\
after he had bathed, West requested that he be allowed to view the
gallows from which he would be hanged, This request was at first
refused, but he persisted and he was taken to a window overlooking
the scaffold and allowed to see it, He went to his death calmly
and with no evidence of fear, Contrary to general practice, his
lower limbs were not bound and, as his neck was not broken, he
strangled convulsively for six minutes with blood flowing from his
mouth, nose and ears, A Catholic, the only thing that he said after
he had mounted the scaffold was to repeat the prayer "Lord, be merci-
ful to me, a sinner" over again and again until it was interrupted
by the fall of the trap,
BALTIMORE SUN, Baltimore, Maryland, March 1), 1873; August 2h, 1873,
after he had bathed, West requested that he be allowed to view the
gallows from which he would be hanged, This request was at first
refused, but he persisted and he was taken to a window overlooking
the scaffold and allowed to see it, He went to his death calmly
and with no evidence of fear, Contrary to general practice, his
lower limbs were not bound and, as his neck was not broken, he
strangled convulsively for six minutes with blood flowing from his
mouth, nose and ears, A Catholic, the only thing that he said after
he had mounted the scaffold was to repeat the prayer "Lord, be merci-
ful to me, a sinner" over again and again until it was interrupted
by the fall of the trap,
BALTIMORE SUN, Baltimore, Maryland, March 1), 1873; August 2h, 1873.
after he had bathed, Vest requested that he be allowed to view the
gallows from which he would be hanged, This request was at first
refused, but he persisted and he taken to a window overlooking
the scaffold and allowed to see it, He went to his death calmly
and with no evidence of fear, Contrar$ to general practice, his
lower limbs were not bound and, as his neck was not broken, he
strangled convulsively for six minutes with blood flowing from his
mouth, nose and ears, A Catholic, the only thing that he said after
he had mounted the scaffold was to repeat the prayer "Lord, be merci.
ful to me, a sinner" over again and again until it was interrupted
by the fall of the trap,
BALTIMORE SUN, Baltimore, Maryland, March 1, 1873; August 2h, 1873.
WEST, James
~
West, a young black laborer, lived with his mistress of five years,
Annie Gibson, and their 2eyear-old daughter on the upper floor of a
two story dwelling located at 160 Sarah Ann St,, Baltimore, Md,, his
mother living on the lower floor, Qn March 13, 1873, he had been
drinking constantly for two days and the baby wis ill with small POX,
They had argued earlier in the day and he had,her arrested, She, in
turn had him arrested but both were subsequently released and return-
ed home whebe they continued their argument. Around 11:30 that even-
ing, as she was lying in bed, he struck her over the head with a
hatchet several times, inflicting mortal wounds, He then took the
, Sick child downstairs to his mother and told her that he had killed
Annie, Leaving the child there, he went to a nearby police station
and told the officers that he had killed his wife with a hatchet,
When they went to his house to investigate, they found her unconscious
but still alive and she was taken to a hospital where she subsequently
died, His conviction and the sentence of death were not appealed and
on August 23, 1873, he was hanged in the yard of the Baltimore City
Jail before 60 witnesses. A strong effort for commutation, including
a petition signed by 11 of the jurors was submitted to Governor Whyte
but he refused to intervene and on the morning of his execution,
WEST, James
West, a young black laborer, lived with his mistress of five years,
Annie Gibson, and their 2-year-old daughter on the upper floor of a
two story dwelling located at 160 Sarah Ann St,, Baltimore, Md,, his
mother living on the lower floor, On March 3s 1873, he had been
drinking constantly for two days and the baby was i11 with small pox,
They had argued earlier in the day and he had,her arrested, She, in
turn had him arrested but both were subsequently released and return-
ed home whete they continued their argument. Around 11:30 that even-
ing, as she was lying in bed, he struck her over the head with a
hatchet several times, inflicting mortal wounds, He then took the
, Sick child downstairs to his mother and told her that he had killed
Annie, Leaving the child there, he went to a nearby police station
and told the officers that he had killed his wife with a hatchet,
When they went to his house to investigate, they found her unconscioug
but still alive and she was taken to a hospital where she subsequently
died, His conviction and the sentence of death were not appealed and
on August 23, 1873, he was hanged in the yard of the Baltimore City
Jail before 80 witnesses. A strong effort for commutation, including
a petition signed by 11 of the jurors was submitted to Governor Whyte
but he refused to intervene and on the morning of his execution,
WEST, James
West, a young black laborer, lived with his
Annie Gibson, and their 2-year-old daughter
two story dwelling located at 160 Sarah
nother living on the lower floor,
mistress of five years,
on the upper floor of a
Ann St,, Baltimore, Md,, his
Qn March 13, 1873, he had been
Grinking constantly for two days and the baby wis 4i1 with small pox,
They had argued earlier in the day and he had,her arrested, She, in
turn had him arrested but both were subsequently released and return-
ed home whebe they continued their argument. Around 11:30 that even-
ing, as she was lying in bed, he struck hor over the head with a
hatchet several times, inflicting mortal wounds, He then took the
, sick child downstairs to his mother and told her that he had killed
Annie, Leaving the child there, he went to a nearby police station
and told the officers that he had killed his wife with a hatchet,
When they went to his house to investigate, they found her unconscioug
but still alive and she was taken to a hospital where she subsecuently
died, His conviction and the sentence of death were not appealed and
on August 23, 1873, he was yeu in the yard of the Baltimore City
Jail before 60 withesse: strong effort for conmstation, including
@ petition eee by 11 of the jurors was submitted to Gover: rv Whyte
but he refused to intervene and on the morning of his exeoutio
ere
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