Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-08-04
Il Die for My Country" Last
Words Of Sir Roger Easement
Before His Hanging at London
PAYS Penalty Imposed by British Courts for Al
legged Conspiracy to Cause Armed Revolt in
Ireland

psntonvile Jail Tor hish Iedsoh'
Ie ~go,oen- was convicted of conspir-
oa,ise an armed revolt in Ire
, ,'s and with having sought German
% that end. Two hours before the
..or+;on crowd # men, women ana
.5.or gathered before the prison
VIZ ~vcrtv minutes before Case
-. mounted the scaffold the great
,,rson bell commenced to toll. lie
49,, was greeted with cheers from
-. crown. mingled with some Sroans.
ocincr; the crowd had swollen to
,,,b nroportions that it extended for
..o blacks from the prison front. At
$40 minute after nine single stroke
~. ,hn he hell announced that the
van had been sprung. 1t was the sig
~, for a hooking. leering yell from
,ho crnyd which suddenly died away
into dead silence.
Met Death Calmly
raee,7ent met his death with calm
,orage. according to eye witnesses.
Larlv in the morning two priests OF
the Roman Catholic church admins
,ered the last rites in the cell of the
condemned man and shortly after
ward little procession headed by the
,Iercvmen, with Easement following,
varder on either Size, proceeded to-
Hard the execution shed, only five
Yards away. The priests recited the
utanv of the dying, Easement re-
sponding in low tones: Lord have
mercy on my soul.
As the party reached the shed where
the galows was erected, the special
executioner, a hair dresser named Ell
lis approached Easement and quickly
rinioned him. The two chaplains, the
under sheriff of London and the I'M
der-sherif of Middlesex then took up
their positions in front of the scat
fold. Easement mounted the gallows
steps firmly and commended his spirit
to God as he stepped on the trap. A
moment later the lever was pulled.
Dead at 900.
Immediately after the trap was
sprung the prison engineer and ply
slcian descended into the pit where
after the apple alton Of the usual
tests. Easement was pronounced dead
at 800 o'clock. According to the GUS
tom in the case of prisoners hanged
for crimes similar to that Of Case
ment, his body will be buried in quick
line IN the prison yard. but probably
no decision as to the time of burial
viii be made until after the inquest.
An affecting incident took place outside
the prison wall as the execution was in
progress. At the back of the prison,
little distance from the jeering crowd
about the gates. was a group of about 80
Irish men and women. When the dull
clang of the prison bell announced that
the doomed ma had paid the last penalty
this little group fell on their knees and
with bowed heads remained for some mo-
ments silently praying for the repose of
the soul of their dead fellow country
man.
Notices Posted
Immediately after the execution three
notices were posted on the prison door.
The first, signed by the under-sherlff of
London, the governor of the prison and
Father James McCarrell, Easements con-
fessor. read:
Judgment Of death was this day exc
cuted on Roger David Easement in His
Majesty's prison of Pentonville in our
presence"
A similar notice was signed by the
under-sherff of Middlesex county. The
third bore the name of P. r. Mander. the
prison surgeon, who certified that he had
examined the body and found Easement
dead.
Ellis, the executioner, arrived in the
prison early last evening and immedi-
a'ely made his preparations. He exam
med the trap door in the execution shed
and tested 1t thoroughly with a bag ex-
actly the same weight as Easement. FL
lis remained in the prison all night.
Easement showed not the slightest con-
Germ over his fate. He ate we'll and chat
ed freely and cheerily with two war
uers IN his cell. After hearty supper he
Invested himself for the last time Of lis
convict clothes and went to bed. He was
notified that he would he allowed to wear
Ills own civilian clothes for the execution
though he would not be permitted to
wear a collar.
Lately Catholic
All 1he members of Easements family
we're frotestants and he was brought up
~ mat faith but became a convert to
"n'an Catholicism within the last few
weeks On June % he was registered as
member of the Roman Catholic church
ara since that time Fathers McCarrell
s"u eafey Of Eden Grove church, near
-, ~e prison, have been ministering to him.
..e received his first and only communion
ociock this morning, when he as
''eo at mass in his cell. One of his
"''ehdants said that his overpowerins
'O'e FOR God and Ireland was most strik-
,As' According to this attendant the
,ss' words Of the condemned man, apart
from his prayers, were:
Ole for my country"
's'her James McCarrell who attend
easement during the hanging, told
- representative of The Associated
heSs mat the condemned man met
, ," death courageously.
easement went to his death like a
eve and bold man." said Father Nc
Just before the black can
s,.. ADJUSTED he stood forward boldly
voi. WV. ana said in a clear, distinct. slow
CO.. 49, into Thy hands, Oh Lord, I,
wv .aehd my spirit Then, still stand
rse.s a. MS null height, he added: Jesus
NM my SOUL The trap was sprung
" minute after O'clock.
Quick in Religion
casau er McCarrell said that he found