The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-07-11
Negro Who is to be Hung in Fort
Madison Penitentiary on July
2sth is Becoming
Nervous.
NOW IS IN TORTURE.
AS the Shadow of the GaIlows Falls
Across His Cell, He is Begin
ming to Realize His
Crime.

CENTERvILLE, July 11.-Joha
Junkin will have to be carried to the
gallows in a nervous collapse is the
prediction freely made since the re-
turn Of Sheriff j. G. Clark from Fort
Madison, where he has been making
arrangements for the hanging July
20, when John Junkin will pay the
penalty for the murder of Clara Rosen
at Ottumwa. Junkin is kept In soli-
tary confinement, entirely away from
the public, and the guards have noted
change coming over him as execu-
tion day approaches. He is becoming
more nervous, something similar to
his state of mind when in the Appa-
moose county Jail a few days before
his trial year ago in June Then he
almost collapsed for fear Of mob.
Sheriff Clark intended to see him at
Fort Madison and ask il he wanted a
spiritual advisor, but the prison au-
thorities advised that he wait until
July 27, when the sheriff goes to SUI
lperintend the erection of the scaffold.
He found an old scaffold in good
shape that can be rebuilt. Sheriff
Clark has to provide his own rope,
and has arranged to order one that
will stand the test applied to bag
of sand before the hanging.
Every precaution Is being taken at
the prison to see that Junkin does not
cheat the gallows by taking his own
life before the day set for the hang
ing. Guards are careful ttat nothing
gets to him that he might use. 1t is
believed that as the day approaches
fear Of the gallows will become per-
feet torture to him AT the time Of
his trial the only thing that affected
him was when there appeared to be
danger threatening his person. And
his guards then predicted that he
would collapse before the day for
hanging They are expecting to hear
any day that his present nervousness
has eliminated in total breakdown.
Widespread curiosity exists to see
the hanging. Letters come pouring
in on Sheriff Clark in every mail now,
and some were received weeks ago,
asking to be in the party. In one let
ter from Ottumwa was a list of twe1-
ty-one names. A Keokuk attorney
was retained by client to get him
the job of doing the hanging and the
question was asked as to what the
sheriff would be willing to pay to have
the job done right. Presumably the
client was to divide fees with the at
torney who got him the job. G. E.
Warburton up in Hardin county had
heard that no one would take the job
of hanging the negro ard he offered
his services, saying he wanted to see
justice done. That there was reason
to fear mob violence at the time of
the trial came out in letter from an
Ottumwa man who said he was here
at the time, unknown to the sheriff,
for the purpose of seeing Justice
done, If not by the court and jury,
then otherwise" He wants to see it
done July 20. Various sheriffs who
had custody of Junkin, as w. B. Griff
at Abba, and E. j. Grimes at Sigour-
ties. The attorney for the defense asks
that Prof. H. j Hoove of Des Moines
and DR.. ]. G. Box OF Ottumwa, experts
used to show Junkin's degeneracy at
the trial, be in hte party. John j.
Crimmins, deputy sheriff of Lee coun-
ty wants permits for seven. The Mt
Pleasant postmaster sends a request
that DR.. l.. B. Allen of that city be in
the party to pass on the matter of
death. Sheriff Thomas Walsh of
Hardin county writes for himself and
a friend. Saeriff Johannessen of
Bloomfield calls attention to pleasant
association with Sheriff Clark at the
state sheriff's convention, and wants
to go. DR.. IIora d. James of Fairfield
wants to go and take his druggist
friend, Clifford Thoma. John III. Curl
of Bloomfield calls attention to the ac-
quaintance with the parents of Sheriff
Clark back in the war times and
wants to be on the list. H. C. Will
liams, Chief Gallagher and others OF
Ottumwa write personal letters. w.
II. MCGUIRE of Marengo protests
against one person he heard was to
go as not being a respectable citi,
zen"
The family Of the murdered girl
want to see him hung, and Sheriff
Clark proposes to see that they have