Morganton Man Put To Death In Gas Chamber Of Nevada Prison

E. T. Mull Smiles And Waves At Witnesses CARSON CITY, Nev., Nov 28_(AP}_Everett T. Mull, alias John Hall, of Morganton, N. C., was executed in Nevada's gas chamber shortly before sunrise today for the murder at Las Vegas, on Jun 15, 1931, of John C. O'Brien. Smiling and waving goodbye to 41 witnesses watching through a double thickness of plate glass, the 52-year-old southerner entered the death cell at 6:26 a. m. (Pacific Coast Time). Two minutes later he was unconscious and within ten minutes dead. The execution was the fifth by lethal gas since the state of Nevada adopted that method of capital punishment. Two California penitentiary wardens, James B. Holohan, of San Quentin and Court Smith, of Folsom, were among the witnesses. Their presence was in anticipation of possible recommendations to the California legislature on the Nevada method of inflicting the death penalty. Appeal Denied Mull was convicted in Las Vegas more than a year ago under the name of John Hall for shooting and killing John C. O'Brien during a quarrel. His identity was revealed after his conviction, by his 23-year-old wife. Relatives in Morganton then raised funds for an appeal to the state supreme court. The appeal was denied. The only change in procedure from previous gas executions, Warden Matt Penrose said, was the death hour--6:26 a. m., (Pacific Standard Time) instead of sunrise. Witnesses, standing in the prison yard, looked through a window into the death chamber which is lighted. Guards in an adjoining room cut strings, one of which drops an "egg" of a solid chemical into an acid solution. The reaction forms the lethal acid which rises in white fumes. Unconsciuousness follows the first breath or two of the gas, prison officials said, and death in the past has resulted in about 15 minutes. Mystery Veils Case Mull surrounded hilself with mystery from the time he was arrested until his execution today. The history of his strange case went back to May 17, 1931 when he disappeared from his home at Morganton, N. C., leaving five grown daughters and other relatives. Mull left in the midst of a contracting job, taking with him a sum of money he had received for the job, and vanished. At the same time, a young woman also disappeared from Morganton. Later the two were married but their identities were obliterated under the name of John Hall which Mull assumed. All went well, appearently, until Mull was arrested on a charge of murdering O"Brien, his alleged companion in a bootlegging enterprise. Tries To Save Him He was tried and convicted and sentenced to death. Determined to save him, his 23-year old bride revealed the identity of "Hall" and told attorneys money to wage a legal battle for his life might be obtained from relatives in North Carolina. Letters acquainting them of the condemned man's plight were the first word the daughters had since their father's disappearence. "My name is John Hall," he repeated, though admitting in part he was the missing Morganton contractor by his expressed desire to cause the "folks" no trouble. As "John Hall," he apparently was content to die--keeping his past clouded in silence. Months followed the filing of the appeal and even when the state supreme court refused to reverse the verdict of the trial jury, Mull was silent, "I'm tired of staying around here." he told Warden Matt Penrose, and added that he wished his execution could "take place tomorrow." That was several months ago.
(The Hickory Daily Record, Hickory, NC, November 28, 1932).

Submitted by Bruce D. Glasbrook