Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-10-17

j. .
After quite long pause, during
which his eye roamed over the room,
resting last on the scaffold beside him,
he said: II guess that is all, gentle
men. Never man stood on gallows
SO cool as Mr.. Rooney is He then
turned and went up the three steps of
the gallows and took position on the
trap unaided. AS he went up the
steps his agony gave vent in the cry:
:" Jesus have mercy on u.s."
6 He had talked nine minutes, and 1t
was just 60 seconds from the time he
stepped on the gallows until the drop
fell. :.~
His Last Words. s
While the guards were adjusting the
straps and robe he started to sing as
the priest began to pray. Then, look
ing toward the reporters, he said:
Make 1t known to the public, as I
stand before God, I did not kill Harold
Sweet" AS the cap was pulled over
his head and the fatal nose adjusted,
he exclaimed: "The light is gone, God
have mercy. Good bye, gentlemen.
Light Is shut out forever; light shut
out for eyermore,''' the last word being
uttered at 1:05 a. m. as the speaker
dropped to speak no more.
Died Instantly.
The sixtfoot drop did its work merci-
fully. Death was instantaneous. There
was not even a CULVER as the spirit
fed to meet the God it had Stunned
for 80 years. All heart action stopped
in six minutes and at ,1:16 O'Clock
John Rooney was officially pronounced
dead. The order of the court had
been obeyed. A man with nerves OF
steel had played with fortune and
ost-lost like man would do for a
nobler cause. %1s.# s.22. z.3ss
Notes.
All the arrangements were complete
in every detail and there were none of
the unfortunate accidents frequent on
such occasions. The suspense of the
doomed man after stepping on the trap
was but one minute. :, "
Rooney talked from platform be-
side the gallows. The room was
scrupulously neat and we'll lighted.
The spectators sat on bales Of Irvine.
Rooney was a good prisoner, having
been repremanded but once for singing
in his cell.
Reports had reached the prison au-
liberties, from an unknown source,
that a rescue would be attempted, so
several guards were posted outside the
walls. sys-, II. {. zi
Nearly an hours delay occurred in
the execution caused by the latness Of
trustees ARRIVING on a delayed train.
AT Rooney's request a guard bought
him some carnations yesterday to put
on his coffin. He changed his mind,
however. and wore part of them to the
execution.
While being strapped on the trap
this morning, Immediately before his
death. Rooney whispered to guard
Bentley to keep the paper he had
given him before leaving the cell. It
was one of the condemned mans many
poems. "a
His Case In All Courts. s.@
Rooney has paid the penalty of his
crime. Up to the last moment he was,
or appeared to be, hopeful of escaping
the gallows. Duly convicted of the
murder of Harold Sweet, the supreme
court OF the state and the United
States supreme court have passed on
the case and the result has been each
time against the murder.
There have been but few other cases
in which the murderer without funds
or friends has been SO ably and persist
emily defended In the courts. without
hope Of remuneration. Rooney's al
torney. w s. stambaugh, assisted
through part Of the trial by B. +.
Spalding, conducted the defense. even
carrying an appeal to the highest
tribunal In the land. II
/ Rooney,s Crime.
The crime for which Rooney was
convicted occurred on the western
outskirts OF Fargo. In company with
another man whose identity to this
day is unknown. Rooney attempted to
hold up Harold Sweet and two
brothers. Sweet resisted and in the
fracas was shot and killed. Rooney,s
partner made his escape but the muir.
derer was overpowered before he had
gone more than few feet from where
his victim lay on the ground In the
thr0es Of death.
Rooney has always maintained his
innocence Of the murder 81 sweet. He
Continued on page I, Sd column.