The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-11-17
YOUNG WATSON MEETS
 DEATH WITHOUT CULVER
IyALKsToGALLoWS PERFECTLY
 SELF-PoSSESSED

Murder of Harry osborn, Former Po-
 lice commissioner of Hartford, ExpI-
 ated--saeranent Administered to
 Condemned Man shortly After Mid-
 night-Kneels in Prayer Before Being
 Led out--satisned to the Last to
 Give His Life.
 Wethersfield, Nov. 17.-Joseph Wat son, the eighteen-year-old colored Doy who. murdered Henry Osborn, of Hart ford. in the latter's home last August, paid the penalty for his crime this morning, when he was put to death py hanging on the gallows in the state prison. The drop was sprung at l2:O9, and at l2:15 Dr. Fox, the prison physi- elan. declared him dead. The reflex muscular action shown by Watson af- ter the drop was sprung was the most remarkable seen here in many years, While suspended in the air, and ap-, parently after his neck had been brok- en. he clasped his hands, then drew them apart and finally let them drop to his side He was exceptionally strong and his remarkable vitality was attrib- uted to his excellent physical condi- ton.
 Shortly before midnight the sacra- ment was administered to the con- demned man and later he knelt in prayer with his spiritual advisor, Rev. A. A Crooke. of Hartford. He was then led to the prison yard and was absolutely self-possessed. He looked about the yard in satisfied manner and stepped briskly up the steps to the platform, and by motions of the head aided Deputy Warden Baisden in the adjustment of the moose. Up to the last minute his remarkable nerve held out and he seemed satisfied to give his life as the penalty for his cold-blooded | crime. Warden Garvin superintended the hanging and sprung the drop, and as witnesses to the hanging were the state prison directors, Rev. Mir. Crooke, the deputy warden and representatives of the Hartford newspapers.
 l The hanging was a satisfactory one in every particular and was the second one of this year in this state. On Feb ruary II Paul Misik was put to death for the murder of a fellow workman in the stone pits near Hartford earlier in the year.
 Watson refused to eat anything all day yesterday, and passed nearly the entire day with Rev MT. Crooke. I The crime for which Watson met death was committed on the morning of August 5, when he shot to death Henry osborn, former police commis- sioner of Hartford, at the latter's home on Capitol avenue. He forced his way \ into the house the night before, and, as was his custom when he was in the l employ of Mir. Osborn, slept in the basement. The next morning he went I into MT. Osborn's chamber, pistol In l hand, and began the attack. In the struggle MT. Osborn's cries were heard l by neighbors and Mir. Osborn was quickly found in dying condition from three wounds. He did not live to reach the hospital Watson ,hia under a mat tress on a spring bed, and for nine hours the police conducted search, several times passing within foot of the negro. He was not found until by accident the mattress was lifted. Wat N son was convicted in the superior court in September His plea was self-de-
 fense, he claiming that he did not shoot \ MT. Osborn until the latter had attack
 ed him for demanding wages alleged to
 be due. Watson seemed to glory in his
 deed until he was taken to state prison,
 when he realized it's enormity. He died
 repentent.