The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-05-24
SNAPPED
LIFE CORDS
Three Koreans Hanged
in Oahu Prison
Yard.

Twice the gallOws trap IN Oahu PIT
son was sprung yesterday morning and
three Korean lives judicially expiated
the brutal murder of a fellow-K o-
rean at Kukaiau, Hawaii, few months
ago The cords of life snapped almost
instantaneously and the crime, the muir
derers and the humanitarian efforts to
save them from the gallows passed
into criminal history.
Kang Yong Box, Wo MiuBg Sock and
Shin Miung Ok, were executed under
death warrants signed by Acting Gov
ernor Atkinson, the death penalty be-
ing carried out successfully and without
a hitch ny High Sheriff William Henry.
At S:22 a. NJ. Kang Yong Box and Wo
Miung SOCK fell through the trap and
IN Is IL and is 1-2 minutes, respective
ly, the men were pronounced dead by
physicians in attendance. Nearly
twenty minutes elapsed before Shin
Miung Ok stepped upon the scaffold
trap and fifteen minutes later. he too,
was officially pronounced dead. Death,
of consciousness and a breaking of the
cords of lire, was instantaneous.
Kang Yong Box and Shin Miung Ok
went to their deaths buoyed up by the
words of the ministers in attendance
They believed they had their peace
with God. AS for Wo Miung Sock,
his nerve completely deserted him. He
was hysterical throughout the night,
and moved in his cell like a Gagged
beast. Box and Ok passed the whole
night without murmur, the former
sleeping quietly and restfulIy until day
break, except when aroused by the
cries of Sock Ok smoked considerably
and was awake a good part of the
night, but to all appearances his mind
was at rest.
Sock beat his hands upon the bars
of the cell-door He struck them with
his feet and cried for wine. The last
word spoken by him was Irvine. - Of
fieer North, the death watch, kept his
eyes constantly upon the condemned
and hysterical man and was on the
alert to prevent him from injuring him
self. So violent did Sock become in
wrenching at the bars of the door that
finally the lower hinges were torn out
and the door was pushed partially out
into hallway DIR. Moore, the prison
physician, gave Sock some stimulant to
quiet his nerves, but it had only
slight effect upon the overweight
man.
In the early morning the three men
were dressed in new dark blue suits,
striped shirts, shoes and black neck
ties. This done, Box and Ok composed
themselves for the coming ordeal. Sock
remained standing at his door, peering
out into the corridor and straining his
eyes to catch glimpse of any one
who happened to pass. His eyes had
a look of terror in them and even when
the Rev. j. ". Wadman, pastor of the
First Methodist church, his Korean as
sistant and the Rev Mr.. Motokawa
visited him, he was only soothed for
little while.
When finally High Sheriff Henry, at
tended by Deputy Jailor Bourke, the
turkeys, guards, physicians and press
representatives stopped before the door
of thecell in which Kang Yong Box was
confined, Sock came close to his door
and peered anxiously at the group as
if hoping that at the very last re-
prieve or Communication of sentence
might come TO stay the arm of the
law. He became more nervous and
constantly whispered to the death
watch to bring him some wine.
The High Sheriff read the various
records and the death warrant to Kang
Yong Box, the same being interpreted
by Mr.. Wadman's assistant. When
finished Box bowed his head and he sat
down on his cot but only for a moment
for the turkeys entered the cell and
fastened his arm and wrists.
Less time was taken in reading the
death warrant to Sock At times he
paid some attention to the words and
muttered a word here and there, but
generally his eyes We're rowing the cor
ridor. Then without more ado the
guards entered his cell and pinioned
his arms and wrists. Even then he
asked for wine.
Supported by guards the two men
were led through the corridor, up to the
main Railways and then across "a gang
way to the scaffoId The men were
placed, one facing the big kamani tree
and the other, the prison. Rev. Mr..
Wadman offered prayer and then gave
his benedictfon, concluding with the
Lord S Prayer. The caps were placed
over the Koreans heads. the nooses
duIuSteu. a nou OF the 1lSn
head to some one unseen, was the sig
nal for the trap to be sprung. There
was whirr of an electric motor,
bolt shot back with clang and the
trap fell and swung back, while the
black CARRIED figures fell down through
the opening. Then the four physicians
present, DIR. Moore, DR.. Joao Pinto, DR..
Haida and DIR. West stepped up to the
two men and felt their pulses and lis
tened to the heart beats. Death was
practically instantaneous in each case.
The bodies were cut down and re-
moved and the seaffold prepared for the
third man. Several times during the
forenoon he had knelt in prayer with
Rev. Mr.. Wadman. ''He is at peace
with the world said Mr.. Wadman to
an Advertiser reporter, and he looked
ANCIENT