Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1914-12-16
HUNT GETTING SQUEAMISH
IN HIS OLD AGE, SAYS
PIONEER OF THE WEST


Hunt on the question OF capital pun
ishment. When the people decreed
that the murderers at Florence
should hang. word was sent forth all
over the United States. together with
the views OF the chief executive on
the subject One OF these dispatch
es fell under the eye of a former
resident OF the state, who CHANGED to
be in Elk Grove. Sacramento coun-
ty. California. The result was the
article given below. appearing in the
Elk Grove Citizen OF December 2,
which if in consonance with the facts
shows that there has been a radical
change in the sentiments OF g. w. p.
Hunt in recent years. The article
follows:
\ dispatch from Phoenix, Arizona.
of Dec /. to the Stockton Mail, says:
Eleven lives will be snuffed out
simultaneously at Arizona's hang
ing bee" at the Florence penitentiary
Dec. 10. according to the plans OF
Governor Hunt and Warden Sims.
The executioner who could stand the
strain OF dropping the trap under ii
persons does not exist, the warden
told the governor.
when the people OF Arizona vot-
ed at the November election against
abohshing capital punishment, Gov.
Hunt. who is strongly opposed to
capital punishment, announced that
he would allow the execution of II
condemned prisoners to take place as
the courts had scheduled.
The matter OF constructing a
hanging platform in one OF the pris'
on buildings or the prison yard for
the simultaneous executions will be
considered at meetinn OF the state
board OF control in few days.
An old timer of the west sojourn-
ing for the past few weeks in Elk
Grove. who has toured the country
from Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico,
and who knows the carly history OF
Arizona like a book. remarked to
The Citizen editor. after reading the
above:
Those fellows down in the Copper
State, particularly the governor. are
getting mighty squeamish about
hanging murderers. | remember
one night in the early SOS. in Globe
the town from which the governor
was elected. that he took an inter
ested part in the lynching OF two
murderers.
"The two men-Hawley and
Grimes-had robbed a pack train a
dozen miles from Globe, after kill
ing the driver and messenger. About
$4,000 in gold was secured. Max
ing their way back to town. Haw-
ley and Grimes met DR.. Vail, who
knew them, and on the principle that
dead men tell no tales, they muir
dered Vail.
Let me add here that three men
were engaged in the murder and rob-
berry. but as one of them, Cicero
Grimes was half-witted, and led into
the crime by the other two. he was
turned over to the sheriff. afterwards
tried and received a life. sentence.
He was 4 brother OF the Grimes that
was hung.
The next dav the men were ap-
pretended, link, OF evidence, gather
ed here and there. forming a chain
that established their "uilt beyond
possibility OF doubt. The men were
given a fair trial by the court OF
Judge Lynch and condemned to
death. Hawley and Grimes then
confessed. and the former agreed to
escort a posse to the place where
they had buried the gold, the entire
amount OF $1,000 being found in
TACT.
About 2 o'clock in the morning
the posse with Hawley returned to
Stallo hall, where the trial had been
held. and where the citizens OF Globe
were impatiently awaiting their ar
rival. The night. or rather morning.
was 4 beautiful one. A round. full
moon shining i'll a cloudless sky il
Illuminated the proceedings, as the cit
liens OF the town, two by two
marched down the street OF Globe
Among others in line-and there
were men from every walk OF life
was George Hunt, then 4 waiter in
the Pascoe restaurant, now governor
OF Arizona.
Down the street the men moved
to the solemn sounds of a church
bell which some one thoughtfully
remembered to toll.
"Fhe scene was an impressive one.
The place OF execution was a cot
tonwood tree on the bank OF Pinal
creek, a few hundred yards from the
hall where the trial was held. Rev.
ID. w. Calfee. a pioneer Methodist
minister OF Arizona, and well known
throughout California offered spirit
ual consolation. The reverend gen.
tleman. addressing Hawley, remind
ed that worthy that he was about
to enter the presence OF his Maker.
that the future looked rather dark
and offered to pray with and for
him. 'Parson' replied Hawley, 1T
amt the future that's troubling me;
it's the present. If | could just get
away from this mob now, I'd be will
ing to take chances on the future.
\ few seconds afterward the bodies
OF the men were dangling between
heaven and earth.
And say. that talk of Warden
Sims. that the executioner who could |
stand the strain OF dropping the trap
under II persons does not exist is all |
bunk. They can hang a dozen or |