Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-10-28
em0 exRcufsoN oF caARI - LANeFxLD1
AND 1Nc1r . VIA CONNEt FED TnERE.
WITT.

emo gxRcUffON oF cHARI - LANeFELD1
AND GNc1r wa cONNEe I'd TnERE.
W1fn.
chas Langfsldi, sonvictsd ef sAs snurdsf
Of Mn. cathsrins nAdsmacheD was execu.
,sd yesterday, q ssa minutes before two
o'clock, ia the yssd Of the county jail. The
murder was psspstnted early on the morning
of March Esd, ie4s, and for cold blooded
barhsrisy stands unparalleled 10 ihs criminal
records Of Psnnsylvania. A young, lovely
and blooming wife, Of one Of oor most re.
spscsabls citisanA was stuuek down BY the
ruthles hand Of IN assassin, and this, too, in
the heart Of the city, causing the most intense
excitement to prevail But the murderer did
not escape long. The police and number
of our citizens were on the qsi ripe, end on
the afternoon Of the next day Langfeldt was
arrested, and was fully committed by the
Mayor on the following Monday afternoon.
OF the evidence it 10 unnecessary now to
speak. Our readers are doubtless familiar
with its general tenor. The prisoner having
been tried and convicted, his death warrant
was signed BY the late Governor Of this
State, on the 18th Of June, and was duly
communicated to the doomed man BY Sheriff
Lelar. He seemed to regard the death war.
rant as a mere joke, and his, actions, under
the circumstances, astounded every one who
was present the reading. Since that time up
10 the latest moments Of bis existence, he
preserved the same stolid indifference as to
his fate, and protested that he never perpe.
trated the murder. He was generally speak.
ing quite cheerful, and with those who. vis.
ted him in his cell, he would enter into IA.
,nilliar conversation. Tp say the least, he
was an extraordinary man, and instead Of pre-
pairing himself for the awful doom which
awaited him, BY making his peace with his
Maker, he seemed to be swayed BY the crude
notions Of superstition and German transccn.
dsntnlism, and served himself for his fate,
with recklenees, which some may have al
ready construed into firmness. This appear.
ed to be his frame Of mind, mp to the time o'
his exit from this 10 another world. This ex.
ecution was looked upon as thing certain
and as the day drew near, the Sheriff wa.
beset on every hand, and at almost every
hour, for tickets Of admission. The law
however, being such, many of the applicants
were disappointed, yet enough were present
at the scene.
We arrived at the prison at few minutes
after ten O'Clock, and found quite concourse
Of people, number of whom were females,
standing in front of its frowning walls. In a
moment or two, the creaking of the hinges
Of the heavy gates announced the opening ol
the same, and the jury Of twelve men, and
the reporters Of the press, were soon inside
A rush made by the spectators TO get in, but
they nigh, as well have attempted to but,
their way through the stone walls.
At the time Of our arrival, Charles Lang.
feldt was in communion with two Catholic
priests, but he refused to make, what ha.
been termed a confession, TO them, or any
other man or n1en. II appears that the Cath
olic clergymen wished him TO communicate
with them alone, and that if he was guilty Of
the murder to confess it to them, aud they
would give him "extreme junction." He re.
fused to comply with their request, and they
retired from the cell The priests had beer
with him for several hours, and just as they
were about to leave, the Rev. MIR. Champer,
entered. He was also visited BY the Rev
Mr. Fleischman, who seemed to be regarded
~ somewhat of favorite, and also BY th'
Rev. Mr.. Coleman and others Of the clerica
profession. A number of incidents tool
place in the cell during the morning, rnostl!
uninteresting to the general reader. We vii
recits one, however. Tho Rev. MIR. Cham
bers asked Langfeldt why he refused to pray
He replied, God knew his heart Would yo'
refuse to ask the Governor to pardon you
rcjoined Mr.. Chambers. "Oh, no." replies
Langfeldt, with . slight shrug of his shoul
ders, smile playing on his face at the sam'
time. Then why do you refuse to ask Goo
10 pardon you. "Oh," said Laugfeldt, "m'
pray with you in general, me pray with you.
The little congregation then knelt in that cell
and fsrvent prayer was offered to tn
Throne Of Grace. Langfeldt requested no
to be hung until half past one O'Clock. Hi
request was Of course complied with. A
twenty FIVE minutes before two O'Clock, tn
Sheriff and his deputy, with several member
Of the press, entered his cell, and the arm
of the criminal were then tied above the o.
bows. He offered no resistance. He wa
then led from his place OF confinement to tn
gallows, in the western end Of the yard. H
was dressed in citizens dress, and wore
glazed leather cap. His face during tn
monining was considerably flushed, b.
when be appeared on the corridor of th
prison, he was ghastly pale. The same wil
aud piercing look came from his small gra
eye, and he endeavored as much as possibl
to appear obstinatsly indiffsrently as to th
result whirh would take place in few ms
ments, He was attended from the cell
the gallows BY the Sheriff, jury, clergy, il
spsctors, and about fifty other persons.
He asccndcd the scaffold without help, an
Una follosvad Nv tha Shsr;fT thu Mr. Elaisrl