The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-01-02
Murderer Of Mae Labelle
Made No Scene on
the GalloWs
WALKED CALMLY
TO HIS DEATH
Trap Sprung by One of Six
Men Who Pressed
Buttons

Windsor, Jan. arthur Bosworth
was hanged in the Vermont state prison
at 27 this afternoon for the murder of
Mae Labelle at Essex Junction on June
4, l9ll The execution was the last
hanging to take place in Vermont, as
hereafter all murderers condemned to
death are TO be electrocuted The ex
ecution was conducted without mishap
or untoward incident of any kind.
During the forenoon hours Bosworth
heard the workmen as they were engaged
in erecting the death-house in which will
be placed the electric chair. He had
spent the last twenty-four hours in the
prison hospital, where he could be given
more attention. At lis o'clock the
guard came to the hospital and Bos-
worth soon started with them the march
to the gallows.
Officials Take Their Places.
Meanwhile the officials who were to
take charge of the execution had taken
their places, The hanging was to bel
accomplished by pressing button, and
six men were selected to press buttons,
SO that no one would know who had
sprung the trap, The men selected for
this work were Willis Mahoney of
Weathersfeld, Wallace Fairbanks of
Springfield, E. Cushman of Bethel, d. J.
Winship OF Weston, Fred Lockwood of
Cavendsh and Collins Stearns of Wealth
ersfeld.
On the gallows We're gathered the fol-
lowing; Rev p c. Manner, rector of the
Episcopal church, who has been Bos
worth's spiritual advisor during the last
few months, Sheriff kiniry, r. S. Spot
ford of White River Junction, Paul Tink
ham of Rochester, James McDermott of
Plymouth and j. H. Ober of Woodstock.
Supt. Lowell Urged Truth Telling.
just before the time for the arrival
of the condemned man, Superintendent
Lowell of the state prison addressed
those who were gathered to witness the
ceremony, saying that all steps had been
taken to prevent any mistakes or bung
ling in the execution and urging all pres
ent to tell the plain truth about Yer
mont's last hanging Doubtless Super.
intendent Lowell had in mind some of
the stories which have been printed
about the last two executions in the
prison, the Mary Rogers and Elroy Kent
hangings.
Bosworth Was Calm
As Bosworth was led past the super
intendent's Office, the death march halted !
long enough for Superintendent Lowell
to shake hands with the condemned man, |
and minute later Bosworth was led to |
the gallows. Bosworth showed no signs |
of collapse as he walked between his |
guards and, in fact, up to the time of |
the fall of the drop he gave no indica
tion OF weakening, meeting his fate |
calmly and without show of emotion.
At leo, the death march having |
reached the gallows, Rev. P. G. Manner |
stepped forward and read from the Epis- |
copal service and on concluding the read |
ing he shook hands with Bosworth and !
left the building.
Had Nothing to Say.
The final preparations for the last |
act were completed in few minutes, !
and then Bosworth was asked if he had |
anything to say before the signal was |
given for the fall of the drop. Bosworth |
replied in the negative and the trap was
sprung at l:27, the six men pushing elec |
trio buttons simultaneously.
Pronounced Dead at 1:4s.
At :43 DIR. S. H. McKewen, the prison
and DR.. f. S. Martin of Wind /
sor pronounced that Bosworth was dead, /
there being a slight dislocation of the |
neck. The body was then cut down and I
was removed to the hospital, there to |
he prepared for burial. The interment |
will be in the prison cemetery and will |
take place at 10 o'clock tomorrow morn t
ing, officials of the prison acting as
bearers.
Bosworth's Crime.
Arthur Bosworth's crime was commit
ted on the station platform at Essex
Junction on the early summer day of |
June I, 1911. He had been employed /
Mae Labelle, his victim, was also en-
ployed. He approached the Labelle giri
on the platform and drew revolver
The girl begged pitifully for her life but
Bosworth fired shot after shot into her
body, the people in the station scatter
ing amid the fusilade. But Bosworth
was captured before he left the platform,
and was taken to the Chittenden county
jail in Burlington. while the girl was
removed to the hospital, where she lin
gered for two days.
Bosworth was tried on the charge of
murder and was convicted in the first
degree. His lawyers carried the case
to supreme court on exceptions, but that
court confirmed the verdict of guilty.
Since that time several efforts have been
made to secure stay of execution, but
Governor Fletcher refused to grant it,
while, successfully, Judge John n. Wat
son OF the Vermont supreme court and
Judge J. L. Martin of the United States