The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-10-06

possible extent the privacy of the cere-
mOny was assured, all keepers except
the inexOrabIe death watch being eX-
Guided.
No fareweIIs were said. under Faith
er Belanger's advice. until the grating
Of the big steel doors which separated
them from the corridor was heard.
Then. as Willis was led from his cell
he was allowed to step over 10 the
cells Of Burton and Frederick and
through the opening between the heavy
bars Of the cages in which they were
confined. pressed his face and in turn
kissed those Of his two brothers. at the
same time shaking HANDS and saying
as he turned away:
Be brava boys"
As soon as Willis had passed out
into the cOrrOdor leading to the death
chamber. Father C~harbonneau imme-
diare-y began to read the prayers OF
consolation to which brief responses
wer" necessary. thus occupying their
minds in the minutes Of suspense.
When it came Frederick's turn TO go,
as ne left his cell. he stepped back a
few PAGES to the front Of Burton's
cage and grasping his brothers hands
III both of his, kissed him repeatedly
until the guard quietly urged him
away.
FAREWELL TO ONLY OCCUPANT
OF THE DEATH CELL.
Burton's departure from the death
house made the most pathetic scene
Of all.
Besides the aged priest there was
but one other person in the world to
whom he might say good bye. This
was Allen Mooney, the last occupant
of the death cells, who sat in the cor
ner of the front of his cell, sobbing
like a child. As Burton stepped from
his cage he looked back toward
MONEYS cell, which was out of his
view. because of a great iron screen
built for that purpose. and called:
Good bye. Mooney, l hope you won't
have to go like this" And then he
marched to the death chair.
THE TRAGEDY THAT CAUSED THE
EXECUTION.
In almost all e the tragedy
which closed today at Clinton prison
was unique in modern criminal his
tory. on Christmas eve. 1901, with
their cousin. Harvey Bruce. the three
Van WOrmer brothers drove from their
home in Undertook, some fourteen
miles to the hamlet of Greendale, in
Columbia county. where lived Peter A.
HaIlenbeck, the uncle of the Van
Wormers. Mr.. Hallenbeck, his wife,
and his aged mother. were sitting in
the lamplight in their living room. 4
Few momentS later there vas a knock
at the door and Mr.. H~allenbeck an
swered it, to find the masked men be-
fore him, armed with revolvers. Bur-
ton Van Wormer led the way and with
him the old man grappled. At once all
four began a fusilade OIL pistol shot
which fairly riddled the body of Mr..
Rallenbeck. Mrs. Hallenbeck, the
wife. ran into the kitchen. and the
brothers shot at her. but missed. Her
husband ordered her to flee and she
ran up stairs, whittier the old woman
had preceded her, and the two barri-
caded themselves in the attic.
Mr.. Hallenbeck. although mortally
wounded. broke away from his aSsail-
ants. and went to the landing of the
stairs, where he kept a loaded shot
gun. The aSsailants saw him get the
gun and fled. The old man fell to the
floor and died.
BRUCE TURNED STATES EVI-
DENCE.
Harvey Bruce turned states evil
dence and it was to a large extent
upOn his testimony hat the convic-
ton of the Van Wormer brothers was
secured. He Swore that upon the ride
back from the scene of the crime, each
Of the brothers bOaSted of having shot
the uncle.
1t was shown that the bitterness
which the brothers felt toward their
uncle was due chiefly to his having
fOreClOsed q mortgage upon the prop
ertv in Greendale, owned by their step
mother. the loss of which compelled
their remOVa to Undertook.
The triple execution of today raises
to a total of 73 the list of the murder
ers who have died in the electric chair.
The simultaneous execution of three
brothers is not unprecedented in the his
tory of New York state. although to
find the parallel one must go back to
1925, when three brothers were hanged
in Buffalo for murder.
The Rhode Island Democrats.