Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-25
WOMEN TO DIE ON GALLONS.
Christmas Companions on Eve Of
Double Execution.

The horror of the Tapley execution. at
Jersey City on Friday. hangs over the little
Jail al Hackensack, n. J., where on Jan1-
airy II Mrs. Antoinette Tolla will die and
where a few days later Mrs. Anna Valen-
tina will meet her fate. The brutalities
which attended the proceedings when the
hangman attempted to stife the last words
of the murderer under the black cap, and
where he upbraided the clergyman attend
ing the condemned man for praying, have
aroused strong feeling against his being
employed at the execution of the two wom-
en- who. 1t is felt, should be treated with
the greatest tenderness and consideration
on the day they die
That a pitiful scene will be enacted when
Mrs. Tolla is hanged is certain. The little
woman who killed John Sanot IS far from
having the bravery and even courage of her
older companion. Constantly she means
that she killed the man to save her honor,
and she passes long hours in prayer with
her spiritual advisor. She is cowed and de-
jected by her sentence, and clings to the
older woman for support and sympathy.
Old Anna Valentino. whose appeal will be
decided shortly after Christmas, and who, It
is understood will lose her case, is prepared
for her death Calm and stolid. she has
made ready for her execution even in ad-
vance of the sentence Her life was bound
up in that of the man who left her for
prettier face and a younger heart. Now
that she knows that her love wasted
she does not care much about living. She
is willing to die at any time that the law
names the day In this cold, calm way she
has arranged for the execution that she
feels sure Will come.
But throughout the state the horror at
the brutalities that accompanied young Tap
leys death on the scaffold have accentuated
the opposition to the execution OF the two
women.
The Tolla execution will be double hang
ing, for on the same day jeremiah Rosa will
be killed by order of the law. The death
watch that has been set upon him has noted
that during the last few weeks he has
seemed to attach great Importance TO the
prayer book that he has borrowed from
Mrs. Tolla. They have exchanged messages
of sympathy and coincidence, and each has
promised to strengthen the other on the day
of death.
Edwin J. Tapley, negro wife murderer
was hanged at the county jail in Jersey
had arranged with a clergyman to signal
with his hands after the drop fell to show
that he alive and realized what
transpiring. Tapley's hands did twitch
convulsively. but Rev. Emil Meury, with
whom II was said he had arranged to make
the signals. and who witnessed the hang
ing refused to say whether the movements
of the hands were like the prearranged
signals. After the rope had been placed
about Tapleys neck and he was asked
whether he had anything to say he re-
piled: Gentlemen, l am guilty OF this
crime, exceedingly guilty. am sorry for
it. She led me into 1t by torturfng me. 1
am sorry for 1T and am justly punished"
When the .hangman stepped forward to
tighten the rope Tapiey collapsed and fell
to his knees. The doctor examined the
body seven minutes after IL had shot
through the trap and found evidences of
life The man was pronounced dead just
thirteen minutes after the trap was
sprung.