The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-04-28
HEAD TORN FROM
BODY BY THE ROPE.
Black Jacks Blood Spurted
Over the Bystanders.
lElS HANGEDAT CLAYTON
ries let Her Co." and the Trap is
Sprung.
lE IS HANGEDAT Gil aYION
PREFERRED DEATH TO IMPRISONMENT
A Letter Mailed to President Mckinley Declar-
ing Innocent Three Men imprisoned for
Robbery at Stems Pass and Nam
ing the Guilty Parties,
ing the Guilty Parties,
(By the Associated Press.)


Clayton, N. NJ. April 2s- Thomas E
Ketchum, alias BLACK Jack" the notori-
Gus outlaw. who had terrorized the peo-
pie of the southwest for the past fifteen
years, was hanged here this afternoon
for train robbery. His head was severed
from the body by the rope, as if by a
guillotine. The headless trunk pitched
forward among the spectators and Hood
spattered upon those nearest the seat
fold.
The execution took place inside stock
ade, built for the occasion. One hundred
and fifty witnesses saw the execution.
When Ketchum mounted the scaffold at
Iii D. m. his face was pale, but he
showed no fear. priest stood at his
side as the rope was being adjusted. The
condemned man had consented to spirit
ual attendance at the last moment
Ketchum declined to make a speech. He
muttered Good bye then said, "Please
dig my grace very Deep and as the cap
was drawn over his face. he shouted:
Let her CO."
AT 1:21 p. m. the drop was sprung, the
body shot through the trap and the head
was torn from the trunk by the tremen-
dous jerk The head remained in the
sack and fell into the pit The BODY
dropped to the ground quvering and
bleeding. Some men groaned, others
turned away, unable to endure the sight.
For few seconds the body was allowed
TO lie half doubled on its right side, with
the blood pouring in a stream from the
severed arteries, as the heart kept up
it's mechanical beating
Ketchum talked for over an hour dur
ing the morning with visitors, cooler
than any who met him. He declared
death was, preferable to imprisonment.
Ketchum told of robberies in which he
was concerned, but declared that he had
never killed a man and had only shot
three He said he was not BLACK Jack
as that bandit is still at liberty.
Ketchum mailed a letter to President
Mckinley this morning, in which he says;
standing in the presence of death.
where no human aid can reach me, | de-
sire to communicate to you some facts
which may perhaps, be the means OF
liberating innocent men. There are now
three men in Santa Fe penitentiary serv-
ing sentences for the robbery of the Uni
ted States mail at STEMS Pass, Arizona
in 1897 viz: Leonard Albertson, Walter
Huffman and Bill Waterman, and they
are as innocent of the crime as an un-
born babe. The names of the men who
committed the crime are Dave Atkins
Ed Bullin, Will Carver, Sam Ketchum
Broncho Bill and myself. | have given
to my attorney in Clayton means by
which articles taken in said robbery may
be found where we hid them, and also the
names of witnesses who live in tha'
vicinity who will testify that myself an6
gang were in that neighborhood both I'M
mediately before and after the robbery
The fact that these men are innocent
and are suffering, impels me TO MAKE
this confession While you cannot hell
me. and while l realize that all efforts
to secure to me a communication OF my
sentence have signally failed wish u
do this much in The interest OF these in
nocent men, who so far as ! know, never
committed crime in their lives. make
this statement fully realizing that my END
is fast approaching and that ! must very
soon meet my Maker.
Ketchum has been the most notice
desperate or the SOUTHWEST III iiis..i1
wears. Although he was credited WITT
taking the lives of some Of his fellow
beings. his execution today was for ar
attempted train robbery in which no.
J, body was killed.
The crime was committed near Fol-
som, N. NJ, August 18th, 1899. Single
handed. Ketchum held up Colorado
Southern passenger train. He ordered
the engineer and fireman to uncouple
the engine and leave the train. The
conductor and mail agent opened fire
Ketchum received the contents of 2
double barrelled shotgun in his RICH.
arm. but quickly changing the rifle
to his left shoulder he succeeded in
wounding both conductor and mai
agent. He was captured the next day
tried and given the extreme penalty.
Owing to rumors of organized bands
making preparations to rescue their
conrade. extreme precautions We're
taken to hold the prisoner, who was
removed from Folsom Jail to Clayton
this week by special train, under ]
heavy guard of deputies.
BLACK Jack" is said to have been thu
leader of a band of outlaws who com
mitted many train robberies and other
raids in Texas, New Mexico and Ari-
IONA. This band has been scattered
since his arrest, seven or eight having
been killed.