Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 August 1889 — NOOSES FOR FOUR NECKS [ARTICLE]

NOOSES FOR FOUR NECKS

A QUARTET OF MURDERERS HANGED IN THE NEW YORK TOMBS. The Quadruple Execution Carried Out in Accordance with the Law —Sensational Scene on the Gallows—One of the Condemned Dies Asserting His Innocence. At New York, four condemned murderers—Patrick Packenham, Jack Lew is (colored), James Noiar, and Ferdinand Carolin—were hanged in the yard of the Tombs prison Friday morning. There were two scaffolds and two men were hanged on each. Peckenham and Nolan were first executed on the scaffold, which had been erected on the Franklin street side of the prison. The di*op fell at 6:55 o'clock. Eight minutes later Lewis and Carolin were hanged from the gallows, near Leonard street. Sheriff Flack and Under Sheriff Sexton entered the prison at 6:32 o’clock. They wera followed by twenty deputy sheriffs. At 6:46 Carolin and Lewis were removed to the boys’ jail, on the Leonard street side. The last rites of the church were then, administered. At 6:40 two of the condemned men, Packenham and Nolan, emerged from the jail. Father Pendergast supported Packenham and Father Gelinas walked by Nolan’s side. Father Van Rensellear followed. Packenham’s face was ghastly pale, but his step was firm. Nolan hardly appeared to realize his position. Reaching their places under the ropes both men turned and grasped the priests by the hands. In a twinkling the black caps were adjusted, and Atkinson rapped three times in rapid succession on the side of the box, wherein a third assistant stood with a hatchet. The third rap had hardly been given when the bodies of the murderers were swinging in the air. At the expiration of four minutes a mighty throe passed through both of the suspended men. At 7:10 o’clock both men were pronounced dead, but were permitted to hang fifteen minutes longer.

While this scene was being enacted preparations were being macle for what proved to be the most shocking spectacle that has ever been witnessed within the walls of the Tombs prison. At 6:45 the two murderers received their last spiritual consolation. At 7:02 Carolin and Lewis, accompanied by the priests, came through the door. Lewis walked unsteadily for the first do<en paces, but quickly recovered himself. He was smiling and looked fearlessly around him. Carolin’s face was pale and the scowl upon it almost demonaical. He glared at tne priests as he turned around and felt the rope touch his shoulder. Then he broke out into blasphemy that horrified the spectators. Looking sullenly at rhe priests the doomed man suddenly exclaimed: “I die an innocent man, ; I didn’t do this thing.” Lewis half-turned his head and said: “What’s the matter with you, anyway? Why don’t you die like a man?” “I will die like a man,” shrieked Carolin, his face turning perfectly livid. “I will die like a man—an innocent man.” The words were scarcely out of his mouth when the black cap was clapped over the murderer’s face, the signal was given and the weight fell. Instead of bounding upward as Packenham and Nolan had done, the wretched men went into the air with such little force that there was scarcely any spring at all. Lewis immediately began to struggle in the most sickening manner. He threw his legs about so violently as to kick off his slippers. Then he began to gurgle and choke. The rasping, wheezy sound came from under the cap for fully ten seconds. His body turned and swayed, and the contortions were so painful that the spectators turned away their head?. The man was slowly strangled. Carolin’s body also underwent violent contortions, but he uttered no sound. The weight fell at 7:03 o’clock and at 7:10 both men were dead.