STRAPPED FAST TO A BOARD, CHARLES NORDSTROM IS HANGED

 In the old west a man who faced death bravely, and “died game,” was admired. Many who attended legal executions were more interested in how the man held up under these most trying circumstances – facing an ignominious death by hanging – than seeing justice done. Surprisingly there were few instances where the condemned man broke down, but the execution of Charles W. Nordstrom on August 23, 1901 was one embarrassing exception.

 On November 21, 1891 Charles W. Nordstrom, a Swedish immigrant who spoke no English, applied for work at the farm of Thomas Mason near Cedar Mountain. Thomas was then cultivating two large tracts of land, with the help of his two sons and several farmhands. He needed a ditch dug so he had his eldest son, twenty year old Willie, hire Nordstrom for the job. Nordstrom finished the job on November 25 but when he was paid by Willie he felt the amount insufficient, and voiced his displeasure. Willie said he would speak to his father and left. While he was gone Nordstrom told another farmhand that, should the Mason’s fail to pay him what he felt he deserved, he would kill the boy. Nordstrom then, apparently anticipating a refusal, left for Seattle. In a short while Willie returned with the additional money, but Nordstrom was no where to be found.

 Nordstrom went first to Renton where he bought a supply of whiskey. He drank his liquor all the way to Seattle and as soon as he was in the city he went straight to the gun shop of Hardy & Hall and bought a Winchester rifle and cartridges before continuing his drinking spree. He arose late the next morning and started back to the Mason farm, but in his hung-over condition forgot his cartridges. When he got to Renton he stopped to buy more cartridges, but could only find cartridges for a Springfield rifle, but these he found he could work in his Winchester. He bought several cartridges and continued on to the Mason farm, arriving during the evening hours of November 27 – the day before Thanksgiving. He snuck up to the house and peered into the window, where he found the Mason family and friends gathered around the supper table. Nordstrom took careful aim and fired one shot, the bullet taking effect in Willie Mason’s heart killing him instantly.

 Nordstrom took off at a run for the woods leaving a clear trail of foot prints, from his rubber boots, in the soft earth. Soon the murderer realized that it would be too easy to follow him so he took off the boots, carried them along, and continued in his stocking feet. The trail of foot prints was as easy to follow as the boot tracks, and a party in pursuit followed them right to the door of Ismay’s cabin. Ismay had been away so the men entered and found the rubber boots, and realized that the murderer had exchanged them for a pair of leather boots, one of which had a peculiar patch in the sole and was easy to follow. The trail then led the posse to Gilman, where Nordstrom had stocked up on ham, cheese and crackers, then continued out of town a short distance to the abandoned Lindsey cabin. The fugitive made that place his headquarters, but he did not take up residence in the cabin but rather in the woods nearby. He would return to the cabin only when hungry, and in this way he was captured when he returned for food. He was still wearing the leather boots with the queer patch on one sole, and later would claim that the rubber boots were not his, and proved they could be worn by a man with a larger foot size. He was lodged in jail to await his examination and was held over for the grand jury. He was indicted, tried, convicted, and sentenced to hang, all within two weeks of the murder. Then began the lengthy appeals process.

 On August 20, 1901 Colonel James H. Lewis, Nordstrom’s attorney, argued before the supreme court trying to overturn the decision of Judge Hanford’s denial of a writ of habeas corpus. When that failed he argued that Nordstrom was insane. However, when prosecuting attorney Fulton arose to address the court Judge Bell said he did not need to hear from him as he had decided based upon his own observations that the prisoner was sane. Bell then said the court would not issue a stay of execution and declined to interfere in any way with the execution of Nordstrom. Lewis had been tireless in his efforts to obtain a new trial for Nordstrom, or at least have the sentence commuted to life in prison. He had the case before the state supreme court three times, before the U. S. Circuit Court three times, appeared at three hearing in the King County Superior Court, and argued three times before the U. S. Supreme Court. In all, his “pettifogging tactics” had delayed justice for ten years and outraged many in the press and the public.

