Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-04-27
Execution of a New Mexico
Outlaw Attended By Pc
culiar Horror.
HEAD WAS JERKED OFF
Nolorieus "Blsek Jack" Paid the
Penalty Of His Crimes On the
,Gallows at Clayton, N. II.
Tia Force Of the Drop Was Such IS
to Jerk the Head From
His Body.

= ketchum, alias Black Jack, the
notorious outlaw who has terrorixed
the people Of the Southwest for the
ppst l6 years, was hanged here yester-
d1y afternoon for train robbery, and
HE head was severed from the body
hy the rope ~ II by guiliotine. The
h6adiess trunk pitched forward toward
tAe spectators, and blood spattered
u6on those nearest the seaffold.
The execution took place inside q
st6ckade built Tor the occasion. The
enclosure was crowded. $50 witnesses
hbving been admitted. When Ketch-
ub mounted the scafYOld his face was
p1le. but he showed no fear. A priEst
stbod ut his side as the rope was be-
Ing put around his neck. The con-
demned man had consented to this at
the last moment. ketchum declined
@ make n speech. He muttered:
'13oodbye.- and said: please dig my
grave very Deep" and AZ the cap was
drawn over his face, shouted. Let
her CO." His legs trembled, but his
nerve did not fail.
The bouy shot through the trap and
the head was torn from the trunk
by the tremendous jerk. The head
remained in the sack and fell into the
pit. The body dropped to the ground
quivering and bleeding. Some men
groaned and others turned away, un-
able to endure the sight For a few
seconds the body was allowed to lie
there half doubled up on its right side.
with the blood issuing In an intermit-
tent stream from the several arteries,
~ the heart kept on with its mechan-
ical beating. Then the officers rushed
down the scafrold and lifted the body
from the ground.
DIR. Slack pronounced life extinct in
i've minutes from the time the body
dropped through the trap. The result
showed that the drop Of seven feet
with the running moose was too great
Tor 20 heavy q man as ketchum, who
Wefghed about 10 pounds Sheriff
Ga1ome Garcia supsrintended the ex-
r..l.,.,1n aren't the kleAsel pkft y -
,n reviewing his past ms
<..-.c~ which time he dispiayeo
s.,e-coutrol. He cursed tue TUT
"a oxpress companies ana .ne
-. who were Instrumental ~ ="
on and the people-~s- He
=. keuernl -~psanned ana led
Aexsco -sany robberies accredited
Ackn0y Including the robbery on the
10uthern Pacific at Steen's Pass in
1os7. and that on the Colorado South
ern, near Folsom, in July, 1898. He
said he knew who killed Young Hers
tein at Liberty. Tex, in 1895. but
would give no names, claiming the
guilty persons were alive. He also
said that he knew who killed A. b.
Powers. In Tom Green county. Tex.
In 1885, and said that Bud Upshaw
who was accused, had no knowledge
0f that crime. Ketchum declared that
hs was not the original "Black Jack
and said that outlaw was still alive
and enjoying his liberty.
But he was the cause of my becom-
ing an outlaw" said Ketchum. Lee
uow. the officer, saw Black Jack at
the Deer Greek tank affair and in
1897 told me that IL was ever tried
for Black Jacks crimes. l would never
him. l thought IL I was going to be
hanged for another mans crimes.
might ~ well have some Of my own.
The real Black Jack got the name
because he was very dark. and on the
Dsie roundup in Arizona there were
two Jacka They called him BLACK
Jack" to distinguish him from the
other"
Ketchum said that Frank Herington.
the conductor who shot him. causing
him to lose his right arm; l.. c. Fort
che Wells Fargo attorney. and w. n.
Reno. the Colorado and Southern rail-
way detective who effected his cap
ture, will be killed within . year. Il
esnuxgied Q letter out Of the prison
q Santa Fe." said he. and those three
men are marked"