The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1914-02-17
GROANS CONTINUE
FROM THE.COFF|N
Even After Murderer Had
Been Placed in Box, There
Was Life in His Form.
CALGARY SCENE OF
-. BRUTAL HANGING
Holmes. the Hangman, Nervous, a,,d
Fails to Garry Out Mandate of
Court in Proper Manner-yictim
Seated in Chair ON ScafYold.
Holmes. the Hangnan, Nervous, a,,d
Fails to Carry Out Mandate of
iTimes Snecial.l

Calgary, Alta, Feb. 11.--W1lilaln
Jasper Collins. self-confessed muir
der was committed at Cereal, Alta.
May 2, last, was hanged ut the mount
Cd police barracks this morning.
As had been expected. the affair
was the most gruesome, but not from
the fact that Collins had to be carried
to the gallows, but rather from the
fact that the hanging was bungled in
q most horrible manner.
Seated In Arm CHAIR.
With Collins seated in an arm
chair. the trap was sprung at sos
o'clock. 1t was not until $3.50 that he
was pronounced dead by DR.. Costello.
Groans Fifteen Minutes.
Groans were heard to come from
Collins inanimate form fully fifteen
minutes after the trap was released.
and DR.. Costello, Sheriff Graham.
Superintendent Balm and Hangman
Holmes held a hurried consultation,
of in one corner, but when they re-
turned there was less trace Of anima-
tion and Collins was allowed to pass
out Of the world without being again
subjected to the ordeal Of the scaf-
fold.
Walks to Sca6old.
It was 1853 when Sheriff Graham
entered the death cell and told Collins
he was to be hanged by the neck
until dead. and to prepare to die at
once.
Collins walked uprightly to tho scat
fold and paid no attention to the
roush comm as ,hea apa.:sd Il. He vas
render fifns but very fttis s1fd. and hs
walked up the steps to the scafIold: 3
HaAlnaaa II aNsrv0iis.
Holmes was rtianifestly nervous u
he. adjusted the rope around Collins
neck and there was dow Of language
from the mounted policemen that was
not exactly complimentary to the
manner in which he was conducting
the execution.
Rope Is Adjusted.
the black cap and Homes stepped
back.
Charles Bailey. reader Of tho Chris
tian Science church then stepped up
and repeated a short prayer audible
only to Collins. He then asked If the
to send his relatives. He received
no reply.
Trap Is Sprung.
Mr.. Bailey signified to the hangman
that his Offices had been performed,
and the trap was sprung at sos, only
uV0 minutes from tho time tho sheriff
had entered the cell.
There must have been something
wrong In some manner or other, for
the rope slipped up and caught Col
Nns around tho chin, and when he was
cut down about Ave minutes after the
trap was released. it was plainly ap-
parent to all that he was still alive.
and when laid beside the cofin, groans
were hoard to issue from time to time.
IASe Leaves Him RapldIy.
However. life was fast becoming
extinct, and Collins was placed in tho
coffin. Later he was removed for the
autopsy.
Collins and Benson were both na-
tives Of Braymer, Mo. The latter had
befriended Collins, and whom he came
to Alberta to- take up homestead,
brought Collins along with him. Ben
son had in his possession about So 400
which must have aroused the cupidity
Of Collins, who murdered Benson ON
May ="
Sought to Cover Crime.
The murder was committed By
striking Benson on the head with =
hammer. stunning him. This was fol-
lowed BY q shot through tho loft,
breast. Next the shack and the body
OF Benson were saturated In coal oil
and fired. -
In. carrying out tho sentence. ono
OF the most discussing scsnes evor
enacted. took pIace.