 After the prisoner was notified of the decision, Nordstrom was visited by several friends and for the first time broke down and wept. That evening he was visited by two Swedish ministers, who left at 6:00 p.m. During the remainder of the evening he was sullen and morose. He laid down at 8:00 p. m. and slept restlessly for an hour, then paced his cell for two hours before retiring for a restless night. He arose at 6:00 a.m., when the Star reporter arrived to interview him. At 6:15 a.m. the prisoner was served a breakfast of beefsteak, potatoes, toast and coffee and he ate heartily. He spent a full half hour savoring the meal before the dishes were cleared and he began to dress in his burial clothes. At 7:15 he was taken from his cell and was told the judge was waiting above to see him, and the death watch guards escorted him up to the courthouse floor. Here he turned to enter the courtroom, as he had done so many times before, but he was told to go up the narrow staircase to the garret. He found a cot positioned in an alcove and he was told to sit and rest. In broken English he asked, “This is not the courtroom. Where is the judge?” One of the guards responded, “He’ll be here pretty soon, Charley,” and this seemed to satisfy him. However, he soon became restless and began to pace and, when Catholic Father Neata arrived, he declined his services.

 Nordstrom was asked who he would like to see and he said, “The Salvation Army girls.” Nordstrom was soon joined by Captain Agnes Peterson and Lieutenant Louisa Peterson. He requested a package of candy he had left in his cell and it was brought, but by the time of its arrival he was sobbing uncontrollably and being comforted by the girls. He had sensed that the gallows was nearby, and he was right as it was just behind him and screened by a thin board partition. He asked to see it but this request was denied. Swedish minister Larsen and Baptist minister Johnson then joined Nordstrom in his alcove in preparation for reading the death warrant. At 8:00 a.m. Sheriff Edward Cudihee arrived and asked Nordstrom if he thought he could understand as he read the warrant, and Nordstrom said he could not, but the sheriff took a seat and slowly and deliberately read the warrant to the condemned man. As soon as the sheriff began to read Nordstrom took off his coat. The sheriff tried to coax him to keep his coat on but he complained it was too hot in the courthouse garret. He then took off his tie and collar as well. At 8:20 a.m. the reading was complete and the sheriff retired from the alcove.
 The ministers were joined by Reverend E. O. Falk of the Swedish M & E Church. They knelt and prayed and when they arose a newspaper reporter asked regarding a confession. Reverend Larsen said, “Nordstrom confesses nothing. He still insists, as he has insisted to me time and again through all these years, that he has committed no crime. ‘Why,’ he asks, ‘do they want to kill me when I never killed anyone.’” As they talked the Salvation Army girls were joined by two Salvation Army soldiers with instruments and the quartet then played and sang hymns, beginning with “There is a Home in Heaven.”

 At 9:20 a.m. the order was given and deputy Clark began to admit the one hundred witnesses. They filed in quietly and took their places. The moment had arrived and the deputy sheriffs entered the alcove and told Nordstrom to rise. Instead he laid back and grabbed onto the cot, refusing to let go. He began sobbing and begged piteously to be saved. Three times the officers got him to his feet and tried to put on his coat, only to have him sink back and struggle against their efforts. Finally they got his coat on, but he threw himself on the floor and cried out for God to save him from his fate. One of the Salvation Army girls told him, “Bear up, Nordstrom,” but he ignored her. It was then suggested that another song might calm him, but the hour set for the execution had already passed so it was decided to carry him onto the scaffold. It took four strong men to restrain the prisoner and carry him into the death chamber, up the stairs and onto the platform. Sheriff Cudihee had anticipated that Nordstrom might break down completely and had a board laid out with straps attached. The prisoner was laid down on the board on his back and the straps were applied to his chest, arms, knees and ankles. He was then raised up and stood on the trapdoor. The noose was quickly adjusted about his neck and the black cap pulled on, and all the while the prisoner sobbed and pleaded to be saved, interspersed with curses for those about to do their duty. His last words were, “Are they going to kill me? Oh, my God, help me! Lord Jesus help!” At 9:50 a.m. the trap was sprung and Nordstrom dropped five feet five inches to his death, breaking his neck in the fall. Coroner B. E. Hoye assisted by Dr. G. M. Horton monitored the vital signs and in ten minutes pronounced life extinct. Five other doctors were in attendance – Drs. Bortes, Hoffman, Hinkle, Richter, and Laurie – but only as observers. They found that the noose had slipped during the drop, and slipped further as he hung lifeless, but Dr. Hoye was certain that, with the added weight of the board, his neck had been broken at the head of the spinal column. The autopsy conducted at 9:00 a.m. the following day, Saturday, confirmed this. The funeral for Nordstrom was paid for by the Swedish population in Seattle and the service was set for 3:00 p.m. Sunday, to be conducted by the Swedish clergy assisted by the Salvation Army. Following the service the remains of Nordstrom were driven to Lakeview Cemetery and buried.

 Seattle Daily Times [WA]: August 21, 1901. Seattle Star [WA]: August 23, 1901. The Daily Bulletin [Seattle, WA]: August 24, 1901.