Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-03-01
WHEELING, W. VA, FRIDAY, MARCH l. 1901 PRICE e
LAST WORDS
HAVE NOTHING TO say.
MAN WHO DELIBERATELY MUIR
DERED AN OBLIGING FRIEND
PAYS THE PENALTY.
HE Co0LLY FACED HIS DOOM.
PLAYED CHECKERS, THRUMMED
HIS GUITAR AND SANG LAST
HOURS AWAY.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March with
no diminution of the wonderful nerve
that has been characteristic of the
man since the time of apprehension
for the premeditated murder of Chas.
Lane, last August, Rosslyn Terrell, at
1906 this morning walked calmly to
the electric chair of the Ohio peniten-
tiary and expiated his crime.
Up until 7:30 o'clock yesterday even
ing Terrell was in company with his
three brothers in his room at the pen
itentiary. At that time the brothers
were asked to retire and Rev. Fathers
O'Reilly and Kelly entered the room
and remained with the condemned
man until he was pronounced dead.
They administered the sacraments in
the early part of the evening and the
rites had scarcely been concluded
until Terrell proposed a game OF
checkers with one of the clergymen.
firing of this after a time he played
his guitar and san until he was
summoned to the death chamber. He
walked into the room as calm as If
he were merely a spectator. His face
did not change color and his steps
were strong and %resolute. He sat
down in the electric chair at 1906. He
was asked if he had any last message
and replied in a voice full of strength
and without tremor:
81 have nothing to say"
The officials made the last prepare
lions, the fatal current was turned on
and at 1870 70 he was declared dead.
REVIEW OF FERRELL'S CRIME.
Rosslyn Terrell, who tonight paid
the penalty for his crime in the cleo
trio chair of the Ohio p~enitentiary, shot
and killed Express Messenger Charles
Lane on the night of August 10, 1900.
He had been in the employ of the
Adams Express Company and had lost
his position. He had represented to
Miss Lillian Costlow, to whom he was
to have been married on the coming
Thursday night, that he had a consid-
cradle sum of money In the bank, and
that he still retained his situation with
the company. He was desperate. He
was without money and his wedding
day was approaching. He had a pecu-
liar pride which prevented his telling
the plain truth to the girl, and he de-
termined to have money by murder.
He boarded the express car of an east
bound Pennsylvania train on the night
mentioned, being permitted to ride by
his old friend Lane.
The two men talked pleasantly until
the train reached plain City, about nj
teen miles from this city, when Lane
was preparing to make his express de-
livery for that station, a small town
in Madison county. When the messen-
gers back was turned, Terrell shot,
the ball taking effect in Lanes back.
The killing was just before coming to
Union, Madison county. Terrell fired
again and again until the chambers
of his revolver were empty. Lane lay
on the car floor dead. Terrell took
gold, bank checks and bank notes
amounting to s2.400, from the safe and
when the train stopped at Plain City
he leaped off. The stop was but for a
moment, and the crime was not diseoy-
cred until the train had reached this
city and the car was opened. Terrell
stayed all night at a hotel in Plain
City. and the next day went TO Miss
Costlow. He was arrested at her
house the following Sunday. and his
trial and conviction followed. He ad-
mitted the crimes and it has been shown
that his reason for it was his infatu-
alton for the girl he was to marry. She
has repeatedly visited him since he
was condemned to die.