Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-02-15
M'CUE
PAYSPENALTY
MAKES A CONFESSION AND Ex.
Plates HIS TERRIBLE CRIME
ON THE sCAFFOLD.

| Charlottesville, Va, Feb. Ill
Samuel McCue, former mayor of tni;
city, was hanged in the county Jail
here today for the murder of his wife
on Sunday, September 4, 1904. Nc
Cue was pronounced dead s minutes af-
ter the trap had been sprung. Imn4e-
diately after the execution McCue' s
three spiritual advisers gave out the
| following signed statement:
81. Samuel McCue stated this morn
ing in our presence and requested us
to make public that he did not wish
to leave this world with suspicion rest
ing upon any human being other tnan
himself, that he alone was responsi.
ble for the deed, impelled to it " al
evil power beyond his control. and
that he recognized his sentence as
just"
He Mounts the Scaffold.
McCue listened calmly to the death
warrant and when Sergeant Rogers
asked, do you think that if give
|
walk to the scaffOld?" he replied very
calmly: Il can walk without your
aid"
On the way he stumbled once or
twice and the officers prOffered as
| sistance. 1t was not needed, how
ever. There was no weakness. Nc
Cue had merely slipped on the frozen
snow. Watched by silent crowd of
perhaps thirty persons, McCue mount
ed the scaffOld. Not a muscle of his
face moved. Rogers and two guards
ascended the scaffolu with him. The
prisoner was placed over the trap.
His arme were pinioned and his ank-
les strapped. The black gown was
folded around him and the moose was
adjusted. All this while McCue stood
without moving. He did not utter a
word. The guard TOOK hold of the
rope that was to release the trap.
Rogers, standing alone upon the scat
fold beside McCue. turned his back
and lifted his hand. The trap fell.
McCue's neck was broken.
Found Dead in Bath Tub.
The crime for which the ex-mayOr
paid the penalty occurred on the
night of September of last year.
Mr.. and Mrs. McCue mad gone to
church, returning home about nine
O'Clock in the evening. Shortly af-
terward, Mrs. McCue's dead body, clad
in night robe, was found in a bath
tub filled with water. Mr.. McCue
told those who came in that some one
had entered the house upon their re-
turn from church; tnat he had been
knocked senseless and his wife prob.
ably killed. An investigation led to
the arrest on the charge OF murder
Of the man who only iour days be-
fore had retired from the mayoralty
OF Charlottesville.
| Mrs. McCue had received the con-
tents of shotgun in her breast, a
sufficient wound to Cause instant
death. but in addition she had been
struck heavy blow on the head, cut
ting an ear nearly in two.
| Accused c+able Boy.
Mr.. McCue at first laid the crime
to a stable boy, and offered 900 re-
| ward for evidence to convict the MUIR
derer. The day after he offered the
reward he was himself arrested for
the crime. At the trial which follow
ed several witnesses testified that the
married life of Mr. and Mrs. McCue
had been marred by jealousy on the
part of the wife. and that they were
continually Quarreling. One sad Tea
ture of the trial was the Iact tnat
McCue had for years been lawyer at
the bar before which he was tried and
convicted, and had been on friendly
terms with most OF those identified
>. with the trial.