Arizona republican., 1910-01-06
4 CENTRALIZED" HANGING
The First Under the Law Requiring That Doomed Shall Die Within the Penitentiary Walls-Lo- peg No Victim of Fear.

Florence. Ariz. Jan. 5.-(SpeciaL)- | The first hanging under the new law, which requires executions to be at the | territorial prison, took place this | morning at 10:30 o'clock when Jose | Lopez was executed.
 The proceedings went off without q hitch. Standing nonchalantiy in the condemned cell with one hand on the bars and the other hand holding a | burning cigar. Lopez listened to Super intendent Rynning's reading of the death warrant. the only perceptible change in the prisoners demeanor be- ing somewhat increased pallor
 The reading of the warrant being completed, Lopez ascended the stairs fros his cell to the execution chamber preceded by a priest and followed by a prison guard. He ascended the steps without assistance and took his posi- tion on the trap without a tremor
 The knot having been quickly ad- justed by Captain Ward. who is guard and famous for his record as a sheriff of Coehise county, Lopez listened to the last words of consola- tion from his spiritual adviser. He kissed the crucifix. still without tremor, and an instant later the trap beneath him was automatically sprung and the condemned man dropped ten feet into chamber below.
 The physicians in attendance pro- nounced life extinct at the expiration of sixteen minutes and thirty-two sec onds, which is about the average time ha l.. e death. for ell practical purposes was in stantaneous. The body was delivered to the parents of the dead prisoner. HIS LAST NlGhLoN EARTH.
 After eating heartily of a bountiful dinner of roast chicken. and smoking several cigars the condemned prisoner. Jose Lopez last night retired at 9 o'clock for his last sleep on earth He slept soundly and arose at , o'clock this morning apparently unconcerned about the fate awaiting him.
 At ' a. m. the prison chaplain, Rev. Father Heitz. arrived at his cell and celebrated mass in the corridor of the condemned cells. After this the pris- oner was furnished good hot break fast which he ate with a relish. About ' iil iit WAS Mllil d suit which he exchanged for his suit of prison stripes. He then devoted a short time to prayer and meditation.
 To the last Lopez maintained that he had no recollection of the act for which he was to die. He made no pub lie confession as it was thought heI would do at last. What he may have told his confessor will never be known.
 HIS CRIME.
 The crime for which Jose Lopez was hanged today was a most atrocious one. the murder of his former mistress in the presence of her children atI their home six miles from Florence late one night last August. Lopez was perhaps fortunate that the new pen itentiary was under construction here when his crime was committed. for he was rushed within its protecting walls to prevent what seemed to be the al- most certain facing of a mob.
 Though still comparatively young man, Lopez has served one term in the pententiary. previous to which he had lived with a Mexican womanI named Maria Espinosa. Returning from his service in the penitentiaryI he renewed his attentions to the wo- man and was repeatedly repulsed | Frenzied by jealousy he visited her home late one August evening and in the presence of her several children, the eldest of whom was II years, he demanded that she live with him again. On her refusal to do so he shot her, the Charge tearing away large part of her head, when she fell dead across her smaller children, drenching them with her blood |
 He rode to his own home, where he was found fast asleep the next morn- ing by Sheriff McGee. and hurried to the new prison for safe keeping The trial was formal as only one verdict could ensue from such a circumstance though the jury deliberated an hour or so. carefully weighing the evidence that was put forth to show that Lopez was drunk and irresponsible when the decd was done. In his own behalf he stated merely that he had no recol- . lection of the incident. The jury fixed the penalty at death, and in the latter part of october Judge Kent announced the date of his execution as January ,, 1910.
 On the occasion of the sentence. Lopek stood unmoved until the court had finished, then addressing the judge. with an air of irritation. he said. What did you put it off so long for?" The court replied that he had done the best he could. The law- would not