Thomas Johns, 1909 October 19

converted to the Catholic faith, On the morning of his execution, he
expressed to Mrs. Cobaugh's brother, one of the jailers, his sorrow
at having killed his sister and the jailer assured him that he bore
him no malice or ill-will, He went to his death calmly on the sea=
ffold erected on the south side of the jail yard at Ebensburg on
Qct. 19, 1909, The wood had swollen because of dampness during the
preceding night and the trap failed to fall after the Sheriff had re-
leased the lever three times,_ Finally, Mrs. Cobaugh's brother stomped
on the trap and it fell, almost causing him to lose his balance and
fall through the opening also, Johns' neck was not broken and he
strangled over a 13-minute period of time, aia

SCAFFOLD AND ‘CHAIR by Teeters, Part II, page 91
JOHNSTOWN TRIBUNE, Johnstown, Pas, Oct. 18, 19093 Oct. 1, 1909 (Photo

in this issue)

converted to the Catholic faith, On the morning of his execution, he
expressed to Mrs, Cobaugh's brother, one of the jailers, his sorrow
at having killed his sister and the jailer assured him that he bore
him no malice or ill-will, He went to his death calmly on the sea-=
ffold erected on the south side of the jail yard at Ebensburg on

Qcte 19, 1909, The wood had swollen because of dampness during the
preceding night and the trap failed to fall after the Sheriff had re«
leased the lever three times, Finally, Mrs. Cobaugh's brother stomped
on the trap and it fell, almost causing him to lose his balance and
fall through the opening also, Johns' neck was not broken and he
strangled over a 13-minute period of time, i

SCAFFOLD AND CHAIR by Teeters, Part II, page 91
JOHNSTOWN TRIBUNE, Johnstown, Pa., Oct. 18, 1909; Oct. 19, 1909 (Photo

in this issue)

converted to the Catholic faith, On the morning of his execution, he
expressed to Mrs, Cobaugh's brother, one of the jailers, his sorrow
at having killed his sister and the jailer assured him that he bore
him no malice or ill-will, He went to his death calmly on the sea-
ffold erected on the south side of the jail yard at Ebensburg on

Qet. 19, 1909, The wood had swollen because of dampness during the
preceding night and the trap failed to fall after the Sheriff had re-
leased the lever three times, Finally, Mrs. Cobaugh's brother stomped]
on the trap and it fell, almost causing him to lose his balance and
fall through the opening also, Johns’ neck was not broken and he
strangled over a 13-mimite period of time,

SCAFFOLD AND CHAIR by Teeters, Part II, page 9
JOHNSTOWN TRIBUNE, Johnstown, Pas, Oct. 18, 1305 Oct. 19, 1909 (Photo

in this issue)

‘converted to the Catholic ane: the naming of hie executions he

ou AD CAI by Tantrsy Past Hy wake

Sen, Sans hyo Fn, o 25 07 (et

 JOENS, Thomas Wesley

Johns, a white native of Tennessee, lived with his wife in the Eighth
Ward of Johnstown, Pas It was common knowLedge among their neighbors
that Mrs, Johns was unfaithful but, as is frequently the case, Johns
was the last person to learn of his spouse's infidelities. On Sept,
21, 1908, he learned of her actions for the first time and, after
bracing himself with liquor, he purchawed a revolver and went to

the home of her aunt, Mrs, Kate Cobaugh on Third Street, Conemaugh,
where she was visiting at the time, When he kntered the house, he
found her kneeling and scrubbing the floor, Without saying anything,
he drew his pistol and shot her in the head three times, He then
rushed into the back yard where Mrs, Cobaugh and her son were seated
and shot her twice, He turned the weapon on the son who was fleeing
across the yard but the gun misfired and Cobaugh was: uninjured, As
Johns was attemting to escape, he fell into a ravine and dislocated
his leg. Captured shortly afterwards, he expressed no remorse and
said that it was HMKX#NXKKME "the custom in Tennessee" to kill an
erring wife. He blamed the Cobaugh family for his wife's actions

and expresséd regret that he had failed to kill young Cobaugh. After
his conviction nich was not appealed, he attacked one of the jailers

in an attemt to either escape or force the jailer to kill him but
after that he settled down and became a model prisoner before being

- JOENS, Thomas Wesley

Johns, a white native of Tennessee, lived with his wife in the Eighth
Ward of Johnstown, Pa. It was common knowledge among their neighbors
that Mrs, Johns was unfaithful but, as is frequently the case, Johns
was the last person to learn of his spouse's infidelities. On Sept.
21, 1908, he learned of her actions for the first time and, after
bracing himself with liquor, he purchawed a revolver and went to

the home of her aunt, Mrs, Kate Cobaugh on Third Street, Conemaugh,
where she was visiting at the time, When he kntered the house, he
found her kneeling and scrubbing the floor, Without saying anything,
he drew his pistol and shot her in the head three times. He then
rushed inte the back yard where Mrs, Cobaugh and her son were seated
and shot her twice. He turned the weapon on the son who was fleeing
across the yard but the gun misfired and Cobaugh was: uninjured, As
Johns was attemting to escape, he fell into a ravine and dislocated
his leg. Captured shortly afterwards, he expressed no remorse and
said that it was KMBXHMXKMME "the custom in Tennessee! to kill an
erring wife. He blamed the Cobaugh family for his wife's actions
and expresséd regret that he had failed to kill young Cobaugh. After
his conviction which was not appealed, he attacked one of the jailers
in an attemt to either escape or force the jailer to kill him but
after that he settled down and became a model prisoner before being

JOHNS, Thomas Vesley

Johns, a white native of Tennessee, lived with his wife in the Bighth
Ward of Johnstown, Pa. It was common knowledge among their neighbors
that Mrs, Johns was unfaithful but, as is frequently the case, Johns
was the last person to learn of his spouse's infidelities, On Sept.
21, 1908, he learned of her actions for the first time and, after
bracing himself with Liquor, he purchawed a revolver and went to
the home of her aunt, Mrs, Kate Cobaugh on Third Street, Conemaugh,
vhere she was visiting at the time, When he kntered the house, he
found her kneeling and scrubbing the floor, Without saying anything,
he drew his pistol and shot her in the head three times, He then
rushed into the back yard where Mrs, Cobaugh and her son were seated
and shot her twice. 4
across the yard but the gun misfired and Cobaugh was uninjured.
Johns was attempting to escape, he fell into a ravine and dislocated
his leg. Captured shortly afterwards, he expressed no remorse and
said that it was KIOXQ0KKHHE "the custom in Tennessee" to kill an
erring wife. He blamed the Cobaugh family for his wife's actions
and expressad regret that he had failed to kill young Cobaugh. After
BIS SeBvist Pon hich wos noe appealed, he attackea one of the jailers
in an attempt to either escape or force the jailer to kill him but
after that he settled down and became a model prisoner before being