The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-08-04
EASEMENT PUT
TO DEATH FOR
HIGH TREASON

London, Aug. 3.-Rogcr Easement,
former British Knight and consul, was
hanged this morning at 9 O'Clock in
Pentonville Jail for high treason. He
was convicted of conspiring to cause
an armed revolt in Ireland and with
having sought German aid to that
end.
Two hours bofore the execution
crowd of men, women and children
gathered before the prison gates
Twenty minutes before Easement
mounted the scaffold the great prison
bell commenced to toll. The sound
was greeted with cheers from the
crowd, mingled with some groans. At
9 clock the crowd had swollen to
such proportions that it extended for
two blocks from the prison front. At
one minute after nine single stroke
of the big bell announced that the
trap had been sprung. 1t was the sig
the crowd, which suddenly died away
into dead silence.
Easement met his death with calm
courage, according to eye-witnesses.
Early in the morning two priests of
the Roman Catholic Church admins
tered the last rites in the cell of the
condemned man and shortly afterward
a little procession, headed by the cler-
gymen with Easement following, a
warden on either side proceeded to the
execution shed, only five yards away.
The priests recited the litany of the
dying, Easement responding in low
tones: "Lord have mercy on my soul. -
According to one of those present
Easements last words were: 81 die
for my country
AS the party reached the shed where
the gallows was erected the special ex-
eeutioner, hair dresser named Ellis,
approached Easement and quickly pin
ioned him. The two chaplains, the un-
der-sheriff of London and the under
sheriff Of Middlesex then took up their
positions ~ cont of the scaffold. Case
i,fe.at isrs,,in .allowss steps
lv and commanded his spirit to God as
he stepped on the trap. A moment later
the lever was pulled.
Immediately after the trap was
sprung the prison engineer and ply
sician descended into the pit where
after the application of the usual tests
Easement was pronounced dead at nine
minutes after nine. According to the
custom in the case of prisoners hang
ed for crime similar to that of Case
ment, his body will be buried in quick
lime in the prison yard.
An affecting incident took place out
side the prison wall as the execution
was in progress. At the back Of the
prison a little distance from the jeer
ing crowd about the gates was a grouI
of about thirty Irish men and women
When the dull clang of the prison bel
announced that the doomed man pai6
the last penalty this little group fel
on their knees and with bowel head
remained for some moments sllentl,
praying for the repose of the soul O.
their dead fellow w-countryman.
Immediately after the execution
notices were posted on the prison door
The first, signed by the under sherif
Of London, the governor of the prisol
and Father James McCarroll, Case
ment's confessor, read: Judgment o
death was this day executed on Roge
Easement in his majesty's prison o
Pentonville in our presence. A sim
lar notice was signed by the under
sheriff of Middlesex county. The thlr
bore the name of P. R. Mander, tn
prison surgeon, who certified that b
had examined the body and foun
Cascmet dead.
Ellis, the exccutioner, arrived In tf
prison early last evening and imm
diately made his preparations. He e
amincd the trap door in the execute
she'd and tested it thoroughly with
bag exactly the same weight as Cas-
mcnt. Ellis remained in the prison a
night.
Easement showed not the slighte
concern over his fate. He ate we
and chatted freely and cheerly WI
two wardcns in his condemned ce
After hearty late breakfast he
vested himself for the last time
his convict clothes and went to be
He was notified that he would be
lowed to wear his own civilian cloth
for the execution, though he wou
not he permitted to wear collar.
All the members of Easement s ia
ily were protestants and he was broug
up in that faith, but became convf
to Roman Catholicism within the lf
few weeks. On June 20 he was reg
tered a member Of the Roman Catho
Church and since that time Fath'
McCarrel and Carey, of Edin Gro
Church, near the prison, have be
ministering to him. He received
first and only communion at sew
o'clock this morning when he assist