The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-06
EXECUTION OF JOHN HENDRICKS0N, i3a.,
FOR THE
MURDER or HIS WIFE.
His Innocence Persisted in to the Last.
Troops Called out to Preserve Order,
&C., &C., &c.
Our Special Correspondence.

~
drickson Jun of DEATH account of having murdered
his wife, some fourteen months since BY administering
poison carried into effect in the jail Of Albany coun
ty. The morning papers contained this notice.
The Observation-Disclosures deputized to attend
the execution of John Hendrickson Jun are
to meet at the County Clerks Office, City Ham, this morn
ing, at 10 O'Clock. From thence they viii proceed in
body to the jail. JOHN M'EWEN, Sheriff.
May 5, 1854
AT that hour thousands had assembled in the streets
The jail guarded by detachment Of city military,
formed lines the streets thereby preventing any
portion of the crowd from coming within hundred feet
OF the jail At fifteen minutes past 10 O'Clock Deputy
Sherf St John led the jury and the reporters the
pess from the City Hall into the Sheriff 8 office in the
jill The gentlemen selected jurors were W. woolford
John T. Russ, n Beardsey L. ]. Lloyd, Kearney w s.
Paddock, John Mcknight, r. Thompson r. X. Gardner,
Kellune D. Smith, Giles Cook Harris Pare j. J. Sher-
AT palfpast ten O'clock the jury, reporters and
several spectators consisting of several young physi-
cians the county and city officers and others were es-
corted to the ha prepared the place of execution 1t
is on the east wing Of the building fronting the cells
which three stories from which all the prisoners had
very udicousiy been removed In the centre of this
hall the fatal cord arranged, and hung down to
within seven feet Of the stone floor 1t through
pulley fifteen feet above constructed in the end Of
three inch plank and running TO the other end of the
plank and through another puy twenty feet then
down to which attached six fifty six weights hang
ing about four feet from the floor and partially enclosed
in upright box the end OF the rope running through
por hole into the Sheriff Office and there stapled to
the floor Tie hall in which the execution took place Is
some City feet in length by eight in breadth.
As soon as arrangements perfected inside, tho
people were admitted, until the ground floor and
all those of the various corridors, completely
crammed; the slghtness Of their structure caused
the greatest anxiety lest by the great weight
upon them general avalanche might ensue.
Though of the timbers cracked and snapped
trife, the structure remained firm. It Is likely that
some five hundred persons were admitted, when from
nj anSr nar1xx
closed the outside entrance The Rev DR. Kennedy Of
the Dutch Reformed Church. invited into the crmi
nails cell at quarter before eleven o'clock where were
also several Of the 1oomed mans relatives The
reverend gentleman prayed and administered consolation
to the cnlprit whose moments were fast drawing to
close. Though the Sheriff was willing to extend the
time Of his execution to two O'Clock, the latest
given him by the sentence yet endrckson at eleven
O'Clock sgnfed his readiness. His pinioned
and the fatal cord placed around his neck lie then
conducted from his cell under charge of Deputy Houck
the turnkey accompanied BY the Rev Dr. Kennedy and
the Rev. Samuel Salisbury, Of the Methodist Church.
He attred in neat black suit of citizens dress,
satin vest black silk neck handkerchief and his shirt
collar neatly and handsomely turned His beard
closely sbaven his hair nicely combcd and curled
the top Of his head His countenance extremely
Iaid and was much changed since the day of his SEN
ence. Hendrickson seated facing the Sheri's Of
Gce, Willie T. Sears Esq, Assistant District Attorney
read the death warrant, which occupied some five min
pal he had any lHins 10 f Say w Go hnsdsfA bR-
say have told rr Kennedy he win make it public.
This reverend divine then offered prayer to the
Throne Ct DIVINE Grace ara Mercy IN bcnai OIL tne un
fortunate Hendrickson rose upon his feet, un
supported the prayer commenced. Two or three
minutes before its conclusion, Deputy Shcrlh Gallup
adjusted the cord the crprs neck, and Deputy st.
