The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-07-29
Negro Who Murdered Miss Clara Rosen at OF
tumwa On the Night Of February S, Was
Hung at Noon Today
EXECUTION TOOK PLACE AT PENlTENTIARY
Trap Was Sprung at 1915 by Sheriff Clark of
Appanoose County and Negro Pronounced
Dead at 12:4O O'clock

At 1915 he was asked If he wished
to speak to the crowd and kissing the
cross and stepping boldly to the rope
with the moose dangling In his face
he said:
His Last Words.
~ have said all ! could to Father
Easier and he will publish it If he
Wishes.r
The Black Cap.
Sheriff Clark then adjusted the
black cap and fitted the moose while
other assistants tied the feet. Just
i before the black cap was drawn over
his face the condemned man noticed
Deputy Mckaig in front of the plat
| form. A half smile waved over the
negro's face and lii up in recognition.
The lips whispered Goodbye his
last words. The body was taken to a
Fort Madison undertaking establish
| nent and will be shipped to Drake
university at 8:15 this evening.
Mr.. Roscn Present.
! r. A. Rosen, father of the murdered
i girl was present and shortly after
ward said: q am glad that saw him
go with my own eyes. But it was the
/ greatest wrong in the world, and she
/ was the best girl that ever walked
| the streets of ottumWa.v Later when
/ the confession had been read, he said
4 that it was the only thing left to do.
4 Sheriff Clark said: at took nerve
but it's the state and the only way
4 Will, crimes Of this sort"
4 Warden Saunders said: at is cold
4 bIoodcd and horrible to think of bui
since they DO hang them for such
4 crimes it would be my idea to have
/ the execution in the open and invite
every One.
4 Mother Dd Not See Him.
Mrs. Amy Junkln mother of the
4 murderer did not see her son execut
ed. She was not permitted to speak
to him today and caught but 8
glimpse of him as he was entering
the carriage. Fifty people witnessed
4 the execution.
Junkin's Crime.
The crime for which John Junkir
answered with his life was the mos
brutal murder ever perpetrated in OF
tumwa. Miss Clara Rosen, his victim
left the home of her parents, Mr.. ant
Mrs. Fred Rosen. 1011 Locust street
to go to that of her sister, Mrs. G. 0
Nelson on Dare street. When just be
yond the corner of Cara and Dare
streets the young woman was attack
ed by the negro. who after striking
her with large stone, carried he
struggling form to an abandoned Gel
lar some few feet away and ther'
continued the heinous brutality
When life was extinct, he robbed th
body of numerous trinkets and die
!. mond ring, the latter article leadin!
to his arrest and final conviction
Two DAYS after the commission O
the murder, February Z, 1909, Junkil
: was arrested by Officer Joe Beemal
as a suspect. On February 9, h
was released, the police being unabl
to connect him with the crime. A dis
mond stone, the same size as tha
stolen from the Rosen girl, was sol
by Junkin to Pawnbroker ]. Ret
e mon on February 16. The fo1lowin
: day the negro was re-arrested by Off
c Ger Beeman He underwent sever
e sweating by the Ottumwa police d
e partment for four days, and on tn
: fifth, the excitement attendant upo
= the reported assaulting Of Mrs. Cha
M. Johnston, promoted the police
7 remove the negro to Abba. This we
J done, and five days later, on Febr
airy 81, through the combined wor
lof the Ottumwa police department
: Sheriff Griffin, Detective Way an
others, confession was secure
from Junkin which established h
J. guilt.
I Mobs Would Hang Negro.
So intense was the feeling againl
e the negro, that a crowd of citizeI
went to Abba following the report I