The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1852-02-18
Execution of SteingraYer.

Charles Steingraver, who was convicted
and sentenced to be hung, for committing
rape, on the {th of July last, upon blind
and partially idiotic girl of ten years of age,
named Clsrinda Yantilburg, and afterwards
numbering her, expisted his brutal crime on
the scatfold, near the Jail in Ashland, on
Friday last During his confinement, trial,
and even when the sentence of death was
pronounced upon him, he showed little or no
contrition ofheart, or even asensibility which
every one is supposed to possess to a greater
or less degree. He was German by birth,
came to this country with wife, settled in
! Washington county, Pa, and after living
with her couple Of years they separated,
] his habits being incorporate. He then came
I to Ohio, married again, and was in the ca
Ipacity of laborer at Mr.. Yantilburg's, s, in
Ashland county, when he committed the
brutal crime for which he forfeited his life.
For several days prior to the day Of his
execution, he had the benefit of spiritual ad-
visers; but while he professed to have made
peace with God, it was evident that their
prayers and religious services made little or
no impression upon him, as he persisted in
asserting his innocence up to the last mo-
ment. The night before his execution he
slept soundly, eat light breakfast, and he
evnced very little emotion at his rGpidlv
approaching doom. Sever>i clergymen were
with him during the forenoon, cndeavoring
10 p"cpare him for the eternal world into
which he was about to pass, but their Iabors
proved to be ofno avail in making the proper
impression upon his mind A short time
before his execution, through the politencss
of Sheriff Gates and his deputy, Mr.. jones,
We had access to lis cell When the habil-
liments of the grave we're brought in, he
still retained his self-possession, and assisted
in putting on and adjusting them, without an
apparent emotion, and was standing with his
spiritual advisers, when the Sheriff ANNOUNCE
ed that his time had arrived. With unfal-
tering step he proceeded to the gallows. as
cended the steps firmly, still evincing per
fr"tindifference to his fate, and looked around
composedly upon the great multitude, whose
eyes were fixed upon him; nor did the ap-
pearance of the hearse, before the gallows,
which was in short time to convey his life
less body to It's last resting place, create
perccvabIe emotion. He appeared to engage
in the religious exercises on the scaffoId, and
paid some attention to the short addresses
made to the people by two Germen ministers,
and one in English by Rev Mr.. Chubb,
Methodist minister. A few minutes before
a quarter past one, his arms were pnioned,
the fatal moose placed round his neck, and
the cap drawn over his face, i'm this position
he stood firmly, not, apparently, moving u
: muscle'of his bndy, while the Sheriff called
out the moments left him as they were swiftly
passing, and at precisely fifteen minutes past
one O'Clock the drop fell, and he passed into
eternity. lie fell some five or six feet, and
although weighing 207 pounds his neck was
not dlslocated; whether this is attributable
to his feet having struck the ground, we do
not know, but he must have received the
shock which his great weight produced be-
fore his feet touched the ground, as his death
struggle was very slight, and all motion had
ceased in less than four minutes. At a
quarter before o'clock, his lifeless body was
taken down, placed in the coffin, and con-
veyed to the place Of interment; when the
great concourse of spectators, numbering
between seven and ten thousand, dispersed
in an unusually quiet and orderly manner,
The arrangements OF Sheriff Gates, assisted
by his deputies and ex-Sherif Bryte, were
complete and in the best order, and did him.
much credit as public officer. To the pris-
oner he and his family extended the utmost
kindness and attention during his confemenf,
as was acknowledged by the prisoner himself
Two confessions, said to have been made
by Steingrater, appeared in the streets for
SAFE on the day of execution, one by Jacobs
acknowledging his guilt-the other BY Henry
! Newcomer declaring his innocence. The
former SteWgraver authorized the Sheriff to
proclaim upon the scatfold rs untrue and not
his confession--the latter as his true eonfes-
sion, which is prefaced with the evidence
. given in on his trial, post mortem examination
of the girl by the physicians, and for the
sake of the morals of children and youth, We
hope it will not be permitted place in any
family whose parents have the proper regard
for the purity of the minds Of their children.
I-RicAiand Shield 6 Banner.