The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-11-03 00:00:00

A COLD-BLOODED MURDER.

Two Spaniards. Gonzales Fernandez and Francisco
Gene Salvador, alias PeUlcer, were recently executed at
New York, for the murder of Mr. Otero, a theatrical
manager, at the Havana. Salvador made a confession,
in which, after describing various jilane devised by
him and his accomplices for the perpetration of the
foul deed, he says that an arrangement was made to
bring Mr. Otero to the Cuba Hotel, and kill him there.
Gonzales was to have a razor. Veile, another accom-
plice was to have another, and Salvador a dagger. It
was determined that they should kill him in the room,
and conceal his body under the floor, and mill the
boards down again. Being frustrated, however, in
their debigns, they at last accomplished their foul
object in a park. Gonzales laid hold of the unfor-
tunate Otero by the shoulder with one hand, and with
the other stabbed him with a dagger. While Otero
was on the ground, the prisoner Salvador made two
cute upon hie body with a razor. It was not proved
that Veile actually took part in the murder. They
then left the body of their victim, and likewise the
razor and dagger, but they were subsequently appre-
hended. It appears that the sole object of the mur-
derers was to obtain Mr. Otero's money, which one
of them knew he poesessed. The following is the
account of the execution :

Gonzales. It appears, had been • sailor. The condemned
men were attended, alter their conviction, by several priests
The night preceding their execution Gook.. wanted to ploy
checkers, in order to kill then" Next morning the men
took the sacrament, and wept bitterly From the cells they
occupied on theground lime of the prison Gene and Gonzales
could look out upon the yard, and Catch a glimpse of the
framework which workmen were hurriedly erecting As
Gourd.. turned towards the place and ow the preparations
(untie coming execution, he asked in Spanish. "That tithe
gallows, is it not ?" and recaving an affirmative answer,
turned ghastly pale, lie recovered his self-posses-
sion immediately, however, but by the nervousness
displayed during the afternoon, betrayed that he had
not yet become fully reconciled to the fate that awaited
him. His fellow prisoner laboured under quite as
much excitement, and both complained repeatedly of bodily
ailments to the few acquaintances who called to bid them
adieu Fathers Duraequet and De Luysnes conducted their
penitents heneath the eceffold, and alter whispering to them
Lb four dropped on their keen in a tut, prayer to the Father
of Mercies for courses and forgiveness. The example of the
confessors and criminals was followed by two other prfeets,
u well ashy the sheriff and • few of the spectators belonging
to the Catholic religion. It was • touching spectacle, and
one which few who witnessed it will ever forget. The cul-
prits Mated the crucifix with intense devotion, and while
their eyes looted heavenward striving to peer Into the illimi-
table future, their lips and tongues shaped the words of
prayer that came from their very hoar.. Deputy-Sheriff
lessee now approached to arrange the noose, end • moment
of fearful uspenow followed—a suspense which seemed to be
felt more by the spectators then the two an: ortuuate moo moss
deeply concerned. Fellicer and Gonzales took the endeof the
gruel cordesurronnding their necks and presented them to the
Depury.Sheriff withsupretneunoonoere. Gonzaleseven smiled
but with nothing of braved o Ms.., which, on the co n teary
was lit up with a holy radiance, the result ef sincere con-
trition and Christian resignation Polito. nutted his hands
and looked down to the earth, clotting his eyes to surrounding
nbjects. Mr Is.cc quickly uni.d the nooses with the sus-
pended ropes, and then pulled the black cape over the faces
of the culprita The mu with his hatchet was inside in
readiness for the signal to cut, the spectators were watch-
ing every movenent with breathless attrition, the culprits
were standing moti.nleas beneath the gallows. Another te-
nant. and the signal was given; the rope was cut, the heavy
weight fell and Petite. and Gonzales j reed up In the air
some five feet without a groan or • struggle G ukelele
bands were duped Pellicer's hung motionless hie aide.
Half an hour after the execution the gallows was taken
down, the bodies were placed in a leers hearse and driven eff
to Fatbuth Cemetery, where they were to be Interred
While this work was in prouress some of the criminals set
Up • derisive shout from their cells, and made the air ring
With vile ex-preen/ono and blaspheme. epithets • Such is
me,. ....es the Sot York Herold from which this so-
" taken.

