Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-09-08

FOR MURDER
ON SCAFFOLD
Expressing Sorrow For
Crime, Malheur Youth
Is Hanged at State Pris-
on--Dead in 10 Minutes.

Expressing sorrow for the deed
which had brought him to a muir
derer's grave and extending his
forgiveness to all who were in any
way responsible for his fate,
George Howard, 26-year-old NAL
heur county youth. this morning
paid the supreme penalty for the
murder of George II. Sweeney,
Vale tailor. on September IA,
1920.
Outwardly as calm as the
guards who accompanied him or
as any OF those assembled to wit
ness the hanging young Howard
entered the execution chamber at
the state prison at exactly $50
o'clock this morning, mounted the
thirteen steps to the scaffold plat
form unassisted and took his place
on the trap.
George, have you anything to
say" Warden Lewis put the GUS
tomary question.
mot very much, Mr.. Lewis. :"
Howard replied. II am sorry for
what | have done and ! forgive
everyone heartily. Goodbye to you
ALL"
Dead in 10 Minutes.
AS the executioner adjusted the
black hood which shut the light of
day from the sight Of the doomed
man Father Rubis of Lebanon,
who had accompanied Howard to
the scaffold. uttered a prayer, the
signal was given and the trap
sprung just one minute after How
ard had taken his place upon IT,
In Just another ten minutes he
Il was pronounced dead by DR.. w.
| Carlton Smith, prison physician.
No arrangements had been
made for the disposition OF the
body this morning, neither the
prison officials nor the Catholic
priests who ministered to the
doomed man in his last hours,
having heard from the parents of
young Howard who live at Rock
Vile in the extreme southeastern
part OF Malheur county, 60 miles
removed from the nearest tele-
phone or telegraph station.
Approximately 40 persons wit
messed the execution of young
Howard, including the sheriffs Of
Malheur, Morrow and Yamhill
counties and deputy sheriffs and
police officials from Muitnomah
county and the city OF Portland.
AS was the case during the exc
cution of Elyle d. Kirby and
James owen all of the prisoners
were released from their cells and
given the freedom OF the prison
yards. This is practice original
with the Oregon institution and
practiced in no other prison In the
country.
Howard was received at the
prison on January 23, 1921, for
the murder of George Il. Sweeney,
Vale tailor, on September a.
1920. Since his Incarceration in
the penitentiary be has been q
model prisoner and had earned the
warm friendship OF prison off
cials and guards whose duties
brought them in daily contact
with the prisoner. He was first
sentenced to hang on February 25
1921, but received a stay OF ex-
ecution when his case was appeal
ed to the supreme court which,
however, affirmed the decree OF
the lower court.
Efforts to Save Fail.
An eleventh hour attempt was
made to save Howard from the
gallows Thursday afternoon when
b. f. Mulkey and G. w. Garland
Portland attorneys, appeared be-
fore Governor olcott with peti-
tlons containing approximately
1900 names asking that the death
sentence be commuted to one OF
life Imprisonment. The governor
however, refused to extend execu.
tive clemency as no new evidence
bearing on the case was presented
by the petitioners.
/ The board OF directors of the
Salem Commercial club Will hold
a business meeting this evening
LAT gao In the offices of the