Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-07-28
NEGRO MURDERER APPEARS
CHEERFUL DESPITE PEND.
ING DOOM.
REFERS TO HIS END As
seolNa OVER YoNDER'
Many Believe Nerve Will Yet Fail
Condemned Man-Mother Defends
Son Against Charge Of Having
Committed Other Crimes - Mrs.
Junkin Goes TO Fort Madison.

Ottuwma, July 2s.-"John did not as
sault John Wagner and those stories
circulating around about the city to
that effect are absolutely false" de-
clared Mrs. Amy Ju1i1ln, smother OF the
condemned man in an interview yes
terday morning. =. don't see how John
could have committed the crime as at
that time he was IN the reform school
at Eldora- He has spent two thirds OF
his life behind prison bars. But that
is the way the public always does.
They try to place ell OF the crimes
happening in the last twenty years
upon John because he is to go to the
gallows Friday noon for the murder or
the Rosen girl" Mrs Junkn Is making
preparations to go to Fort Madison to-
day to visit her Son before he ascends
the gallows and to witness his hang
Ing.
Junkin has regalned his nerve and
If he has to be carried to the gallows
Friday there is no EVIDENCE Of 1t to-
day.
He is living on the fat Of the land.
Fried chicken. icec ream and all the
deltcacies Of the season are on his
menu. He reads the daily papers and
receives daily visits from tFfev. Father
Za&ser Of St. Joseph's Catholic church
Of FIT. Madison. Only for the presence
Of the death watch lowering close to
the doomed mans side day and night
Is there anything to Indicate the grim
tragedy that Is to take place within
the prison walls one day hence.
Look on Him With Awe.
Junkin is light hearted and care
free He huns to himself snatches OF
songs. His songs are the songs that
were popular a year and a half ago, for
Junkin has spent his last year Inside
the stone walls. He knows nothing
about the seductive strains of Meet
Me Tonight in Dreamland." THAT
Mesmeriz1ng Mendelssohn Tune" or
"Sadie Salone."
Loling back carelessly on his iron
couch inside his iron cell in his loose
prison garb, Junlcin talks to his guard.
Hearty negro chuckles at times startle
other prisoners who happen near and
who regard the doomed man who is so
near his fate with the deepest awe.
Does Junkin realize the doom that is
impending over him? He knows that
he is to mount the gallows, have the,
moses Tipped around his neck, the
black cap adjusted over his head and
to suddenly feel the floor drop from
beneath his feet and that his body will
go shooting downward. He looks upon
himself as the chief actor in the ap-
preaching tragedy. and he takes a GER
tain priderdn. being the central figure
Of the occasion. In his sday dreaming
as he lies .cn si1is hard couch he pic
lures out theSwhole scene In which he
Is to play. : His conversation with his
guards discloses this much. But there
is nothing TO indicate that. he realizes
that the end OF the play is death-the
end-for him.
"Goins Over Wonder"
"Going over yonder" is the way Jun
kin refers to the coming tragedy. He
has negro's horror and dread for the
word death and he avoids it. What he
says to Father Zaiser nobody will ever
know. If he processes christianity and
dies in the faith. this much will be
known. But the other communications
that pass between the doomed negro
and the priest-the thoughts, hopes,
fears and feelings that no commune
Gates in these last CONVEX
be a sacred. secret. The world will
never know them.
Junkin will have no visitors His
guards stand. over him day and night
and Father Easier pays him daily Wis
Its and will be with him thru the last
hours Friday morning. He will accom-
pany him when Sheriff Clark OF Center
vile and his deputies come to lead him
thru the long corridors to the gallows
in the little enclosure where the bang
ing Is to take place. AS they march
side by SIDE II Junkin holds his nerve.
the priest will humble his prayers. If
Juhldn goes to pieces Sheriff Clark and
StRriff Jackson, one on either, side will
take the place OF the priest and sup
port the doomed negro on his way to
the gallovs.
But meanwhile Junlkin eats. sleeps
and drinks Just as he has Tor the year
past. and there is little difference in
his manner or appearance from The day
he first came to tho "pen." II any
thing, he is in far better condition than
the terri2ed negro he was when the
officials hurried him by special train
automobile and hand car thru a
dozen southeastern Iowa towns where
mobs clamored for his life and landed
him safely behind the Fl Madison
walls. There are two days Tor him to
think the matter over and he may yet
go to pieces and have to be carried to
the gollows. The chances are that he
will.
Seotion L hf,orar X illed