San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-11

speaking in low tones, but stopped when he heard
come in.
The doomed man rose without a word when he
saw my purpose, and placed not the slightest him
drance in my way as began to pinon him.
Then | initiated a new feature at executions-I
left the condemned cell at and proceeded to the
scafold alone. I have mentioned having done this
with other condemned men, but these were later exc
cutions, and it was when Crippen went to the gal
lows that this further humane improvement first
put to use.
AS stood on the scaffod could the process
sion come into view twelve yards distant Behind
the praying priest came the notorious DR.. Crppen
no longer murderer to fear but rather man to be
pitied Yet his attitude was not that of one who
asks for sympathy.
He walked along without arrogance and yet with
an air of dignity He seemed conscious of what was
expected of him as a gentleman, and his bitterest
enemies could have said that he cringed in the
face of death. could him smiling as he APP
preached and the smile left his face up to the
moment when drew the white cap over it and
blotted out Gods light from his eyes forever.
In trce he on the trap-doors. with his legs
strapped together and rope round his neck. Ono
swift glance around to be assured that all was right
my hand shot to the lever, and in an instant DR..
Crppen was dead.
He had never spoken in my hearing. There was
no second appeal for mercy from his Maker-no
last admission of guilt. He crossed the threshold
without word or a sign, and in another moment
had swung him into the next world
But if Crippen met his end with unconcern, it
became my duty to hang a condemned man few
days later who in great hurry to get to the
gallows that we had hard work to keep up with him.
This was young George Woolfe whose crime
first known as the Tottenham Marsh Mystery.
Boys playing football on the marshes made the
discovery of the body of dead woman in ditch.
Police and doctors soon arrived and they counted
seventeen wounds the body caused by some
strong, sharp-cuttng instrument.
The murdered womans identity was established
as Charlotte Cheeseman, twenty-one years old, and
the problem was who the murderer?
Very soon it was found out that young George
Woolfe had been keeping company with the young
woman and was last seen with her the night before
the murder. But with the discovery it was also
learned that Wolfe had utterly vanished.
In few days, however, the detectives found
Wolfe enlisted under the of Slater in the SOL
ders' barracks in a neighboring town. Then came
the slow but steady piecing together of crcumstan
tia evidence, and when the had been patiently
constructed Wolfe put on trial, and the jury
brought in verdict of guilty"
When the day was set for the execution |
ordered to report at old Newgate Prison. On the
the death cell, and said nothing as pnioned him.
AS he stepped out of the cell the way to the gall
lows he obviously listening hard to the prayers
of the chaplain whose voice the only sound that
broke the stiffness of that ancient prison.
Presently the condemned mans Impotence got
the better of him. He had apparently quite uncon-
sciousy become imbued with the same desire as
had-he wanted it over and done with quickly.
He had started on his walk to the scaffold with
straight firm steps, but he changed to short
quick ones. He began to walk like man who has
an important appointment and fears to be late, and
can assure you had to hurry to keep up with him.
In surprisingly short space of tme-for Wolfe
took heed of the restraining hands laid his coat
seeve-we had reached the scaffold. 1t now re-
manned for US to do part in relieving the poor
wretch of the life he was evidently so anxious to
give up.
The last grim details were adjusted with ex-
traordnary celebrity. few seconds suffced for
strappng his legs and fixing the moose and white
cap. Then came the tragic climax. Almost before
those in the of the procession had got near
enough to see what happening the bolt was
drawn and Wolfe dangling dead in the pit.
while the chaplain continued his prayers for mo-