The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-24
NORDSTROM HANGED.
His Attorney slaves on Execution
of Sentence Nearly Ten Years.

Seattle, Wash, Aug. 23.-Charles w.
Nordstrom was hanged here to-day for
the murder. Nov. 27. 1891, of William
Mason.
Shortly after $3.50 o'clock Nordstrom
was taken to a room adjoining the
death chamber. He wept continually. 1t
required the utmost efforts of four men
to keep him on his feet. When he was
taken into the death chamber he
broke down entirely, crying in child
ish voice, and praying that his life be
spared. Then he collapsed entirely and
fell to the floor.
Efforts to raise him and keep him
on his feet were fruitless. Finally
Sheriff Cudihee ordered that a board
be brought To this Nordstrom was
tied. 1t required six men to hold him
for the operation. Several times Nord-
strom seemed to speak, but his words
were unintelligible. The six men who
held him raised his body on the board
and with great effort succeeded in get
ting him upon the scaffold. There he
was placed upright while four men
stood on the four sides of the trap and
held him. In less than two seconds af-
tel the condemned man had been fas-
tened the trap was sprung. This was
at 9:49 o'clock. Nordstrom was pro-
nounced dead at 1902 o'clock
Nordstrom worked during the fall of
1891 for Thomas Mason, rancher near
Cedar Mountain, in this county. He had
a dispute about the amount of wages
due him. The sum involved was $3.S5.
On the night of the murder William
Mason was sitting down to supper with
his father when he was shot from out
side the window. Investigation showed
the prints of the murderer's feet, as
he had stood beside a fence corner and
rested his rifle on the top rail. The
next day officers took up the chase.
The murderer was tracked over long
stretch of country.
Several days later Nordstrom with a
Winchester rifle of the same caliber as
the one with which the victim was
murdered was arrested on the railroad
track near Cedar Mountain. He told
conflicting stories. On trial he was
convicted. The case was appealed to
the Supreme Court of the state which
refused to grant a new trial. Col. ]. II.
Lewis fought the case in the federal
court on a writ of habeas corpus,
which was denied. He carried the mat
ter to the Supreme Court of
TIE OHlleu oldleS ana lOSC. he
then went to the Superior Court
of King county and asked for com
mission of physicians to examine into
the mental condition of Nordstrom.
This was granted. The doctors pro-
nounced the man sane. Lewis demand
ed jury trial as to Nordstroms san
ity. The Superior Court denied this.
In the Supreme Court of this state
Lewis appeal of this question was
overruled. Then Lewis carried this to
the Supreme Court of the United States
and he also applied to the federal
court for a writ of habeas corpus on
the strength of insanity proceedings.
The federal court refused the writ
Lewis carried this to the Supreme
Court of the United States also. He
was overruled in both cases. Since that
Lewis has applied to federal and su-
perior courts for a stay of proceedings
and been refused. The entire litiga-
tion has taken nine years. Lewis last
night, in spit eof his announcement
the other day that he had left the case.
was out of the city looking for writ
of prohibition from some Supreme
Court justice. The Governor had re-
fused to interfere.