message for him and another that he didntt want any tracts from him
but would gladly take any whiskey that he had to offer. Prior to
his execution, -however, he did receive ministrations from a Catholic
Priest. He was hanged behind the walls of the jail at Wilkes-Barre
on March 21, 1867, The trees and the roofs of buildings surrounding
the jail were all filled with persons wanting to see the execution
and one of the witnesses was Wiley's brother, a prisoner in the jail
on charges of larceny, who saw the proceedings from his cell window,
SCAFFOLD AND CHAIR by Teeters, Part II, page 153.
NATIONAL POLICE GAZETTE, March 30, 1867. Page four
message for him and another that he didn't want any tracts from him
but would gladly take any whiskey that he had to offer. Prior to
his execution, -however, he did receive ministrations from a Catholic
Priest. He was hanged behind the walls of the jail at Wilkes-Barre
on March 21, 1867. The trees and the roofs of buildings surrounding
the jail were all filled with persons wanting to see the execution
and one of the witnesses was Wiley's brother, a prisoner in the jail
on charges of larceny, who saw the proceedings from his cell window,
SCAFFOLD AND CHAIR by Teeters, Part II, page 153.
NATIONAL POLICE GAZEITE, March 30, 1867. Page four
message for him and another that he didn't want any tracts from ae
but would gladly take any whiskey that he had to offer. Prior
his execution, however, he did receive ministrations from a caus
Priest. He was hanged behind the walls of the jail at Wilkes-Barre
on March 21, 1867. The trees and the roofs of buildings surrounding
the jail were all filled with persons wanting to see the execution
and one of the witnesses was Wiley's brother, a prisoner in the jail
on charges of larceny, who saw the proceedings from his cell window.
SCAFFOLD AND CKAIR by Teeters, Part II, page 153.
NATIONAL POLICE GAZETTE, March 30, 1867. Page four
rg a
“WILEY. Alexander Bird
Wiley, a 26-year-old white resident of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., had served
in the 19th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers during the Civil War
and had, on one occasion, been sentenced to be shot for desertion,
Prior to his enlistment, he had an affair with Alice Gardner who
married a man named McRlwee while Wiley was in the service. Wiley
had attended the wedding and made his jealousy known at the time,
After his release from the Army, he returned to Wilkes-Barre where he
supported himself by various thefts and burglaries. Afound f o'clock
on the morning of May 16, 1866, he arrived at the McElwee house and
when Mr, McElwee and a hoancers both miners, left for work, he re-
mained. That morning a woman friend of Mrs. McElwee's came to call
and around 1@ o'clock, Wiley drew a pistol and Kaw ordered her to
leave. He then shot Mrs, McElwee through the head as she stood at
her stove, Wiley escaped into the woods and was not capttred until
October when he was taken into custody and ordéred to stand trial.
At his trial, he contended that the murder was accidental, vlaiming
that he did not know that the gun was loaded and had pointed and fired
it at Mrs. McElwee in JWRHK jest. Convicted and sentenced to die, for
some time he maintained an attitude of indifference and refus ed the
ministrations of the clergymen who cameto call on him, telling one
that he was soon going to see the Devil and would gladly deliver a
WILEY, Alexander Bird
Wiley, a 26-year-old white resident of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., had served
in the 19th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers during the Civil War
and had, on one occasion, been sentenced to be shot for desertion,
Prior to his enlistment, he had an affair with Alice Gardner who
married a man named McElwee while Wiley was in the service, Wiley
had attended the wedding and made his jealousy known at the time,
After his release from the Army, he returned to Wilkes-Barre where he
supported himself by various thefts and burglaries. Afound f o'clock
on the morning of May 16, 1866, he arrived at the McElwee house and
when Mr, McElwee and a boarder, both miners, left for work, he re-
mained. That morning a woman friend of Mrs. McElwee's came to call
and around 10 o'clock, Wiley drew a pistol and KAH ordered her to
leave. He then shot Mrs, McElwee through the head as she stood at
her stove, Wiley escaped into the woods and was not capttred until
October when he was taken into custody and ordéred to stand trial.
At his trial, he contended that the murder was accidental, vlaiming
that he did not know that the gun was loaded and had pointed and fired
it at Mrs, McElwee in JWRHK jest. Convicted and sentenced to die, for
some time he maintained an attitude of indifference and refus ed the
ministrations of the clergymen who cameto call on him, telling one
that he was soon going to see the Devil and would gladly deliver a
WILEY. Alexander Bird
Wiley, a 26-year-old white resident of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., had served
in the 1)9th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers during the Civil War
and had, on one occasion, been sentenced to be shot for degertion,
Prior to his enlistment, he had an affair with Alice Gardner who
married a man named McElwee while Wiley was in the service. Wiley
had attended the wedding and made his jealousy known at the time,
After his release from the Army, he returned to Wilkes-Barre where he
supported himself by various thefts and burglaries. Afound f o'clock
the morning of May 16, 1866, he arrived at the McElwee house and
vhen Mr, McElwee and a boarder, both miners, left for work, he re-
mained, That morning a woman friend of Mrs, McElwee's came to call
and around 16 o'clock, Wiley drew a pistol and 4H ordered her to
leave. He then shot Mrs, McElwee through the head as she stood at
her stove, Wiley escaped into the woods and was not capttred until
October when he was taken into custody and ordgred to stand trial.
At his trial, he contended that the murder was accidental, vlaiming
that he did not know that the gun was loaded and had pointed and fired
it at Mrs, McElwee in JWBEK jest. Convicted and sentenced to die, for
some time he maintained an attitude of indifference and refus ed the
ministrations of the clergymen who cameto call on him, telling one
he was soon going to see the Devil and would gladly deliver a
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0