The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-10-02
THREE MEN
EXECUTED
AT ONE TIME
Willis, Frederick and Burton
Van WOrmer Met Death in
the Electric Chair
FOR MURDER OF THEIR UNCLE
They Met Their Fate Unflineh.
insIy A History O. Their
Awful Crime

0AANANCh0Ah<ty Az Ass oNNObCI
Without one accident to mar the per-
feet and dignified execution of the
death penalty imposed by the trial
court, sustained by the court of ap-
peals. and not interfered with by Gov
ernor Odell, Willis, Frederick and Bur
ton Van Wormer were put to death In
fifteen and one half minutes at Clin.
ton prison today for the murder OF
their uncle. Peter A. Hallenbeck. at
Greendale, on Christmas eve. 1901.
The men walked from the doors OF
their cells in the care Of their priest
and fianked on their side by prison
deputies with calm demeanor but ex-
taresque figure, not in the robes OF his
Office, but in the every day frock coat
OF clerical cut with little purple stose
bout the shoulder, walked along with
each Of the condemned men In turn,
saying words of coincidence.
In almost all respects the tragedy
which closed today at Clinton prison
with the death on the electric chair o.
the three brothers Van Wormer. was
unique in modern criminal history.
Only once before in this state Is ir
recalled that three brothers have gone
to their death together for a murder
in which they were jointly concerned.
On CHRISTMAS eve. Is01. with tneir
cousin. Harry Bruce. three broth
ers drove from their home N Kinder
hook, some fourteen mics to the ham
let ot ureenoaie, in Columbia county.
where lived Peter A. Hallenbeck, the
uncle OF the van Wormers. On their
way tney stopped al the Greendale
church, where lney sto4e nom the We
nIcles of TIE farmers, number or
robes and whips. Thence they went
on to the Hallenbeck house. where Mr..
Hallenbeck, his wife ana aged mother
were s4tllng in the lampngat in their
uvIng rvolu. Both the women saw
them drive past. A few minutes later
there was a knock at The door. and
MT. haIenDecK answered 1t. to ind
masked men before him armed with
reyolvers.
burton Van Wormer led the way and
with him the old man grapp.ed. At
once ali four began a fuiIsaae OF pls-
tol shots which talriy rldoled the body
OF Mr. l1allenDecK. Mrs. Hallenoeck
the wife. ran into the Kitchen and the
brothers shot at her but missed. hex
husband ordered he. 10 tiee and she ran
up stairs, wnItner the Older woman
had preceded her and the two barri-
caded themselves in The attic. Mr. Hal
lenbeck though mortally wounded.
broke away from his assallants ano
went to the landing of the stairs
where he kept a loaded shotgun. The
assailants saw him get the gun ana
ned. The old man teli to the door
and died. The four young men were
soon after arrested betrayed ~ their
footprints IN tine snow, because they
were known to have harbored bitter
feelings and TO have MADE threats
against their uncle.
They were brought to trial before an
extraordinary term of the supieme
court appointed by Governor odell
and presided over by Justice Alden
Chester of Albany, on March 80. 1907.
Harvey Bruce turned states evidence
and it was to a large extent upon his
testimony that the conviction of tie
Van Wormer brothers was secuI ed.
He swore that on their way back from
the scene of the crime each OF the
brothers boasted OF having shot the
uncle. 1t was shown that the bitter
ness which the brothers felt toward
their uncle was due chiefly to his hav-
ing foreclosed a mortgage upon the
property in Greendale owned by their
stepmother, the loss OF which coupelI-
ed their removal.
On April sth all three were found
guilty and sentenced 70 be put to
death in the week ending May 80, lse3-
Their appeal to the court of appeals
acted as a stay and the case went over
until the present year. Judge OBr-e1
on writing the unanimous op'nioa q
the higher court against the appea
pronounced incredible the main pl 2
of defense. that the expedition Of tue
CONTINUED on page ~