Evening star., 1922-03-17
M'HENRY HANGED
FOR DUAL MURDER;
BOLDLYFACESE END
last-Minute Efforts to Save
Youthful SIayer's
Life Fail.
CALMLY SAYS GOODBYE;
PACKS AWAY BELONGINGS
Mother With Him in Cell Until
Death March to Gallows
Begins.

John McHenry, youthful slayer of
Detective Sergt. James f. Armstrong
and Wallace W. Mulcare, an auto ac-
cessories dealer, on the afternoon of
December H., 1919. paid the penalty
for his crimes on the gallows of the
District Jail today. The drop fell at
1881 " and McHenry was pronounced
dead by DIR. Harry Davies of the WASH
inston Asylum Hospital at 10 :55 O'clock
Until within few minutes of the ex-
ecution frantic efforts were made by
s. McComas Hawkin, attorney for the
condemned man, to gain respite but
after Judge Mccoy of the District Su-
preme Court refused to interfere, Capt.
w. 5. Peake, assistant superintendent
of the Jail. was notified, and law was
carried out.
Death Warrant Read.
The death warrant was read to Nc
Henry by Capt Peake at 1920 o'clock
and few minutes later, accompanied
ny his spiritual advisers, Rev. p ].
OCaliaghan Of the Catholic University
and Rev. J. S. Martin of the Church
Oh the Holy Comforter. he left his
cell and walked to the scaffold
Ihe youth displayed remarkable
coolness. and on his way to death
bade goodbye to the guards stationed
along the passage.
Earlier in the day McHenry attend
ed mass celebrated by Father O'CaI-
laghan in an improvised chapel erect
ed in the drug shop of the Jail, after
which he met several representatives
or the local papers. to whom he said
that he was willing and ready to die.
Please thank all for the fair treat
Star representative. II am willing
and ready to pay the penalty for my
crimes"
Mother With Him.
Mrs. Mary Rice. mother of McHenry,
was with him until a few minutes
before the execution, and, after kiss
ing her son goos-hye, left the Jail by
rear exit, accompanied by Miss Mary
r. Kelly, Il social worker
The body of McHenry will be turned
over to his mother. and it is expected
that it will be sent to New Haven for
burial.
After the execution Father o'Cal-
laghan said that he felt convinced
that McHenry was repepntant and
willing to die. When the apparent
gameness Of McHenry was commented
gameness of a child. II hardly think
McHenry retired last night at 1880
o'clock" Captain Peake said. "and
slept soundly until awakened this
morning. He arose bright and cheer
full, even packing his belongings
himself in an orderly fashion. He
was truly one of the coolest con-
demned men 1 have ever seen in my
life"
History of Crime.
The crimes for which AIcHenry
paid the death penalty today were
committed on the afternoon OF De-
ceinber II, 1919, when the city was
shocked at the staying of Detective
Sergt. Armstrong and young Wallace
Muicarc.
Entering the auto accessory shop
of Mulcare on 14th street Just north
of Thomas Circle, about o'clock
Sunday afternoon, McHenry, who had
but recently arrived in the city after
life Of wandering, ordered the pro-
prietor to throw up his hands and
turn over the contents of his cash
drawer.
Evidently making an effort to COM
ply with the order of the burglar.
Mr.. Mulcare opened his cash drawer,
in which rested a revolver. Whether
he used the pistol or not has never
been definitely decided, but hardly
had he made the move when shot
rang out and Mulcarc fell fatally
wounded. He died few minutes
later.
Seen by Helper.
In the rear of the yard back of the
atcrc at the time was colored
helper, who reached the shop in time
to get a glimpse of the murderer,
who was leaving the place The man
called up police headquarters and
gave the best description Of McBenry
he could. Detective Sergt James
Armstrong was Immediately detailed
to Union station to keep a lookout
eor tho criminal
In the meantime McHenry had
had already bought a ticket for BAL
timore. when Armstrong and the col
ored helper arrived. He was identif1ed
At once by Mulcare's worker, and
Armstrong approached him.
Apprehensive of arrest, after a
short conversation with the detective,
NcHer who had concealed in his
pocket ne. same gun with Which he
had killed Mulcare, fired at the, of
UCer. VINO also Iell nlOftalIy wounded
Armstrong, who had been shot in
the abdomen. held to his prisoner un-
til aid arrived. and McHenry was ar
rested. Detective Armstrong died sew
eral days later.
McHenry was indicted for the mur-
der Of Armstrong, tried and convicted
Of first degree murder. and sentenced
to hang. Through concentrated ef-
forts on the part of his attorney. and
eeveral welfare workers, who have
oontended that the muyderer was Of
Fnsound mind, the execution had
been postponed.
Last.Ainute Efforts Fail.
President Harding and Attorney
General Daugherty had been ap-
pcaled to to commute McHenry's SEN
tcnce to life imprisonment, hut. after
careful consideration of all details
Of the murders, both President Hard
ing and the Attorney General refused
to interfere.
Mrs. Anna Hendley of the Anthony
League made a last effort yesterday
to have McHenry's sentence COM
muted. She conferred, with DIR.
Charles White Of the Government
Hospital for the Insane and request
cd him to write the President, asking
such action. DR.. White told her that,
pm account Of restrictions. he would
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