The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-06-25
Thrice
Gal,ows
English
Murderer
Miraculo,lsly
Escapes
Death
Penalty

great nusn has fallen over the
oensely packed court. The spectators
crane their necks to gaze at the wretch
ca prisoner as he stands pale to death
iiness in the dock.
The council adjust their robes and
whisper to each other The jurymen
turn their faces to the bench wherein
Mr.. Justice Manisty sits, the implaca-
ole administrator of justice in whose
hands rests the fate of the trembling
prisoner.
The gloom Of the court. the stuffiness
or the atmosphere, the low hushed
murmur, seem all in keeping with the
solemnity of the scene.
A mans, life is at stake. The shadow
of the hangman hovers above the dock.
In slow, measured sentences, which
seem to echo mournfully through the
court, the learned judge sums up the
case. He analyses and dissects the evi.
dence, and bit by bit FORCES the chain
OF damning circumstances duplicating
the culprit
There is no mercy in his tone. The
murder has been so peculiarly afro
cious. and John Lee in the eyes Of God
and man is slayer Of his kind.
The innocent victim, Emma White
head Keyse. has been most foully done
to death at Babbicombe, near Torquay,
murder premeditated and for the ac-
complishment of which there is only
one explation, death by the hangman.
Jury and counsel and spectators
know that there can be no hope even as
the tones Of Justice Manisty's voice
ring out clearly and distinctly In his
winding up sentence.
"John Lee, cannot hold out any
hope that mercy will be extended or
can be extended toward you"
There is great sigh, a sort of sob,
as the learned judge concludes. Many
through the mist of tears see, or half
see. the jurymen as they file out to con-
slider their verdict. Many can scarcely
hear the voice of the great judge as he
asks the foreman, do you consider
the prisoner guilty or not guilty." And
necks are craned and ears are stretched
for the fateful word or words.
And it comes, half expectant. yet as
shock, "Guiltyw
To be hanged by the neck until he Is
dead, and the Lord have mercy on his
SOUL
Back to the cells, back to that one
particular cell where have lain others
condemned to the last act of law, back
to eat out his heart in vain regrets and
In contrition.
Days upon days pass, and he counts
the hours which race on with such ra-
pidity, nearer and nearer to that dread
full morning when he shall be led forth
to die the most horrible death Of all.
1t is the night before that fatal morn
ing. He retlres to his couch. The lynx
eyed warders who will watch through
his last living hours are by his side
He is restless In this his last sleep ant
turns and shivers and murmurs bro
kenly, for visions arise before him, ant
a voice seems to say to him:
John Lee, you will not die! You vii
not dep
The morning comes, and the gra.
streaks Of light creep through the OAR
high I'D in the cell wall, and with
2 start the prisoner. awakes to gaze witt
ewes askant and bloodshot at the imper
n turbable figures of those two men VIII
have watched over him through tn
dark hours of the night.
He is feverish and unkempt. But
few more hours. "Oh. God, Is this IN
end of it ALP They bring him fooc
and he turns to it. His trembling M
gers can scarcely hold the implements
his parched throat, will scarcely alloy
I, the food to pass.
. AS in a dream he hears the voice Q
Y the prison chaplain administering
him the last offices to the condemned
As in a dream he sees the face or I'd
" man who is to be his executioner' Be
~, the hangman, is in the cell. :,
with deft experienced hand tn
haneman pinions his victim. and as
I'd a dream the wretched culprit staggel
rather than walks through the door
= the condemned cell out into the COZ
dark passage leading to the gallows.
II "a a cold, raw morning ID repru'