The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-02
VAN VoRIERS DIE BRkYELY.
ALL THREE PUT TO DEATH IN
LESS THAN rs MINUTES.

WnAa. the Eldest. the First to Go: Then Fred.
tho Youngest, and Burton the Last
Each Gees to the Death CHAIR With
cut q Tremsr or Faltef IN His Steps
s---Remarkable Outbreak OF F1fty Con-
yicts After tho Execution Waa Over.
DANNEMoRA, N. Y, Dot. Without
fear in their faces or falter In their steps,
Willis, Burton and Fred Van Wormer went
to tho electric chair in Clinton Prison this
forenoon and paid the penalty OF their
crime at Greendale on Christmas Eve two
years ago These three young men, moth
ing but boys. whose night rides in Columbia
county terrorized the peaceful farmers
for years, who gradually developed from
nero mischief makers into thieves, and
from thieves into barn burners, until they
wound up their riotous careers in the de-
liberate, oowardly murder Of the one man
who had stood by them for years, their
uncle. Peter A. Hollenbeck, went to their
deaths In the way they said they would
II want to die game said young
Fred to Warden Deyo on Wednesday after
noon. sWell all die game, Warden,
chimed in Willis and Burton from their
cells.
That's the way they did die-game. No
hand helped any one Of the trio TO the
chair. It wasn't necessary. Willis walked
into the death chamber at 11:34 O'Clock,
head erect, shoulders thrown back and Jaws
set His wavy black hair was brushed back
from his forehead and the severed cloth OF
his trousers tapped against his right leg He
went to the chair, sat down, and exactly
sixty seconds later his soul had been sent
into eternity. As Willis died SO died the
others, game to the very last.
This triple execution, perhaps the most
trying duty q prison official in this State
has ever had to perform, was as successful
as such thing could possibly be- Down
TO the minutest details everything had been
arranged to prevent hitch. and it re-
NAMED with the boys themselves to make
1t complete success by their fearlessness
at the critical moment.
To snuff out those three lives it took just
fourteen minutes and thirty-two seconds.
The official time makes it little longer
than this, but the Off sial time includes
almost two minutes during which the
medical witnesses Of the executions ex-
amined the body of Burton. the last to die,
while it was still in the chair.
Warden Deyo acted with the greatest
promptness in carrying out his plans As
fast as one body had been released from
the straps and carried out Of sight the
signal for the next boy was given. and
instantly in the death chamber the noise OF
a heavy bolt being thrown back could be
heard, followed by the creak Of door as
It swung back. then the sound OF slowly
approaching footsteps and the low, monot-
onous chanting Of the little gray haired
French priest, to whose religious teach
ings and influence the boys owed much
of the fortitude which kept them up SO well
at the last.
The courage OF Willis, admirable as it
was, was not subjected to nearly the strain
that the others had to undergo. They
heard Willis taken out, and few minutes
later, when the footsteps came down the
hall again, knew that it was time for one
OF them to start on that last walk. For
Barton, the light barred, handsome, nervy
boy, the pet OF the prison from the day
he entered it, the worst was reserved. 1t
was a tribute to his courage that he was
reserved till the last. But he did not COM
plain. He sat on the edge Of his cot, read
ing the prayers for the dead until that slow
procession sounded down the hall again.
Then he cast the book aside, rose and
walked out firmly, as he had said he would.
The effect of single execution on con-
victs in a large prison like Clinton L. we'll
known. They grow morose and sullen,
and guards are doubled and trebled every
where. The effect Of this triple killing
was plainly noticeable at Dannemora to-
was TO begin was known to the tho usand
desperate men housed there. for it is only
the most desperate who are sent to Danne-
mora. They showed their resentment in
many small ways, but the most remarkable
outbreak occurred at noon. when gang
Of some fifty long term men, marching along
an upper tier. saw the Witnesses leaving
the death house. Instantly they set up
most hideous shrteking, chilling the very
blood Of the already wrought up civilians
1t was with difficulty that they were checked
by the keepers.
Such outbreaks are not uncommon among
conyicts on days Of execution. but for a
racking, blood chilling rage Is unusual
and not pleasant thing for layman to
see or to hear. The men were all placed in
solitary confinement at once. and the other
convicts who showed signs Of increasing
nervousness after this hideous yelling from
above were hustled to the dining hall in
q hurry.
The last night Of the Van wormer boys
on earth was not marked by any unusual
Incidents. At midnight all three were
hungry and asked for food. They got
eggs and coffee and were told 1t would he
well TO eat their AL, as q light breakfast
would be al they. could have in the, morn,
ing. All three then talked together till
o'clock, when they decided to 60 to bed.
Keeper John Murphy eItinguished their
Light, gave them . CHEEKY good night and
went to the end Of the corridor. Willis
and Fred were restless and rolled ard
tossed In their sleep. Burton slept scundly.
At Q o'clock Murphy called the boys. Willis
and Fred jumped from their beds at once
but Burton had to be shaken repeatedly,
20 deep had been his sleep.
How much time have we?' asked Fred
Of Murphy.
Five houn at least, said the keeper.
well, we'll be all right, John; don't
fear said the boy. Send Father Belsn-
ger here as soon as he comes"
At g O'Clock Father Belanger and Father
Charbonneau arrived and went at once
to tho death cells. They administered the
first and last communion to the boys,
and from then until 1I1s o'clock sat with
them, talking az cheerfMly as possible
to them some Of tho time. and praying ear
nestly with them the rest Of the time. The
bows repeatedly assured the priests that
their courage would hold out TO the end.
Shortly before II o'clock Warden Deyo
natifed the priests that the execution OF
the boys would begin at about 1880 o'clock,
and fifteen minutes before then the priests
began to prepare them for the end. The