John placed II the hook hanging his head The
black cap then put his head covering II down to
the chin AT this instant the prayer concluded, and
before the word amen was fairly pronounced by tho
clergy the rope cut and the criminal erked up
three feet from the aoor and came suddenly down. 50
The execution took place at half past IL o'clock and
Hcndrickson died with scarcely struggle saying Oh
oh 70 the first drew close to his neck After
hanging about twenty minutes, Drs. Quackenboss and
Waller pronounced life extinct. few minutes there
after the coffin was brought in the hall the body placed
in It, and the friends of the deceased took charge OF It,
and proceeded TO his fathers residence some six or
eight miles in the country, where the funeral viii take
place Thus ended the life of John Hendrick
SON. who the courts and the people have declared
guilty Of poisoning his wife, but with his dying words he
persisted in his innocence He has suffered the highest
penalty Of the law but whether justly or not will likely
never be known earth.
The greatest efforts were made since the trial in
june prevent the execution Of the sentence OF the
court. His lawyers after his conviction, resored to
every TO obtain new trial drew up bill OF ex-
cepons, laid them before three of the Judges of the
6stIict who all refused the fourth and last however,
allowed hearing which argued before the Judges Of
the Court of Appeals who decided in the latter part of
March that the evidence admitted upon the trial was
proper and legal and that there ustiHablc
FOR granting trial Upon this decision the Supreme
Court again sentenced Hcndrckson to be executed the
9th day Of May. Now, every legal objection to
the execution of the sentence having been exhausted
recourse had to the medical and chemical profess
extraordinary fact that the most subtle poison had
administered. Two youthful physicians-Dr. Swinburnc,
practical anatomis ard surgeon, and Dr. Salisbury
chemisrom actual tests made OF the contents OF the
stomach of Hendrickson's wife testified that they had
discovered quantities Of aconc in It, 1t seems that
the medical books are silent far the death of any
human being having been caused bv this poison Dr. $.
tested for arsenic prussc acd and two three other
posons but they could not be produced and had he not
by his skill and made the disco of tho
instrument Of death the would have been
known Since the resenence Of the convict the old fo
nave faea an issue w,,h ho W. ss
have been thoroughly searched, all the experience OF
their anquaed practice has been oyerhaued and book
chemists in and other parts OF the country
have contributed their full quota towards overthrowing
the testimony before the Court the trial OF this
Rather than allow credit to be given TO these two ine-
gent and scientific physicians for the dscovery-the
great and important dscoveryto the cause o. science
rather than place the Of Salisbury and Swnburne
in the catalogue Of beDefactor Of science the mere book
prncoLers have cndeavored with all thsr influences.
with the ies OF ". Ds of professors, OF chemists OF
emong The contents Of murdered wife's stomach the
subtle and reary unheard Of aconitc was found and by
Of which laws were indicated and the public
mind trsrguilizcd. The efforts OF these men were in
tended TO fee Hendrickson from punishment they.
therefore, within sixteen Gays Of the time fixed upon
for bis execution presented mass OF special plcadngs
to the Governor the substance OF which that the
poison, accrie, not found DIR. Salisbury de
soItcd From the Of names thus paraded before
tie execution, they confident Of producing i'm
preston uIon his mind that professors OF chemistry v
ING in Massa chusetts, and far Washington
bcttfr quaIncd 10 STATE, uNe miles
on without any sight or knowledge Of the substance
then TIE person who dissected the stomach, the
chemist who experimental carefully and faithfully and
examined its contents with crutnizng eye and taste
TIE Governor examined and decided upon the testimony
given the trial without confnng himself 70 the "a
porte statements Of half dozen antquated pill pedlars
The miserable criminal had been constantly encou.
ragged from the day Of his trial and sentence in june
last by very impruden friends that some means Of es
care would eventually be effected. During the whole
period Of his close and solitary confinement the last ss
months chained 20 the floor Of Lis CELL he has main
tainod ndiffcrcrc' ~ Its fate, and stoicsm which
no heart but the cbJurate could have exhibited
His language reckless and nconsiderate, and
he enjoyed his meals and his lodgings apparently with
ges and relish equal the days Of his early Innocence
and youth few days subsequent TO his re sentence
four weeks since he seemed to notice something OF thu
| fate impending him, and for day or two he re
ceived the visits and attentions Of reverend gentleman
Of the Dutch Reformed Church. Afterwards, and whl
the m edca faculty engaged in convincing Cover
nor Seymour that poison found in the stomach
Of his deceased wife, he rclapsed into his former ndif
ference He died without exhibiting any signs OF re
penance or word in reference to his future fate. III
was twenty two years, month and five days Of age
After the doctors pronounced him dead, the jury re
turned to the sheri's Office and signed paper Stain