Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-07-16
ON THE GALLOWS
RHEA HANGS FOR THE MURDER
OF HERMAN ZAHN,

ouueIeu ueabn yesterday at the 1an0
o. officers Of the law. The lees
struggle for his life was kept up un
I'll several hours past the time fixe
In tie death warrant for the execu
tion. When every hope was lost tn
murderer Of Herman Zahn was con
Quoted from his lonely cell to tn
scadold where the mandate of tn
law was skilfully carried out. With
Out fllnching and without a word t,
the spectators he stood as the prep
arationS were made. Without a wore
Indicating for his deed or hope as Il
MS future state, he suffered th,
oeath sentence. A few movement!
OF the muscles of the throat before
the moose was adjusted indicated
mental agitation and alone made II
plain that the affair was to him any.
thing but an ordinary occurrence.
The last hours OF the condemned
man s life were spent very much as
others that lad preceded. He slept
well his last sleep on earth, ate
heartily of the delicacies provided
and talked very much as usual with
those around him. lis adieux to
the gentlemen of the pulpit and rep
resentatives of the church who had
spent so MANY hours in his behalf
were made before his march to the
Scaffold. He passed them with a
mere glance as he approached the
scene of his death. At his request
no spiritual adviser attended him In
his last moments. On the gallows
only those who assisted the warden
In the execution were near him.
Rhea disposed of his few belong
ings previous to the dawning of his
last day. He appeared very much a
usual in the morning. He rose eally
andafGer eating hearty breakfast,
he was visited in his cell by Chap
lain Walter K. Williams of the pris-
on. For fully thIee-quarters of an
hour they were in conversation. Rhea
Is said to have expressed in private
penitence Of his crimes. But it was
his wish to meet death alone and 1t
was at his request that the chaplin
did not attend him. Some of the
guards who attended the man at in
tervals say he did not at all times
maintain his reserve fgiinst those
who held bis fate In their hands b
there was no public indication that
he bore animosity towards any one.
AT H. 80 Warden Beemer visited
Rhea and the executive clerk, e. b.
Fairfield. accompanied him to read
the death warrant This proceeding
occupied eighteen minutes.
Rhea made private request Of the
warden and little later Mrs. BEEN.
er was sent for. She entered the
hospital building where the death
watch has been preserved and con-
versed with the prisoner. She ap-
peared a little later weeping convul-
sively and carrying a small book.
Ill this time the greatest susy ense
had been endured by those who were
to have a Fart in the execution either
as spectators or as assistants. In the |
warden's Office where constant tele-
ohonic communication was main
tanned with the Office of the clerk Of |
the supreme court there was con-
slant hope that the battle for at least |
a few more days Of life that had |
been carried on at the state house |
might be successful. The successive
moves made by the attorney OF the
condemned man were announced and
when finally the information came
that there was nothing more to do
but to carry out the decree of the
court, there was relief for second
and then renewed tension because of
The scene that was to come.
The same scaffold on which Gott-
Iieb Neigeniind had died in March
was erected in the west cell house
and in the same place it had occupied
On that occasion.
The witnesses Of the execution to
the number Of about a dozen includ-
ing physicians and officials from the
city were gathered about the bio
black framework when door opened
eading from the prison yard and
Rhea entered between two guards.
Acting Deputy Warden Delehapty
md Mr.. Stewart, who mad formed
me of the death watch, walked on
either side. 1t was a long solemn
march over the two hundred feet be-
.ween the door and the scaffold. The
pect9tors watched the prisoners
very movement and he OF all seemed
east concerned. His demeanor was
'athor that OF cheerfulness. At the
DOT of the scaffold, he paused a min
lite, handed his hat to an attendant
md mounted the steps without as
distance though there were hands on
ach side to catch him had be
weakened.