The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-08-06
SEARCH FOR HIDDEN
 LOOT HERE FAILS
Before Entering Execution Chamber, He Repudiates Story of Red Hand" Organi- zatiOn Which He Admits Was Made Up Tn Wilmington Prison.

RTlSOlls
 Bernard Montvid, the bandit who on Feb. Is slew Father Joseph zebris and Eva GiImanaitis. housekeeper in the priests rectory in New Britain, and who later tried to sell in this city some of the stsoIen goods, wase hanged at the state prison in Wethershelds early this morning.
 Montvid had told many conflicting stories as to his connection with the murder of the priest He admitted his presence in tl1e rectory, but dlscla1med having any hand in the actual stay-s l ing The priest was shot four times, then strangled and the housekeeper strangled to death.
 Montvid and his accomplce. Peter Frakas. who was executed in N CIV Jersey for nlurdering policeman, were believed to have buried part of their loot in "a vacant lot at North Main and Hunting streets, a stones throw north of St. yineent's hospital Seach by detectives of a section mapped out by Krakas failed to bring the buried booty to light
 With the words Not Guilty. on his lips. Montyid was put to death onethe i ga1lows at the states prison at 12:1S oclock this morning,
 Shortly after witnesses, consisting of prison officials and newspaper men, had taken their places in the death I chamber the hollow sounds of ap- preaching footsteps were heard rever- l berating in the ex ecutiOn room In another moment the door opened and l the dim light of the room fell upon the ghastIy features of Montvids s face. With both arms pinioned, he walked I between two guafds. Beside him was the prison chaplain, Father Oliver T. Magnell. His eyes swept the room as he entered and then he glanced quickly 7f Ina 7av WI q hanged. He walked unwaveringly to tht ganows, and stood rig1dly as the attendants adjusted straps about his 4 body.
 Father Magnel1 held the crueiflx be-. l fore him and he leaned forward ana l kissed it with impassionate fervor.s < Good by, father, good by,t' he said in a firm voice. Then. as the attend ant was about to place the black hood I over his head, he declared ir1 a firm the words passed from his lips than the trap was swung and thesgdooned man was swung into the air That l was at f2:o6: fl, 21 seconds after he l had entered the chamber.
 l The body stiffened and quivered lDr. Edward c. Fox, the prison ptysi- 5 clan. applied a stethoscope and, after i waiting for muscular reaction to cease, I lpronounced the man dead at 12:18:35. The body was then lowered into a
 
 q with teh inscription Bernard Mont vide Died August 6, 1915 It was re-
 moved to undertaking rooms in Hart ford and burial will take place this morning in Mt. St. Benedict's cene- tery at the expense of the state owing to the fact that Montvid's relatives did not signify that they would claim the body.
 6Tf1e condemned man slept unusually well Wednesday, night and he arose lrv,e4 44E.,lc7 c7-.-- .s- which was slightly later than had 1 been his custom since he became an inmate of the prison. Before breakfast he spent several minutes in prayer d with Rev. Oliver T. M agnefls the prison ( chaplain Heshad recone led himself to the ordeal pver.
 When asked if he had any espeoiai preference in the way of food. he asked for the regular prison break fast. It was with evident relish that f he ate the ham and eggs and a. dish of cereal which this guard took to his cell in the prisoh hospital where con- ldemned men are now confined, accord ing to a new rule instituted by War den Garner.
 ly. for several hours, on the edge of his cot. It was to be his last day on earth and he seemed to be naeditating on this fact because each time the guards passed his cell, he was deeply absorbed in thought.
 \ Later in the morning, he became q more talkative and chatted at times with the guards, as was the case on many days since he was taken to the prison, he spoke about the crime for which he was to forfeit his life before sI the passing of another day. It was unjust, he said, to put him to death when he did not participate in the ae- tlal murder of the priest and his housekeeper He recalled incidents of his trial and reiterated a number of the statements he made when he took I the witness stand in his own defense
 His face lit lip with a short smile when, shortly before noon, Warden
 Garner brought him the letter from
 his brother Anton in Chicago, which
 he had been hoping to receive. The letter covered four pages. It was in
 the nature of reply to one Montvid sent to him early in the week. Anton assured Montvid that he had abso-
 lutely no doubt of his innocence He eonsoled him, with a statement to the
 effect that, although nothing could
 save him, he could go to his death
 with a clear conscience. On Wed
 nesday Montvid wrote his last letter
 It was to his brother Anton, with whom he has corresponded regularly since his conviction. In the letter he again reiterated his innocence. ~ Lawyer William HamersIey, who Twas one of Montvid's attorneys at the trial, called for a short visit. Later Warden Garner came to his cell and read the death warrant to him. Mont Evid made no comment.
 At noon he partook with his usua.
 good appetite, of hearty meal ot meat and potatoes. Then he lighted a cigar and resting his head in his
 hands, gazed doIefully at the conerete floor.
 About o'clock in the afternoon AIontvid was taken from the hospita. ward and led to the first cell of ths
 execution house on the main floor