Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-23
MURDERER IVENS
DIES ON GALLOWS
PAYS DEATH PENALTY FOR
TERRIBLE CRIME
Condemned Mans Courage Fails Him
at Last Moment-Father's Re.
quest to See Son ls
Denied
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
CHICAGO, June 22.-Richard Ivens
was hanged here today for the murder
of Mrs. Bessie Hollister. the wife of
Franklin c. Hollister, head of the large
printing establishment of Hollister
Rros. The crime which was committed
on the evening of January 12 of this
year. was one of the most revolving in
the police history of Chicago.
Mrs. Holister, who was a handsome
woman and prominent in church and
social circles on the North side of the
city. left her home on the morning of
January IL with the intention of carry
ing some flowers to the funeral of a
friend.
She purchased the flowers and per-
formed several errands i'm the vicinity
of her home, but did not appear at the
funeral, nor was she again seen alive
by any of her friends.
On the morning of January 13 Richard
Ivens, who lived at los North Halsted
street, told his father that the body of
a woman was lying on pile of refuse
in the rear of their barn. Mr.. Ivens
at once informed the police, and the
body, which was identified as that of
Mrs. Holister, was taken to her home.
Her clothing was torn and disarranged,
and she evidently had made a desperate
fight before being overcome.
StrangIed With Wire
Around her neck was twisted a slen-
der copper wire. She had evidently
been strangled to death after being
maltreated in the most vicious manner.
The conduct of Ivens aroused the sus-
picions of the police officers and he
was taken into custody and charged
with the crime He at first denied his
guilt, but within three hours of his ar
rest made a full confession to the
officers.
The confession he later repeated at
the inquest in the presence of the coro-
ner and on another occasion to the
states attorney. He went into the
shocking details of the crime in a cold
blooded fashion that aroused intense
popular Indignation.
When arraigned for trial Ivens denied
his guilt and claimed that he had been
forced to confess by the police His
defense was an alibi and the claim that
he had made the confession. under
hypnotic suggestion.
Application to the supreme court for
a stay of proceedings and to the gov
ernor and the board of pardons was
in vain and his sentence was carried
into effect on the date originally set by
the jury at the conclusion of his trial.
Murderer's Courage Fails
The condemned man, until he stood
upon the drop, faced death in the same
Stolid manner in which he conducted
himself after his arrest
When he stepped on the scaffold,
however, much of his courage failed
him. Just before the cap was drawn
over his face he attempted to utter a
prayer but although his lips moved
convulsively. his voice would not re-
spond and he was not able to utter a
sound.
1t was evident that he was on the
verge Of collapse and the sheriff has
tened the last deta--S as much as pos
sible in order to avoid such a con-
tingency.
Just prior to the execution the aged
father of Ivens called at the Jail and
asked to see his son for the last time.
His request was refused by the guards
and the father maze quite a scene rs
he begged with tears to be allowed to
see the young man once more. 1t was
finally found necessary to lead him
from the building.
An aged woman who made her ap-
pearance at about the same time as
the father of Ivens insisted that the
condemned man was about to be
hanged unjustly, as her own son had
confessed to her that he and not Ivens
was the actual criminal. She was de-
tanned pending an inquiry into her
sanity