The daily sentinel., 1906-12-24

just at sundown ON the afternoon
of Friday January II, 1907, only
nineteen short days hence, il is very
probable that the life of John McGar-
vcy will be brought To an ignominious
close on the gallows in the death
room of the Colorado state prison at
Canon City, and in the freeing of that
crime stained soul from the mortal
body, the murder of Edward Inncs,
the young iailer will have been aveng-
ed. The final chapter will have then
been written in the history of one of
the darkest deeds that ever brought
shame upon the fair name of west
ern Colorado city.
Naturally local interest in the case
is still Mt II high ebb and questions as
TO how the young murderer b. spend
ing his last days upon earth and as Ia
how he is facing the terrible fact that
only II few more days stand betweeI,
him and death, are constantly being
asked.
\ few days ago the Sentinel deter
mining to secure information regard
ing McGarvey's life in the death cell
and the arrangements for the cNcCu-
tiOn Of The first man to ever receive a
death sentence i'm Grand Junction,
had representative to visit the state
prison and in an extended interview
with the warden and other officials
and attendants at the prison many in
teresting facts were secured and are
here published for the first time.
The laws of the state and the regu-
lations of the state prison make it i'm
possible for an outside person to Sc
cure personal interview with man
condemned to death after he has been
turned over to the warden of the peni-
tentiary. but without violating any
regulations the prison officials were
kind enough to give the Sentinel man
much of the desired information,
The prison register shows that
John McGarvey, better known in
Grand Junction as George McGarvey
was received at the penitentiary from
the sheriff of Mesa county on the
afternoon of October 9Th, and tho
prison record shows that he is there
! for murder, under condemnation OF
death"
In Solitary Confinement.
Immediately on his arrival at th'
prison McGaryey was placed in soil
tary confinement He occupies Gel
No 25 in cell house No. /.
FROM llldl hbN Allhll illla htN Aft
| Garvey has been allowed TO see nc
one other than the prison officials, at
tendants, and his brother from Colo
rado Springs who called on him
/ once. No casual visitor is allowed tC
see the murderer.
There is nothing unusual in the ar
rangement of McGarvey's death cell
1t is no more bare or unattractiY'
than any other regulation prison cell
The Death Watch.
The death watch was placed owe
the young murderer Immediately al
ter his arrival. Day in and day out
through the hours of daylight ah'
during the long vigils Of the night,
guard sits in front of McGarvey's g Gel
for the sole purpose OF preyehtlh'
the condemned man from making an,
effort 10 cheat Justice and thwart tn
! strict sentence pronounced upon hin
bv Judge Stevens. by attempting Il
lkiU himself. Nc. Garyey does no
seem TO mind the ever present guard
the keeper of the death watch.
Is Treated Well
, During the last days Of his life NC
Garvev has probably enjoyed helte
food and lived in more physical com
fort than ever before in his lie III
meals are preparted in the Ohcer'
kitchen so he gets the same food a
The guards and other prison ailenu
! ants. The common, plain fare oi IN
convicts is not set before him.
He Reads Constantly.
While McGarvey is allowed to Sc
). no one or talk to no one outside OF IN
o prison officials he is allowed all ',l
n magazines. papers and books ,naI ~ ~
= NAV desire. These are brought M
{ mainly from the prison library. nov
a ever if he asks for some book lna'
: not in the library efforts are iilaue 'i.-,
secure it for him. He Is encourage