Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-02-17

tnere $1,000 the prisoners untasted
breakfast-a huge waiter of bread,
steak, fried potatoes, and several
cups of coffee. But it did not give
McCue any concern. 1t is to be
doubted if he ever saw it.
About 7:30 o'clock the little party
in the cell said its last fareweils.
Then Sergeant Rogers, in kindly
tones, asked the prisoner if he needed
support in going to the scaffold. Nc
Cues reply. which was accompanied
by the faintest flicker of smile, was:
81 don't need your arm, thank
you; | can walk without it."
The long death warrant over, the
march to the gallows began, DR..
Petrie leading the way. Steadily
McCue walked ahead with Sergeant
Rogers. With firm, even footsteps
ne turned the corner of the yard
leading north and now beheld for
the first time the citizens and phy-
sicians selected to see him die. One
more turn, this time to east-the
zone of the now rapidly rising sun
and then the condemned man looked
upon the gallows. Still no flinching,
no drawing back-merely one little
slip on the ice-and then he was
boldly ascending the steps of the
gibbet.
Up with him went first the Rev.
DR.. Petrie, then Sergeant Rogers,
last of all ex jailer Nat Martin, who
acted as deputy. The minister, how
ever, quickly withdrew. He did not
see the details or the hanging.
McCue was now on the brink of
eternity. His back was turned to-
wards the spectators and he faced
Park street, the street on which his
beautifukmansion fronts. Not more
than 900 feet away, on an air line,
was the room in which the mutilated
corpse of his wife was found.
1t was the work of but a few
seconds to adjust the black cap, bind
the condemned mans limbs, and
throw the black robe over the pris-
oner. These functions were per-
formed by Rogers and Martin.
The city sergeant asked the pris-
oner if be had anything to say, and
received an almost inaudible reply in
the negative. A second later-at
7:34 o'clock Deputies Wood and
Eubauk pulled the rope attached to
the lever and the trapdoor spraug.
Down like bullet shot the ex-
mayors body through the aperture
in the raw pine structure, and to the
accompaniment of a numbering noise,
produced by the dropping of a hun
dred pounds scantling. 1t was all
over in flash-so quickly that the
shock to the spectators was materially
diminished. The body of the mori-
bund ex-mayor hung dangling a foot
or so above the ground for about
minute before DR.. Nelson and Coro-
ner Macon examined it. The fall
had been about three and half feet,
quite enough, as the sequel proved.
No rebound was visible; indeed,
the prisoner went down like dead
weight. There was little, if any,
muscular twitching; at least, none
could be seen beneath the black robe.
The body whirled around laterally
to some extent, but it did not 90 up
and down.
Strangulation was complete and
life was pronounced extinct at 7:54
o'clock. The corpse was lowered at
8 o'clock, placed on a pail and borne
to the interior of the Jail, where it
was prepared for burial.
The coffin in which McCue's re-
mains were placed was an expensive
one, but was modest in appearance.
1t was black, broadcloth, saddle
top coffin with satin bar extension
handles. a
The body was taken to Brookyille,
the old McCue home, near Alton. to
De buried by the side of his parents.
All of McCue's brothers and all of
his children, as well as several lady
relatives, went with the body to
Alton. Several boxes of flowers ac-
companied the coffin.
4 AAS Peotc oudIOkulCdl DOarQ, In
order to relieve City Sergeant Rogers
from being subjected to fine, made
a formal demand for the BODY of the
ex-mayor and then waived its rights
to the corpse. This procedure was
to meet statutory requirements, and
at the same time to allow the ex-
mayors relatives to bury their kins-
man as they desire.
A physician who attended the
hanging in an unofficial capacity said
this afternoon that he was amazed at
the singular lack of contortions in
the body after. the drop fell. He
thinks McCue died painless death,
as hardly q muscle quivered as he
dangled from the rope. a8
When the black cap was removed
from the face Of the dead man the
features were singulsrly composed
and not at all repellant. This is
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