The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-24
UMILIAN IS
ELECTR0CUTED
Murderer Bstrays Not the
Slightest Sign Of Fear.
WALKS FIRMLY T0DEATH CHAIR
While He Was on Trial He Declared He
Would Prefer Death 10 Imprisonment
for Life.
WALKS FIRMLY T0DEATH CHAIR

Boston, Dec. 2I-Without fear France
eek Umilsn walked from his cell TO tho
electric chair az 1870 this morning and
| died without a murmur. A wonderful
prisoner, he showed that he believed
death preferable 10 Imprisonment.
When he was on trial for murder he
| was asked II he would not make a con-
| fession and thereby escape death. and In
1 its place take life's sentence. At that
| time he said, no. he would rather die
! than drag out his life behind the bars
| lie showed that he had the moral cour-
age of his convictions, for he made no fall
terins step and left no message 70 tho
| world.
The electrocution was successful, even
! more SO, IL It were possible, than that
| OF last week. The death warrant was
read 10 him during the day, but TO Il he
made no reply.
He was I'm readiness soon after mid
! night, after Father Anderson, the prison
chaplain. had spent few minutes with
him I'm prayer. The witnesses OF the
electrocution left the prison at L. o'clock.
| going To the death chamber by the out
| side passage.
A few minutes later Father Anderson
| sent NnfQ ln1l the DtlSOlltT WAS IN ledul-
ness and the door leading from the COR
! ridor into the chamber was opened. The
| officers went after the prisoner and he
rose from his couch and prepared TO SO
| with them.
WALKS TO THE CHAIR.
With the crucifix I'm his left hand and
following after Father Anderson he walk
| ed down the corridor and into the cham
ber, gave "A glance around the room and
| with marvellous calmness seated himself
! In the chair. He was absolutely without
I a sign OF fear. and yet there was no
| bravado: 1t seemed a natural act OF his
! and he did not show any excitement even
| when the leathern band was placed over
his eyes.
The preparations were speedily accom-
plished and at 1920 the signal was given.
| He died without sound and the still
| ness OF the death chamber was only
! broken by the intoning OF Father An
derson with his prayer for the dying.
The medical witnesses present were then
| asked TO inspect the body, which was
done, and in seven minutes the Warden
| pronounced the man legally dead.
l. The witnesses were Surgeon General
Robert A. Blood, DIR. George Stedman,
associate meo cal examiner of Suffolk
county; DIR. Joseph 1. Mclaughlin. tho
! prison physician. DR.. Albert G. Aldrich.
Sheriff Jairus T.. Clark of Hampshire
county and the press representative.
UMILIAN'S CRIME. ~
: The crime for which Umilian paid the
penalty was horrible one. kecimiere
Jedrussk. commonly called Jack, disap-
peared OH Dec. 81. 1899. from the farm OF
Monroe Keith I'm CRANKY, county OF
| Hampshire. He ard Umilian were en-
ployed there as farm hands.
On the following April 10th, after a long
search about the farm. the body of Jed
rusek horribly cut up and hadless, was
found I'm a sack in an unused well. Mrs.
Keith was positive of Identification. Two
day later the head was unearthed under
the barn.
| Umilian and his wife, Rosa were arrest
ed and both protested their innocence.
Rosa was not prosecuted. The convic-
ton OF Umilian was secured on circum-
stantial evidence. The government held
that a corn cutter had been used to cut
up the body and that the crime was COM
mitted while the Keith family were at
church. The motive, so far as IL was
established at the trial. was that the
men had trouble because OF a charge of
two pounds of butter alleged TO have
been stolen by Jedrusek and because
Jedrusek had written 20 the priest at
Chicopee before Umiliah was married 10
Rosa, "A domestic employed by Mr.. Keith,
warning the priest that umilian had a
wife in the old country.
HAD MADE THREATS.
| 1t was also shown that Umilian had
made threats against Jedrusek I'm SUBJ
stance that he would fix him IL he med
| died with his proposed marriage with
Rosa which took place Nov. ls. Both
men had lived In the Connecticut Valley
| for about ten years. During that time
| Umilian had saved and deposited I'm saw
| ings banks about sl400.
| Mr.. Keith said both men were on the
| farm when he left for church. Jcdru-
eek having harnessed the horse. lie
| was missing when Mr.. Keith returned
| and Umilian and Rosa both said they
did not know where he had gone. Wit
| nesses testified TO overhearing the quar-
| rels between the men over Rosa. Until
ian insisted that he did not Kill Jedru-
SEX and knew nothing about the crime.
| Several Poles who lived I'm the neigh
borhood testified TO their belief that Until
| ian committed murder because OF enmity
| TO Jedrusek. No actual evidence OF the
| murder was adduced. Umilian was tried
before Judges Sherman and stevens at "a
| special sitting of the Superior court at
| Northampton on Oct >, 1900. This was
| the FIRST murder and the first murder trial
in Hampshire county.
| The Jury was out i've hours. Sentence
| OF death in the electric chair in the fol-
lowing July was imposed at the next sit
| ting OF the court. Before July came.
| however, Umilian was rcspited until legal
| questions raised In the Storti case were
| settled. Respites were repeated until
tho last one expired on Saturday last
| ON Wednesday OF last week John u
| ODonneH. who was Umliau's counsel
| asked Governor Crane and his council
| 20 commute the sentence 90 life tmpris-
onment. After hearing the request was
| refused.
| Umiliau was removed 20 tho state prls-
on on July / snd practically since that
time had been in murderer's row guard.
4 cd night and day. lie took his imprison-
| r.ent with Indifference. AZ his trial he
| Was asked BY Judge Sherman if he wish
| cd 10 say anything and his reply was
MA no kill Jack or anyone"
| He repeated the sentence afterwards
| ard stoutly maintained Innocence.
4 tno 0vFu 20 yEAQS