A SCAFFOLD SCENE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3651, 1 November 1890, Page 2

A SCAFFOLD SCENE.

A Vancouver MurJoror. EjkardGallagber, the murderer of Louis Mrir, was hangod at • V Miconver, Ho fought like a deinon to get away from' tho officers, and created an awful scence on the scaffolds • Ho had hopeofbeing saved, even-to tho last minute. Less than five mm-, utes before, the noose wag!adjusted, 1 " ho told Father Schramm confidentially ' that he would never be hanged. The execution canie about as near being a : , pnblid afnii' as anything that his over '' taken placo in Washington,-fully ffVe hundred witnessing it,,They'wert'not •' men alone, but women) young and old, -- married and.unmarried, and little girls ■ fnd'foys, some of .them'fivo 1 Knd, six years of age, : One brazen faoed th'intp took in every thing with interest. She remained in the rear until the trap had " been sprung, ,wlion she pressed forward pushing the men asido until she • reachen a bench, whoro she took station and kept her eyes on the dangling,body, grinning occasionally - at tho mon around her, When-Gal- 1 ' lagher was scuffling a woman who was in the rear of the crowd held.,uphec'" 1 ' young child to give it a view. 'After * tho ticket .aolders had surrendered their invitations no.one remained at. the gate, and the women arid children swarmed in. Many of the spectators were soldiers. Everyono in the courtyard was laughing andj&bberingwhen Deputy Sheriff Slocum ascended thesoaffold stairway and , commanded silence. "You will keep perfectly quiet while the ceremony is going on," he Baid. Gallagher was poorly dressed. He wore a common working suit, heavy shies, a calico shirt, and ' black tio, and a hat .that was old was, full of holes. A lookof astonishment •„ filled his face as he gazed- upon the , orowd, but he walked steadily, surveying tho gallows as he tdvanced. At the foot of the gallows stairway he mado his first show of opposition. He did not want to, ascend, and made a feeble attempt to get away, but tho, sberift patted him on the back, and he went up the stairs with a firm step, "Take a seat, Gallagher," said Sheriff Hemming, wben' ; the platform : had fbeen T ■ roached, ' motioning him to a place alongside of Father Schramm, whose oilers of spiritual consolation he had rejectedi Gallagher smiled and answered, " I don't know as I have done anything wrong." Father Schramm pattedjiim on tho back, and said in a kind, way—" Are you not sorry for > what ydu.have done?"' "lam'not sorry k anything,', retorted Gallagher surlily. Do you not know that! f you are going to appear beforjyouj. ) Maker, the Almighty God ?" V Ohj > no/' replied Gallagher, smilingly, I'm not going to be hanged." " Are J you ready for | care about that," This is your last I ohanoo to make your peace with God," ' "It won't do me any good," "Just I as you please about that," said Father" 5 Schramm, Tho priest saw* that ha ' could do nothing with the condemned 1 man and left him. "Doyotiwantto say anything, Gallagher ?" ssked sheriff Walker. " Yes, I would liko tosay something," said the condemned man, advauoing. He was very nervous, and could not talk above a i whisper. " Ladies and gentlemen," be mumbled, "Louder," shouted i some .one on the she'd, "Talk > louder, Gallagher," said Deputy Sloouui. Gallaghercould not comply, He mumbled these words" I ant sorry I have to appear before you* in this form, but I hope it will not be for the worse. It has affected me to be kept in confinement so long. I am not situatea to make a speech, but would like to say something if I was , prepared. Therefore you will have to oxotisa me in many points." Then' . Sheriff Flemming pat his arm round . Gallagher and braced him ap while Deputy Bloom'-: read the death warrant. Gallagher listened atten--1 tively, and kept his eyea on the 1 document. When that portion of it relating to the judgment was read, he smiled and said—"That don'c amount ; to anything." Then followed the awfui scene, Sheriff Flemming ; stepped back, with", Gallagher ,tO. -the trap and called forthehandouffs. " I don't want to be handcuffed," said f Gallagher, his eyes flashing! " But you must," responded the Sheriff, . taking the handcuffs from a', deputy,' ; "No you don't," said Gallagher,. ' away and starting for tho stairway,' Sheriffs Flemming and Walker, Deputies Slocum, Flemming snd Eokerhardt, and City Marshal Handy immediately seized' hi®, and a scuffle ensued, Gallagher seemed possessed of superhuman strength* All the officers ate robust, muscular i men, but they wero like children in ; the hinds of the prisoner. Hfl ' wriggled out of their grasp, kicked ' them and pushed them asids | and once he was free and made another break for the stairway,. | Sheriff Flemming caught him, and in i a minute his hands were behmd him i and strapped securely, Tho struggle lasted three minutes, . The 'struggles ; weakened Gallagher, and when j Sheriff Flemming placed him on the ( trap and told him to behave like a [ man he could scarcely stand.' When he saw that his legs wero about to ha ' strapped he became violent again, and ' there was another scene, but it did not last so long as tho other one. Gallagher's strength was nearly, gone i but he waß able to kick right and left, , wriggle, and bntt. Ho injured no i one. He made it lively for the boys, and the issue was in doubt for a while. " Throw him down," said the Sheriff, 1 It was all six stalwart men : could do to throw the demon, • but they finally stretched him on the trap, and while ; some held his body and others his legs, Marshall Handy strapped him. As he lay there, his eyes flashing, bis palecheeks glowing, holooked 1 all tho world like an insane man. ' There was A wild look in his eyes which seoraed to say, "You got away with me, boys, but it; took everyone" of you to do it," Gallagher was weak ' when he regained his feet, bht he came up smiling, and . tried to obey' Sheriff injunction, "Njw act like a man." The black cap; was put on; his head, and then the noose was adjusted, "Is there anything you want to say f, asked tho sheriff iji the liopt that he would confess at the laßt minute. No answer i' Did you kill that man, or did yo a '

' wl! Now answer," said thosh«titli •SR>> " None of yoar damned bustneae," carae from under the blnok . , «p. Tho-nevct instant the Sheriff pressed tbo lever, and Gallagher fell & seven feet, and his neck was broken.