Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1909-07-01
Joe Pagano Pays
The Penalty
Continued from ms page.

claspirg in his hands cross and cruci-
fix, and stood under the scaffold await
ing the final summons that should send
him to eternity. Ex-Sheriif G. s. King,
of Port Allegany, who has assisted at
many executions in the past twenty
five years, adjusted the rope, when the
Priests and prisoner repeated series
Of prayers, AT this juncture Pagano
asked for Santo Legato, IA shoemaker
employed in the A. T. Vogt's store,
with whom he used to board. Sheriff
Norris sent for his friend to whom he
said: "Tell mother l have done wrong,
but please forgive me. Tell sisters to
be good girls" These were the only
words spoken under the gallows. Be
fore leaving his cell he said to Father
Downey, who had been almost daily
his visitor for several weeks: 81 was
bad man while working in powder
and might have been killed and lost
Now | am prepared to go and am
saved" at the same time shaking hands
with all the prisoners and bidding
them good bye. AS the black hood
was drawn over the head of Pagano,
who was kissing the cross and crucifix,
Sheriff King signalled to Sheriff Norris
''all right when Sheriff Norris severed
the rope, in an instant, swinging
Pagano into the air as the heavy
weighted box fell a distance of three
Get. This was exactly at 10:11. The
victim never knew what struck him,
his neck being broken; not even
quiver or movement of muscles.
Father Catelanno, of ShaWmut, an Ital-
ian Priest, continued to offer prayer
until Drs. III. S. Falk and II. W. Bush,
Of town. and Drs. McGrainer, of Port
Allegany, and Ostrander, of Smeth-
port, pronounced him dead, his pulse
ceasing to beat at 1924, it being Just
thirteen minutes after the trap fell.
At 10:2S his body was cut down and
given in charge of Undertaken Egan
to prepare for burial, his friends hav-
ing arranged to give his remains a
christian burial in the Catholic ceme-
terry, the funeral taking place from B.
Egan's undertaking rooms yesterday
morning, at eight O'Clock, Rev. Thos.
B. Downey officiating.
The Sheriff, District Attorney and
Sheriff's Jury repaired to the court
house when the final affidavits were
prepared and signed, as required by
the law. Sheriff Norris thaked the
jury for their assistance and expressed
wish that neither would again be
called upon to act in similar manner.
NOTES AND INCIDENTS.
The Taxpayers of Cameron county
have, or will have to pay all the ex-
penses from start to finish, which will
amount to about $4,000 This in addi-
ton to the trial and execution of Odell
viii foot up to about $4,000.
m.H
The execution attracted 4 very large
attendance, many coming from ad-
joining counties. The Sheriff display
ed guarded discretion and refused to
admit any Italians, except Santo
Legato. In fact no Italians came
near the court house grounds, having
made their visits before the execution. /
Very many Sherif1s and other coun-
ty officials attended the execution on
Tuesday
~
1t was just seven months to the day
when John Kibe was buried that Joe
Pagano paid the penalty.
~
About seventy persons witnessed the
execution, including the deputy
sheriffs.
~
Joe Pagano, the victim of his crime,
leaves a mother and two sisters in
Italy, to whom he sent $4,000 every
two months. -. His mother, who had
been notified of the date of, execution,
hoped her boy might be saved from the
gallows. She was written to nd pos
sibly received letter on Monday ap-
prising her ofthe execution on Tues
day.