Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1905-09-09


day at the State Prison John HoncocK
settled his accounts with society. It
was the first execution under the new
law and from the moment when the
condemned man was led into the
building where he was confronted oy
the scaffold to the instant the trap
was sprung there was no hitch in the
pre-arranged program and the mai
dates of the law were carried out to
the letter.
He Embraces Religion
For some weeks past the convicteei
murderer had little nope of stay CT
execution and when the Supreme
Court confirmed the sentence of the
lower tribunal he became resigned
to the inevitable and asked that he
might have a conference with Rev.
Darneille, one of the prison Chap
lains and Rector of ST. Peters Epis-
copal Church.
Expressing desire to embrace re-
ligion he was baptized the evening
before the execution and at eight o.
clock in the morning of the fatal day
received the Sacrament in his cell.
He made no confession but declared
his innocence through all.
Four Guards Refuse to Act
The day before the execution War
%hD
rious guards about the prison and
assigned them their positions to 10
detail work in connection with the
execution.
Four of them refused to act in
any capacity. They were Nat Dove,
Joe Rippingham, Jerry Barrett and
Charles Stone.
They were Immediately discharged
by the warden.
The Appointed Hour
The execution was set for 10:30,
and a few minutes before. the people
who had been invite1 by the Warden
and Attorney General to witness it.
entered the stone building where the
scaffold was erected and took seats
TO the left. A few minutes later the
warden entered followed by the con-
demned man and the guards. The
chaplain in his Episcopal robes walk.
ed at Hancock's side. His arms
were strapped to his sides but his
e. 11
but roll of mating extended from
the door to the foot of the gallows
steps.
When the prisoner had gone hat
the distance, he turned smilingly t.
the little gathering and, pausing, sen
his eyes searchingly down the di!
ferent lines of benches as if tryin:
to find some familiar face
The guards attempted to press hin
along, but he turned and remarks
in querulous tone: LET me take ;
good look at this audience"
"Come on" said one of the guards.
81 want to be permitted to loo
over this audience" he responded. .
wont be long. Say, Warden, let m
stop just moment, l want to sc
these people"
No on eseemed disposed to den
his earnest requst and for probab'
a minute he stood looking each ma
squarely in the face in turn.
something heavy in the silence whiG
hung in the room. He was unabl
to recognize any one in the gathe
ing, although his eyes dwelt long;
on some faces as if he was brushin
away some of the cob webs in h
memory to clear tn ewa- to a reco
milton.
Nov, I'm ready" he finally r
marked turning with laugh to IL
Warden. He moved on and mounte
= the steps with a careless trea
Standing upon the scaffold, he p1a
ed his feet together and smiled .
the guards .knelt and strapped h
ankles.
Strange Nerve
The writer has seen eight 9th,
public executions but never befo1
saw a man go to his last accou1
with such absolute Indifference
death as this one. He turned h
head to this guard and that ar
chatted and smiled as il there W
nothing really to be serious over.
The affair impressed him less tn
any one in the building. He seem
to feel that he was the center of ;
traction and was happy over it.
There never seemed TO ran insta
tremor of fear or irresolution in I
demeanor. He seemed to rather e
joy the whole situation.
It is the custom to read the dea