Imperial Valley press., 1922-09-15
SLAYER DIES
ASPREACHER
PULLS TRAP
Sheriff-parsOn Retains His
Nerve in Asking AS
County Official
MURDERER DIES CALM
Slayer Fails to Rack Nerve
of ParsOn Sheriff in
Death Sentence
MURDERER DIES CALM

FORT MADISON, Iowa, Sept. 10
The had of Polk county's pastor sher
iff, Wini.-,.d f. Robb. swung the Level
that sent Eugene G. Weeks, condemned
SLAYER, hurting through n scaffold tral
to death here ut noon today, IN pen
altv for the cold bloodcd murder OF
George Fosdick, Des Moines grocer.
Before he aseended the scaffold il
the state penitentiary, Weeks deliver
ed farewell oration to the assembled
witnesses. affirming his innocence and
that of Orrie Cross, condemned tC
death for the same crime.
"Sheriff Robb has come down here
to hang me and in his own heart he is
convinced 7 am guilty, but I am not, .
Weeks declared.
"I was never there on the night of
the murder and never had seen Orrie
Cross before in my life. I've written
all this to the governor. Cross should
NOT be hanged.
"There is no punishment in this
hanging for me- the condemned man
went on. "Life Imprisonment would
have been lots worse. Death is not
the ending of everything, but the be-
ginning"
With a jovial greeting to the prison
doctor, whom he saw in the crowd
Weeks stepped on the scaffold and
shook hands with Sheriff Robb and
Warden Howell. Then he knelt in
praver with General Andrews OF the
Salvation Army.
A Robb fixed tho moose over
Weeks head. the latter asked divine
forgiveness for his exeeutioners. Weeks
was deathly pale, but showed no other
signs Of emotion.
His hands and feet were tied and
the black hood adjusted over his head
"Goodbyc. God bless you all, - he
said lust before the sheriff pulled the
level.
The rope had been stretched by n
l;pbt drizzle and Weeks, when he
dropped barely hit the ground. But
his neck was broken by the fall ana
death was instantaneous. At the end
of IA minutes he was pronounced deao
and the body taken down.
After the execution, Sheriff Kobp
defended his coursc. ;,
81 was not acting as MINISTER
be said. {" but as a mere instrument
of the law. I have been swamped WIN
letters, mostly from religious tahat,cs,
telling me how they will ENJOY seeing
me roast in hell for this: ,...
Although several OF his dePut,es
have offered to spring the trap, hopo
refused to dodge his duty. IT.
Weeks hardly slept last mght. ne
spcnt hour after hour writing ietters
in an effort to save Orrie Cross, aiso
condemned to death TO rthe same crime'
fro mhis fate. . w,,s
Eor half an hour last night, weeks
,,;a5 n unnerye Sheriff Rbbb, who was
to spring the trap ,;t,
He sought to shock the pastor WIZ
profanity. Then he discussed oc'ai's
of the ahnging. ,as
"Now, sheriff, don't tie my hands
before YOU adjust the rope, week
said ubecause l want to feel ana see
If YOU we got it on all right. You are
liable to be pretty nervous
Robb. who served overseas as ohap-
lain and won the distinguished scr,
,,;oo cross. maintained his calm anc
,,ersnoded Weeks to be more serious
The two then discussed death ana INV
mortality. -,
os Ira Pavy was," the condemned man
declared. cat least, I'll try hard.
Robb replied
sim sure you will, Eugene
God has forgiven me, but how about
Won sheriff." Weeks asked. Do you
believe in an eye for an eyer If yat
do. YOU are wrong. That law was
changed by Christ"
Judge Utterback Of Des Moines, who
scntcnsed Weeks, was also the butt OF
the latter's last minute jests.