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PRLXGFIELl), O., FRIDAYA MIDNiCIIT HANGING.Josiali Terrill, the Meips County Murderer. Hanged by Warden Cofliuat the Pen.rsphlc flewrlpllon .1 Ik* Awful w» • List -II. Lurhn Rnil ll»-W*r-Coi.txiurs, Sept. i The warden1* of-iwat ttie penlli'nllai) presented an •uited appearance last night. Tlie doors were thrown wide ..pen, al! the a as was humitiie and an awe snntlen ernwd ItOnd mind tiie corridors and rooms oonvemdng sulatueil whispers. The approaching e eeulion id Joslah Terrill, the Meigs county murderer, had east a shadow over I lie Institution. and none of the resident officers or n, heir families could sleep. Warden Coffin's ar •laughter-, nervous and pair, sat in the I’* •ffice unable in rest, and even the J steady and reliable warden himself wan- nj di-red around In a restless manner. The dealli of a liniiian being under such eiteum- an •tanees. no matter how depraved ho may I1*1 be. is an awful I long, anil there was no one * ■resent wllo was not perceptibly sff.s-Ied ' In accordance with Terrill's tpies I tie • as awakened at 11 oVIis-li and a bn.mle *' ,||S lunch, consisting uf chicken, si Ice. I “j oin»tlt;»-s. frnsl potatoes, dried l*cef. ham ['1sandwiches and butter, pic and e dice, was sent In and Hie munlerei sat down to it an evident relish, remarking that lie a splendid appetite. At 1140 the I liters of the press started for the eieru- .tion room. Instead ot resorting to the |. sierd-hsiklng lanterns an I nerve-shaktag , * oieak slums, and Hie shadowy path wind-1 .d tlie buildings in tlie yard, .'..IH.S I. . . I lia.I aamMo.l anroa.I II TtiWarden foffin hail had sawdust spread I ■long the corridors leading to tlie an net j the ll.s.r of wlih-h waa siso cmered Willi j sawdust, thus deadening all sounds. The onall s.|tiad of newspaper men »«• re-io ossl at Intervals by detachments ot I rlous and mterest.sl |eople. until the1 oiiis were crowded.At ii.o: o’clock K*r. II in ton was called ,•u tlie execution rmun and found Terrill tilting in front of his cell awaiting tlie be-ginning of religious sevievw. Tlie mur- nu .lerer w •- eialsiratcly dressed, lies new am black ‘nit jilted liiiu very well, and a clean dull an.l o ■ ar and a black ins-ktle I sited n(1 well Just beio sr his smotlliy shavixl chin. ^I his buttoli-h.de Was a bouijuef of iui- ' ' orteiiea and a luberuse. w itli a geranium *■I a* a background The tuliemse fell »m uni its place, and he banded It. with a Sp smile, to a repiiter who has shown him . i kindness. Warded Coffin also,p .Men a tuberose In his button-lmle. I l'tlThe entire rrowd passed In behind the Sc ,ui'ter. who knelt to a ehnir. while the thi ..ciators bared their heads. Terrill fit k’n. clcl and e ■vered his face with his h ind on ferv.nl prayer was offlt;t'-u. of the cv etcise. ne slraight- to •ned himself up. took a chew of tobaci-o I and lighted a cigar, settled liniisa If iu a Oil chair. There was an embarrassing pause, cln iiirlag winch the iiiunlerer neier Hinclied a h* hair's breadth, despite the curious eyes ,,n that were |ss-riug at him aronnd the corner ' of the stairs leading to the scalfold. *,v Tiieu Warden Coffin stepped forward anil ,1S rea-l the death warrant. At the rlose he ho said. This roinires me to hang vouPmiglit. ter remll. b-'tween PJ oVIuek and daylight. f rerrill maided his head as if to way that ** that was all right, and then. In answer to a piesUnn. remarked careles-ly. I believe 1 l*° have nothing to say Just now. j in*The witnesses tiled mb the rot m where be •tood the scaffold, and two minutes later *‘ai the murderer, awuiupAnied by Warden , Coffin. Ilcputy Cherrington. Assistant | IVputy I'atum. Captain Ucllenry and Ker. W( Hinton stepped out on the death balcony rerrill was perfectly cool and collected and his face was the usual color. As he stepped to th‘tra|i. Warden Coffin a.ked him if b- (T nail anything to say. With an awkwrard a c giwiure. like tlial of a school hoy declaim- Mfl •ug “Excelsior. lie answered: I say 1ain't guilty of this here charge.“You say you are guilty. .pieried the I*11' warden, who. with others. misunderstood ; the ”1 say I ain't guilty of this here charge. slo reiterated Terrill, 'Ilud in heaven knows thf I ain't guilty. There are some people and fee lawyers in Pomeroy think they have got rcc satisfaction on me now. Tliat's all I've got wa to say boaWarden Coffin stepped over and shn.k hit hand* wilti him. bidding himgmal-bye. Mr. bui Uiiilon gravely followed Ins example, say- a I mg in a solemn tone: “Jnsiah. put your am confidence and trust in the l,or«LI have. piped Josiah.He w as pla nsl over the traps and stand • I ing as If bring measured for a suit of wli dollies. permitted Deputy Clierrlngton. who Is ail old hand at llie busliie-s. to adjust the ropes. There was some difficulty in fastening a strap and he consider-ately moves! his fret to facilitate opera- cmlions. Tbe black rap - a rude bag was ,gj placed oxer his head and the noose adjusted j lt;m| at li:3S. The collar ami uecki.e were kept on but d»l not interfere with the rope. r|l) which Was tightened as milch as possible tn before llie drop At 1-1 '4. before the ^ audience realized that II had luppened. I pr Warden Coffin shot the lever from north to y south. ICattle went the Imp against tlie m|; -hie the room mid with a bi.nu” the ^ last) ,,f in*, murderer shot down seven ; (|lt;) feet, oscillated a couple of times and then bei-amr .piirL There was not a twitch n a miiKole or a movement of the body.Instantly a plank was thrown across two chairs on the platforms at each side of the hanging man. and lrs. Ciemmer and Nih rts sprang on it to take notes of the pulse and respiration. The heart beats were very rapid at tirst. but after six minutes began to lessen, lti twelve minutes he v dead.The t )pe was lowered «n that the body could be placed on the plank, the knot cut and the noose hewened and then black cap was taken off. e\(swing the s leu and blackened face. Ills neck lud been broken by the fall bill the rope had not cut the llesh.The Is sly was placed ill a gimd coffin and at T:4”» tills morning was shipped llts-kliiE Valid train to Pomeroy. where I! will be burled by the dead man's mother Strange to say. he expressed no desire t meet this agist woman before death. t*i the eontrary. he remarkeil at supper that the mil) |XT',hi he cared I Ills illegitimate child.DEATH OF WHS. L. A. CONNER.'ion ot Mr. Cdwar.1 M irrl.oo
Newspaper Details
Springfield Daily Republic
Springfield, Ohio, US
Fri, Sep 02, 1887
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Linda R.
USA 06 Aug 2024
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