“Ain’t losing your nerve, are you, Joe?”

— Tom Horn, convicted of murder, hanging, Wyoming.
Executed November 20, 1903

Horn’s last words were directed to County Clerk Joseph Cahill, who assisted him to his execution. Horn, sentenced to die for killing a fourteen-year-old boy, even helped adjust the noose in front of the forty witnesses. As a reverend prayed, Horn and another condemned man sang “Keep Your Hand upon the Throttle and Your Eye upon the Rail.” A famous army scout, Indian fighter, and cattle detective, Horn was self-educated and served as a tracker for the party that captured the Apache leader Geronimo. He left behind a 160,000-word history of his career. Horn claimed innocence in the crime for which he went to the gallows.

“Jesus died for me, Jesus, I love thee.”

— William “Tousant” Kensler, convicted of murder, hanging, Wyoming
Executed November 19, 1874

Kensler, the son of a German and a Sioux Indian, often traveled to a Native American brothel to see a particular woman. Kensler was convicted of shooting the other man who this woman regularly saw. After shooting the man, Kensler outran the authorities but returned to the brothel later where he was arrested. Kensler was put in jail but escaped only to be returned there. His last request was to die without his shoes on. His request was ignored.

“For this last crime, I am to suffer death.  These are the most capital crimes I have committed, and I sincerely wish that others may avoid the rocks on which I have split.”

— John Sullivan, convicted of murder, hanging, Massachusetts
executed November 18, 1784

Born in Ireland, he enlisted in the British service but deserted, robbed steadily and finally was an accomplice to the murder of an old man who was beaten to death for which he was convicted and sentenced to death. He was found guilty of many capital crimes such as desertion and robbery.