The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-09-09
Iowa Slayer
Hanged at
High Noon
Sioux City Gunman Meets
Fate Without Tremor Of
Fear-Jokes on Eve
of Execution.
Bids Mother Goodbye

Fort Madison. Ia. Sept. s.-tBy
A. P.)--W Without a trenor OF fear Ira
Payey, Sioux City gunman, paid with
his life for the murder OF Claude
Letner at noon today.
Sheriff Synhorst Of Orange City
pulled the trap at exactly noon.
Paycy, his arms strapped TO his
side. his feet bound and with a black
hood over his face shot through the
space in a drop OF eight feet and
spun at the end OF the rope.
so Long, Everybody"
Pavey mounted the step to the
gallows with smile on his lips.
so long, everybody" he said, as
they fixed the mask over his face.
Warden, tell my mother goodby."
Pavey was without fear as the end
drew near. He was led from the
barred room where he had spent his
last hours. with his mother, Emma
Pavey OF Kansas City. and his two
sisters, at 10 minutes to II. He re-
fused 10 be accompanied by priest.
He walked to the corner OF the
prison yard, where the gallows stood,
smoking cigaret. At the foot OF the
gallows he laughed and joked with
Warden Hollowell and the guards.
Mother Wins Race.
Travel worn from three days
automobile trip from Kansas City,
Mrs. Emma Pavey and her two
daughters, Fern and Bessie, the
mother and sisters Of Ira Pavey,
arrived at the penitentiary carly to-
day, winning by bare three hours
their race with death.
The voice broken with tears. Mrs.
Pavey asked Warden r. p. Hollo-
well to take her to her son. The
woman, exhausted from two sleep
less nights on the road and the
knowledge of her sons fate, was
near the breaking point.
The three women were taken TO
the death cell where they were talk
ing to the condemned man as the
death hour drew near.
Payey spent his last night in un-
broken sleep. At 4 this morning he
arose, asked his guards to turn on
the lights and began writing letters
At $3.50 he ate hearty breakfast.
According TO Sheriff Hugo Syn
horst OF Sioux county, the con-
demned mans nerve, instead OF
weakening as the end drew near,
grew stronger.
Last night he was served chicken
and ice cream for supper. Eugene
Weeks, Orrie Cross, William GLAND
er and Earl Throst, the other occu-
pants of the death cell, also received
part OF the special menu.
The treats On me, boys" Pavey
called to Weeks.
I'D just as soon they'd hang some
one here every week if they would
feed US like this"
Curious Turned Back.
At dawn today for the first time
IN Il years wooden gallows stood
in the prison yard OF the peniten-
tiary here, erected last night TO hang
Pavey, sentenced to death for the
murder of Claude Letner Of Sioux
county. The trap was sprung By
Sheriff SynhorSt of Orange City,
Sioux county, the county in which
the crime was committed and in
Pavey was tried and convicted.
Curious knots OF people gathered
about the prison walls this morn
ing, drawn by morbid curiosity. Al
though several announcements have
been made that the hanging will be
private and no persons admitted ex-
cept the official witnesses, prison Off
cials, county officers from the north
Iowa county, the prison doctors and
the priest, scores applied at the
gates to see the hanging aud were
turned away.
Dispersed by Guards.
A group OF more than a dozen. OF
the curious who had gathered on
high hill directly behind the prison
walls in the expectation OF viewing
the grim scene were dispersed by
prison guards.
At Q the death party began to gath .
er in Warden 7, T. Hollowell's Office |
outside the walls OF the prison.
Among them were Judge William |
hutehison, who sentenced Payey' |
Antony Tcpaske, prosecuting attor- I
ney OF Sioux county Hugo syn .
horst sheriff, several witnesses and .
newspaper men.
Three memhers oi the state hoard .
u control Chairman J. N. srirt. /.
senator A. NJ, Mccall and ], N Hut.
er, also were present.