The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-03
Funeral of Bridgeporter
Will Be Held Tomorrow
in Hartford and He Will
Be Buried There-Widow
and Sister -in-Law To At
tend Services From Nor
tuary.
Cant I speak first ?"'

Cant I speak first ?"
Those four words, humble dust
after the black hood was fitted over
his head, constituted the last utter
ance of Isaac N. Williams of this city
who, with Harry Roe, paid the pen
atty just after midnight this morn
ing at the state prison in Wethers-
field for the murder of County Com
missioner Hubert B. Case ait Bark
the end both men maintained their
innocence of the crime. although
Roe, in a conversation with the pris-
on chaplain, told a story which dis
agreed with any previous statement
he had made.
Williams was the first ito die. AT
12:O6:22 O'Clock, just twenty seconds
12:19:4O o'clock he was pronounced
dead by the two physicians, and his
body was lowered into the caSket and
removed from Wethersield. No
claim has been made for Roe's body
and he will be buried at the expense
OF the state.
Neither man appeared agitated ON
entering the death chamber, and both
walked with firm steps to the spot
on the floor directly under the moose.
After the straps had been adjusted
about his feet and the hood slipped
over his head, Williams said, in so
low a. tone that it was audible only
to those witnesses and officials near
est to him. Cant speak first 90 At
the same instant the trap. was sprung
and the body shot high in the air.
Twelve minutes after Williams had
met his fate, Roe was ushered into
the death chamber. The official tim
ing gave the moment of his entrance
as 12:31:38 O'Clock. and the trap was
sprung at 1922 O'Clock The last
vestige of life had left, the body at
12:45 o'clock.
Roe exhibited the same unconcern
as did Williams, although he glanced
hood was adjusted. The pIunger on
the trap clicked twice before the ac-
tual hanging took place, but officials
explained that they were merely test
ing it and had not pressed upon it
hard enough to move the rope. The
same rope was used in hanging the
two men, the first double hanging in
Connecticut since 1909 and the second
in the history of the state.
In the hours previous to the execu-
ton Williams and Roe steadfast1y
held to their innocence and complete
ignorance of the crime, but both
wrote letters, confessing the parts they
had taken in burglaries and minor
crimes Roe wrote to his mother in
Poughkeepsie, N Y, while Williams
vent letters to his wife and brother in
bridgeport. In Williams letter he
told of one ''tob,' in which he and
Arthur Pfaeff1in, who turned states
evidence in the Case murder, partici-
pated.
Each man made on request during
the day, Roe asking to see Chief of
Police Charles McCabe of Poughkeep-
sic. The chief came on a train yes
terday morning and to him Rec told
the story of the many offences he had
committed, although denying any
knowledge of the Case affair Will
1iams also had one visitor, his sister
in-1a,w, Mrs. J. B. Williams of Bridge
port.
Some time before the execution
Williams asked that am Episcopal
clergyman be selected to minister the
last rites to him instead of the regu-
lar prison chaplain and accordingly
Rev. Henry s. Harte of Trinity church
Wethersfeld, was called, and accom-
panied Williams to the death cham
ber- Rev. William B. Cary, a Con-
gregadonal minister, went with Roe.