The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1908-05-29
500 SEE MAN HANGED
yheriff's Grewsome Lesson Against
Crime Of Murder.
AwED BY DEATH SCENE
Foreign Element Witness Execution OF
Felix Radius at Pottsville, Pa, As
a Warning TO the Lawiess - Met
Death Calmly.

a Warning 70 the lawiess - Mel
Death Calmly.
Pottsville. Pa, May 27. - In order
that they may go among their country
men and impress upon them the en-
ormity OF the crime OF murder and the
punishment that the law OF this coun-
try calls for. 500 slays. Hungarians,
Poles Italians. Russians. Lithuanians.
and other foreigners were invited 10
attend the execution here OF Felix
Radius. a young Pole, convicted OF the
murder OF a woman and her child at
Shenandoah six months ago.
The hanging took place in the yard
OF the schuylkill county prison. The
execution was not public one In the
sense that every one who went TO the
jaiI was admitted. but the sheriff was
quite liberal In the distribution OF
tickets. and the foreigners. who we're
all eager 20 see the hanging. took all
they could get, and long before the
time set for the opening Of the jail
gates they swarmed about the place.
The idea Of having present repre-
sentatiyes Of the various foreign ele-
ments In this section OF the coal region
originated with sheriff Clay Evans,
who thought the story OF the execu-
tion. as told from the lips OF the fore
ieners. would have a salutary effect In
curbing the murderous tendency OF
tl,.. D.. st4f.uo clement
Just before the march 10 the scat
fold Radius made a complete confes-
sion OF the Shenandoah murders and
confirmed the information the police
had that he had been guilty Of com
hitting a murder IN Russian Poland.
Radius said he killed a man In his
old home three years ago and that he
fed TO this country 10 avoid arrest.
lie appeared 10 be greatly relieved
after admitting his crimes and walked
with a firm step between two priests
10 his death.
As the prisoner stepped into the
yard there was "A stir and a buzz OF
talk that made him start slightly and
he glanced hurriedly over the big
throne that hommed him In. He gave
no sign of recognition 20 any. however.
as he walked through walls OF hu-
manity 10 the gallows.
Radius scanned the crowd as he
took his stand on the trap. but his at
tention was soon occupied by the min
istratlons Of the clergyman and the
sheriff as the latter arranged the de-
tails OF the execution.
In the meantime the big crowd In
tently watched every move OF the pris-
oner and officials, and as the black
can was pulled over the face OF the
condemned there was a low murmur
which was soon hushed by warning
signals from the guards.
When the gallows drop was sprung
and the prisoner swung in the death
throes there was a perceptible move
ment but this. too. quickly subsided.
and as the doctors hastened to the
side of the condemned and pronounced
the man dead absolute silence prevail
ed
The execution had certainly awed
those who witnessed A. no matter
what other effect II might have pro-
duced.
The hanging was in every way what
is usually termed "a success" As the
big prison gates were thrown open and
the 500 invited filed out few had
anything to say. but ten minutes later
the streets in the vicinity were Ike a
babel while the men OF the several
nationalitles went their way In groups.
discussing the days grusome event.