Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-03-22
THE HUMPHREYS
PAY THE PENALTY
..,
Through Their Spiritual Advis-
er Rev. Barr C. Lee, AS
serted Their Innocence.
DROPPED OUT AT 9:O7
The Law Is Vindicated and Another
Deterrent 10 Murder Is Placed
y Upon the Records.
DROPPED OUT AT s:O7

Two traps dropped simultaneously this
morning at S:O7 o'clock, and Is minutes
later the dead bodies of George and
Charles Humphrey, sentenced to death
for the murder of Eliza Griffith, at
Philomath, were cut down in the exc.
cution chamber in the Oregon peniten.
tiary, and placed in rude pine cOffins,
and thus ends, or, for the time being at
least, the last chapter of one if not
the most horrifying murders ever per.
petrated in Oregon.
Were Weak and ILL.,
The condemned men were transferred
from the death cells in the second tier
to the ground floor, and upon being
asked whether or not they desired the
death warrant read, George waived the
reading, while Charles requested that
the document be read, presumably for
the purpose Of gaining time. Both men
broken in mind and body, and showing
perceptibly the suffering they under.
went during their last night on earth,
were escorted to the fatal stairs lead.
ing to the two hempen nooses hanging
from the execution chamber ceiling.
George Humphrey preceded his brother,
and when nearly to the top Of the stair,
Warden Benign could be seen pulling
him along by the strap joining the pris'
oner and the guard together. Charles
Humphrey maintained more composure,
and followed his condemned brother
without weakening.
The Pastor Talks.
Warden BeDgin asked the Humphrey
brothers If they wished to make state
ment. George mumbled some incoherent
words concerning his minister, Rev.
Barr G. Lee, and spoke in jerky words
of his innocence, the import of which
could not be understood. His brother
simply told the warden that the minis.
ter would talk for him.
"These gentlemen have nothing to
say themselves said Rev. Lee, "and
have designated me to represent them.
I have associated with these condemned
men for the past six months, and am in
a position to fairly understand their
circumstances, and they have told me
they are innocent. I wish to say that I
believe them--they are not guilty Of
the crime they are charged with"
Hanging Mechanical.
Under the able direction of Warden
Benign, the black caps were adjusted,
the death.dealing moose arranged and
the traps sprung before the spectators
hardly realized that the Judgment of
the courts was being carried out. Both
traps banged at once, and the two bod.
les, after seemingly remaining station
.ary for a second, shot downward for a
distance of six feet, and, with the ex.
.ception Of noticeable relaxation of
the muscles in Georges body, and three
gasps for breath by his brother, the
Humphrey brothers passed into another
world, and the mandate Of the law was
complied with, when Prison Physician
Byrd pronounced the two inert bodies
pulseless.
The necks Of both were broken and
death came almost instantly. The dis
tance Of the drop was gagged perfectly
and IL was conceded that the hanging Of
the Humphrey brothers was the most
"artistic" ever performed in the Ore
gon penitentiary
confesses TO Sheriff Gellatly.
When the sheriff of Benton count,
called upon the Humphrey brothers thi'
morning, they confessed to the crim'
for which they hung They told sher
iff Gellatly that they were guilty ant
that they no longer desired to live.
The condemned men have repeated!
confessed and denied their guilt, ac
cording to both officers Of the prisol
and others who have talked with them
It is generally believed that the tw
brothers came to their death as tho "
suit Of the influence Of man b. III
name Of r. N. North, former dontis
of Philomath.
But Tools in Murder Case.
According to Sheriff Gellatlv, th
Humphrey brothers were but tools q
thi nan North in killing and foho'n
Mrs. Griffith. He says that North idl
nishcd the brains, while the 1oI
de,cncd men performed the dirty vnl
North is a former student in ;hs Co
wallis college. The sheriff states tha
after roaming about tho country u
geveral years, he returned to PhilomatI
.---------------------------