The copper era., 1905-09-21
TACK BOOTH SHUFFLED OFF.
Expiated Crime on GaIIOWS at Globe
 Last Week.

on Friday morning, September 15, 1905, when Zack Booth, twice sen fenced for the self-confessed killing of Wiley Berry and Juan Vigil ex- plated his crime on the gallows. A frame had been erected in the jail yard, the platform containing the drop being boxed in so that what transpired thereon was only visible to the dozen people admitted under the law, The lower portion of the structure was covered with canvas and blankets so that the revolting scene was only visible to those whose duties compelled their presence. All preparations had been made with such precision and judgment that no hitch occurred. The condemned man was a marvle of nerve and courage.
 The death warrant was read to the condemned man at 1O:15 a. ID. in the presence of his spiritual advisers. He asked that the 24th Psalm be read at the same time. He made no remarks and exhibited no emotion whatever. With him were the Rev. R. 1. Mckee and officers of the Sal vation Army who afterwards attend ed him to the scaffold. Zack joined in the prayers and made several re- joiners to their consoling utterances.
 He was attired in black and re- mained in his shirt sleeves until just before being called for by the sher- if. His remarks were in the nature of running fire of jocular com ments, scraps of prayer and asser- tions that he expected to meet his Savior and his mother Ion the shin ing shore.'
 He laughed quite heartily at some of his own jokes.
 ''I'm going the route, boys" was c favorite expression, used many times during the hour before the fatal mo ment. He walked firmly and even jauntily between Sheriff Shalney and Undersheriff Heron, attended by the clergymen to the scaffold. Noting the crowds on fences and housetops he turned and said: Goodbye, boys goodbye everybody; lot of people are here to see Zack go the route" ."
 Noting the height of the platform he remarked to the sheriff: ':You're going to give me a big drop there Ed" Turning again to the crowd he said: "Remember me to all the peo pie up around St. Johns. I'm an in nocent man; what 1 did was to pro tect my property and rights-my life and my home. Pm going to meet my dear old mother in heaven"
 He stood on the trap firmly and un concernedly while the straps were adjusted around his legs and body After prayer and the reading of the 9Oth Psalm, to which he ejaculatet frequent responses, he took a few swallows of water and bade good bye to those around him.
 Taking a pocket knife from hi, pocket where it had been concealed he handed it to Sheriff Shanley say ing. ''The devil gave me quite { hunch to cheat you out of this jol Ed, but thought I'd go the route ; He thanked the officers for theil kindness to him and again assured the attending ministers that he would meet them in heaven. q for give everybody and hope you vii forgive me-" he said as he was placed upon the trap under the moose. He virtually supervised the preparation, and examined into all details of the gallows with interest
 The moose was placed about his neck and he complained that it was too tight and it was eased while the black cap was adjusted. He still talked in fragmentary sentences while the rope was around his neck and the cap over his face.
 In the middle of a half uttered word the drop fell, his body shot down like a plummet, the fall o1 nearly seven feet breaking his neck instantly. Not a muscle contracted his body as inert as clay hnng sus pended for sixteen minutes when Dr. A. F. Maisch pronounced life ex- tinct. A faint motion of the heart could be detected for ten minutes o1 more.
 The body was cut down and pre-, pared-for burial.
 It had been rumored that he would make a complete confession and talk at length about the crime, but he only made one reference to the testi mony and claimed that one witness had not told the truth. He saic that ''the Mexicans" were responsi ble for his death. He enquireC anxiously who were the doctors ant addressed them concerning care tC see that "the work was we'll done.' "Wipe my moustache," said he tC the sheriff. "Boys, that moustacht has grown since the the 26th, ,'-the date of his arrival here from Phoe nix.
 A more self possessed man under the circumstances could not well bt imagined. Not for a moment did ht falter or lose his perfect self contro and many others on the platform were more ViSiblV affected than he