Count

THE BETROTHAL OF THE PRINCESS
DAGMAR.
The preliminary steps in the marriage of the Princess
Dagniar of Denmark to the Czarewitch of Russia have
been celebrated with great pomp and ceremony at St,
Petersburg. On the 24th inst. (or, according to Russian
reckoning, the 1211) the Princess was formally received
as a member of the ;reek communion in the chapel of
the Winter Palace. The company formed a brilliant
gathering, the ladies arrayed in the national court cos-
tume, with the kakoschnik and long train, while the
men wore military uniforms of great variety and splen-
dour. Shortly after ten o'clock the Imperial
family appeared at the entrance to the chapel,
and all eyes were fixed on the heroine of the clay,
whom the Emperor led by the hand and presented to
the Metropolitan. The Princess Dagmar was simply
dressed in a white robe trimmed with Swansdown, and
a long train. She had no veil or ornament upon her
I bead, and not a single jewel glittered on her person.
The Metropolitan, surrounded by hie bishops, then
went through the ritual of confirmation, asking the
prescribed questions as to the creed, which the Princes,
answered in a clear, distinct voice, showing a mastery
ol Modem prouuncielica which cheaseed lie audience.
Maytag lam duly soolnied, the Palms was ouudwiad

-
ter the Emorem to the altar, where she kissed the
sacred imager and partook of the oommunion. It warn
noon when the mass wee over and the Imperial family
received thc c,ngratulations of the chief clergy.
priest to whom had been confided the spiritual inetruc.
mon of the Princess was the object of especialattentions
on the part of the Emprees.
On the following day. towards noon, the chapel R'S9
again tilleci with • distinguished company. Ihe
diplomatic circle, which had not been invited to the
former ceremony, was now present. The Emperor.
with the other members of the Imperial family.,
arrived at half-past twelve. Tire Empress took her
usual seat near the sacred gateway, where the
Emperor rejoined her after having conducted the
Czarewitch and the Princess Dagmar to the centre
of the chapel. The ceremony of betrothal was
then performed, the young couple standing in front
of a desk upon which were laid the Holy Gospel
and crucifix. The betrothal rings, having been
taken from the golden salvers on the altar were
handed by the Court confessor and the religions in..
structor of the Imperial family to the Metropolitan,
who, after a prayer, placed them on the fingers of the
Czarewitch and Princess. Next the Empress. ad-
vancing to the centre of the chapel, exchanged the
rings. Amid repeated salvos of artillery the Ern.
perm and Empress, together with the betrothed pair,
received the felicitatione of the company, and a grand
Te Drum was chanted by the priests. At two o'clock
the Imperial family returned to their own aoartninntn,
and the religious part of the day's proceeding., terms
tutted. The rest of the day was spent in festivity.
At haltioset four o'clock in the afternoon a magni-
ficent dinner was served in the Hall of Nicholas in
the palace. The Czarewitch and his bride sat in the,centre
of a rained table;st one end of the room with theE per ir
on one side and the Empress on the other. The Grand
Dukes and Grand Duchesses, with other memhere of
the Imperial family, dined at the same table. The rest
of the guests were seated at six long tables, which
were placed at right angles to the dais. At the ban-
quet, art well as in the other ceremonies, the Danish
Miniater and the other representatives of the court were
of course treated with especial distinction. Toasts were
drank to their Imperial Majestic., to the Czarewitch
and his
seance. to the Imperial family. to the King
and Queen of Denmark, and to the clergy and all the
faithful subjects of the Emperor. The announcement
of each toast was greeted with a loud flourish of trum-
pets, quickly echoed by a stunning discharge of artil-
lery. Fifty-one guns were fired in honour of the Em-
peror and Em prem. and thirty-one guns for each of
the other toasts. Various overtures were played and
selections from Russian and Italian operas sung during
the dinner. . _ _

A reception by the Czarewiteh and the Princess
Dafoxiar followed, and the day's festivities were wound
up by a ball. The dancing consisted of only a single
polonaise several times renewed, in which all the mem-
bers of the Imperial family joined, and was concltried
by ten o'clock. The Princess Dagmar wore a hand.
some national costume, in which delicate roeepink and
white were harmoniously mingled. A long veil with
silver threads descending from her hair floated around
her, and garlands of dainty little roses were draped
round the pettaooat and train.