The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-08-09
After Being Convicted Of
High Treason.
AFFECTING SCENES ENACTED
Jeers Die On Lips OF Waiting
Crowd As Bunch OF
Irish Pray.
HE MET DEATH CoURAGEOUsLy

London, Aug. 3.-Roger Case
ment, former British knight and
consel, was hanged at 8 O'Clock
this morning 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 before the execution
crowd of men, women and children
gathered before the prison gates.
Twenty minutes before Easement
mounted the scaffold the great pris-
on bell commenced to toll. The
sound was greeted with cheers from
the crowd, mingled with some
groans. At 9 o'clock the crowd had
swollen to such proportions that it
extended for two blocks from the
prison front. At one minute after
9 single stroke of the big bell an
nounced that the trap had been
sprung. 1t was the signal for
hooking, jeering yell from 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 after
ward littl eprOcession headed by
the clergymen with Easement follow
ing, a warder on either side, pro-
ceeded toward the execution shed,
only five yards away. The priests
recited the litany of the dying, Case
ment responding in low tones:
Lord. have mercy on my SOUL"
AS the party reached the shed
where the gallows was erected the
special executioner. hair dresser,
named Ellis, approached Easement
and quickly pinioned him. The two
chaplains. the under sheriff of Lon
don and the under sheriff of Middle
sex, then took up their positions in
front of the scaffold. 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.
Immediately after the trap was
sprung the prison engineer and ply
stefan descended into the pit, where,
after the application of the usual
test, Easement was pronounced dead
at nine minutes after 8. According
to the custom in the case of pris-
oners hanged for crime similar to
that of Easement, his body will be
buried in quicklime in the prison
yard, but probably no decision as to
the burial will be made until after
the inquest.
An affecting incident took place
outside the prison wall as the execu-
ton was in progress. At the back OF
the prison. a little distance from the
jeering crowd about the gates, was
group of about thirty Irishmen and
women. When the dull clang of the
prison bell announced that the
doomed man had paid the last PEN
atty this little group fell on their
knees and with bowed heads remain
ed for some moments, silently pray
ing for the repose of the soul of
their dead fellow countryman.
Immediately after the execution
three notices were posted on the
prison door, The first. signed by the
under sheriff of London, the COVER
nor of the prison and Father James
McCarrell. Easements confessor,
read:
Judgment of death was this day
executed on Roger David Easement
in his majesty's prison of Penton-
willie in our presence" A similar no.
tice was signed by the under sheriff
of Middlesex county. The third bore
the name of p. r. Mander, the pris-
on surgeon. who certified that he had
examined the body and found Case
ment dead.
Ellis. the executioner, arrived in
the prison early last evening and
Immediately made his preparations.
He examined the trap door in the
execution shed and tested II thor
Z oughly with bag exactly the sam ,
weight as Easement. Ellis remained
in the prison all night.
Easement showed not the slight
xest concern over his fate. He ate
well and chatted freely and cheeri-
ly with two warders in his condemn
ed cell. After hearty supper he
Invested himself for the last time
of his convict clothes and went to
bed. He was notified that he would
be allowed to wear his own civilian
clothes for the execution. though