which Were
erected about sixty feet from the Jail. A
covered walk had been provided, and to
screen the interior from prying eyes
tight board fence had been erected over
the entire edifice. Had it not been for
these precautions 1t would have been pos
sible for the whole village to nave as
sembled on the hill overlooking the yard
and to have taken in all of the CHASTITY
details.
The gallows on which the condemned
man expiated the penalty for his crime
had been loaned the sheriff by the officers
of Yellow Medicine county, and were the
same on which Joe OFT was hanged about
three years ago. The platform on which
the murderer stood was elevated about
feet above the ground, giving fall OF
nearly five feet The entire dimensions
of the structure were about S5X15 feet
the gallows proper being stationed at one
end The rope was one-half inch in d.
no aierH,t to- od tn.
tipped the scales at 100 pounds. The
building was Illuminated by fifteen cleo
trio lights which made the interior as
light as day.
WALLERT WAS UNCONCERNED.
During the time he has been confined
in the Jail awaiting his final doom the
condemned man has manifested but little
interest in the preparations that were
making for his execution. This morning
he awoke after a good nights sleep and
asked the sheriff if he might be permit
ted to inspect the gallows on which he
was to be executed, and his request was
complied with. He was accordingly taken
from his cell and permitted to gaze on the
engine of death. He inspected everything
with care and with a minute attention 20
detail, and expressed himself as salts
fed with the arrangements that had been
made.
When the crime was committed Wallert
was member of the Methodist church.
After his incarceration he became con-
verted to Catholicism and ever since the
death warrant was signed by the gov
ernor he has been visited by Father
Kertze, the priest of the church in Hen
derson. His brothers-in-law have visited
him several times and have offered him
such consolation as was in their power.
The crime for which Wallert was exc
cuted was one of the most brutal in
the history of the state. 1t was commit
ted On the morning of Aug. q last, and
consisted in, the murder of his wife and
four step-children in Green Isle township,
about three miles north Of Arlington.
The names of his victims were Mrs
Sophia Wallert, his wife; Justus Stein
| borne Helene Steinborne. Reinhold Stein
| borne and Annie Steinborne. Otis
| Steinborne, a ten-year- son, was Sc
| verely injured, but ultimately recovered.
| Wallert had been estTanged from mis-
family for number of years past, and
| had been employed by the neighbors do
] ing odd jobs about their farms since the
/ time he had left his home. On the even
| ing preceding the murder he was OBJ
served in the vicinity of the homestead,
1 and his movements were noted by neigh
| bors until a late hour at night. When
| he was satisfied that the members of the
family were asleep he set fire to the
/ balm, which he had built after his mar
| riage with Mrs. Wallert, and which he
! looked upon as his own property. Then
raising the sash of one of the windows
of the house, he crept stealthily in and
awaited developments His wife and step
| daughter, Helene Steinborne, were the
/ first to be awakened. From the windows
| of their sleeping rooms they saw the
4 flames bursting from the barn and with
4 the thought of saving their property, they
! hastily robed themselves and started to
arouse their neighborS. AS they descend
ed the stairs the husband and father
1 was encountered. He fired two shots at
| them as they came down, but both bull
lets flew wide of the mark. Then. draw
| ing a carving knife, with which he had
armed himself, he stabbed both his vic
! tins. infiictiEg wounds of so serious n
| nature that they died almost instantan-
| eously. The other children. who We're
| sleeping On the upper floor were aroused
| by the connection below, and fastened
/ down the stairs.
| KILLED ONE BY ONE
| At the foot they were met by the now
| Infatuated man and were dispatched one
! by one. The only member of the entire
| family who was left to tell the tale and
| reveal tie identity of the murderer was
4 Otis Steinborne. who. while seve, ely in
jured. was not mortally hurt. To the