The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-01-05

ton of Elroy Kent at the state pris-
on here this afternoon, was marred
by a horrible accident. The rope,
though new, and repeatedly tested,
broke when the trap sprung and
Kent's body shot down through the
floor of the gallows.
Sheriff ]. II. Kiniry and his depu-
ties kept their wits about them and
picked up the writing body of the
condemned murderer and 1t was
again suspended until the physicians
pronounced life extinct
Sheriff Kiniry, in order to make
sure of the rope this morning, tested
it on the gallows by attaching 200
pound bag of sand and letting it fall
through the trap. The rope stood
these tests and was deemed all right
for Kent's weight was only 1870
pounds. 1t is probable however, that
the rope was weakened by the tests,
so that it gave way at the actual
hanging.
Kent went to his death unmoved.
He walked calmly and steadily and
showed no sign of emotion except for
momentary whimper when ne
shook hands with Supt. Lowell and
babe him goodbye.
The execution was directed to take
place between the hours Of one and
two o'clock this afternoon and at 1.O4
the death march started from kent's
cell in the east wing OF the prison
The gallows were erected in the west
wing adjoining the guard room.
Sheriff Kiniry was assisted by Sly
deputies and the trap was sprung by
an electric device with six buttons
Each of six deputies pressed a but
/ ton. Five were dummy buttons anC
one did the work so 1t was not known
who was the actual executioner.
Prayer was offered by the prison
chaplain at 1.12 and Kent was aske'
If he had anything to say why thu
sentence of death should not be ex
ecuted
"No-o-o," replied the unfortunate
man, and the black cap was draw
over his head. The trap was sprunl
at 11s The rope broke as state'
above and il was two to three min
utes before the body was again sus
pended.
At 125 the doctors made an exam
ination and detected a slight pulse
At l.42 he was pronounced dead an,
the body was cut down.
After examination OF the body, tn
prison physician, DR.. f. H. McKewer
issued the following statement:
Owing to the unavoidable acciden
the condemned mans neck was onl
partially broken by the fall, but h
suffered no return to consciousness
and died from the effects OF the oil
iginal drop"
About 80 persons witnessed the eN
ecution including deputies, guards
physicians and two newspaper mer
Frank l.. Greene of the st. Alban
Messenger and Harry A. Mattison q
the Rutland Herald,
Although attempts were made b
both Superintendent W. S. Lowell q
the state prison and by Sheriff ]. /
kiniry to obtain some statemen
from Kent, the condemned man r,
fused to make any confession an
persistently refused TO discuss hi
approaching end, The only featur
of the proceedings that appeared {
. interest Kent was his funeral. Whe
told that he should have proper Il
neral with hearse and bearers an
that he would be buried in the pri
on cemetery with a service by IN
chaplain, he appeared satisfied.
When Superintendent Lowell trie
to direct the conversation toward
. confession, Kent refused to say an,
thing, Sheriff Klniry. when he tall
cd with Kent yesterday Afternoon
was equally unsuccessful In securln
any statement from the condemne
: man.
, Kent was executed for the murdC
of Miss Della Congdon. deaf NUT
who lived alone In East Walllngfor
and whose mutilated body was foun
in her home on the morning of Jul
"a, 1908. All the circumstances su
rounding the finding OF the body 4
dicated that double crime had bee
committed
Investigation furnished indication
y that Kent was the murderer. Ken
{ who was a native of walllngford. hi
e escaped from the state asylum
!. Waterbury n few weeks previous
a the murder and according to the te
Q timony OF several witnesses az h
s trial, had been seen In the vicinity ,
several occasions lie was not locl
3. ed for several months but was final
n arrested in pittsheld where Il
theft OF a bicycle resulted In h
IA possession by the Vermont autho
\ ties.
o Kent was tried at the March ter
10 OF Rutland county court. 1909. al
n after a trial lasting nine days. "
o found guilty of murder in the nrst {
gree. The case was appealed 10 1