Evening star., 1916-08-03
Former Knight Pays Penalty
of Treason in the Penton-
vile JaiIyard.
PRISON BELL is TOLLED
AS BARBER SPRINGS TRAP
Goes to Scaffold Calmly as Little
Group of Irishmen Outside
Pray Amid Jeers.

LONDON, August 3.-Roger
Easement, former British knight
and consul, was hanged at 9
o'clock this morning in Penton-
vile 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 execu-
ton a crowd of men, women and
children gathered before the pris-
on gates. Twenty minutes before
Easement mounted the scafold
the great prison bell commenced
to toll. The sound was greeted
with cheers from the crowd,
mingled with some groans. AT
g o'clock the crowd had swollen
to such proportions that it ex-
tended for two blocks from the
prison front. At one minute
after 9 a single stroke OF the big
bell announced that the trap had
been sprung 1t was the signal
for a mocking, jeering yell from
the crowd, which suddenly died
away into dead silence.
Went to His Death Calmly.
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 a little procession. headed by the
clergymen. with Easement following,
a warden on either side. proceeded to
the execution shed. only five yards
away. The priests recited the litany
of the diving, Easement responding in
low tones: Lord have mercy on my
soul"
AS the party reached the shed where
the gallows was erected the special
executioner, hairdresser named
Ellis, approached Easement and quickly
pinioned him. The two chaplains, the
under sheriff of London and the under
sheriff of Middlesex then took up their
positions in front of the scaffold. Case
ment mounted the gallows steps firmly
and commended his spirit to God as he
stepped on the trap. moment later
the lever was pulled.
Immediately after the trap was
sprung the prison engineer and physi-
clan 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 hanged
for crimes similar to that of Case
ment. his body will be buried in quick
lime in the prison yard. but probably
no decision as to the burial will be
made until after the inquest.
Pray While Crowd Jeers.
An affecting incident took place out
side the prison wall as the execution
was in progress. At the back of the
prison, little distance from the jeer-
ing crowd about the gates, was
group Of about thirty Irish men and
women. When the dull clang of the
prison bell announced that the doomed
man had paid the last penalty this little
group fell on their knees. and with
bowed neads remained for some mo-
ments. silently praying for the repose
of the soul of their dead fellow -coun-
tryman.
Immediately after the execution
three notices were posted on the prison
door. The first. signed by the under
sheriff of London, the governor 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 Pentonville in our presence"
A similar notice was signed by the
undersheriff of Middlesex county. The
third bore the name of p. r. Mander.
the prison surgeon. who certified that
he had examined the body of Easement
and found life extinct.
A coroner's jury found that the SEN
tence had been carried out in accord
ner. Gavin Duffy. Easements solicitor.
who appeared in behalf OF relatives.
identified the body.
At the inquest the governor of the pris-
on and the chief warden testified that
death was instantaneous.
DR. Mander was asked by Solicitor
Duffy whether there was any truth in the
statement published that Easement had
been insane. He replied:
Il saw no evidence Of insanity. He
acted in a sane manner to the end"
Replying to a question by the coro-
ner. Solicitor Duffy said that Case
ments health at times was very bad.
He made a plea that the body be hand
ed over to relatives. which the authori-
ties. he said, had refused. The coro-
ner declared he had no power to inter-
fere. whereupon Duffy protested, say
ing it was a ''monstrous act of inde-
cency that the authorities should refuse
the request"
Hliis. the executioner, arrived in tho
pri,,on early last evening and Immediately
made his preparations. He examined the
trandoor in the execution shed and tested
If thoroughly with a bag exactly the same
weight as Easements Ellis remained In
the prison all night.
Easements Last Hours.
Easement showed not the slightest con-
cern over his fate. He ate well and chat |
ted freely and cheerily with two warders |