The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1857-06-25
Hanging Of Ward the Murderer
aud Wife-Burner. ut Toledo, On
tllc 10Th inst.

hanging Of WafGa the Murderer
aud Wife-Burner. ut Toledo, On
the I2Gh inst.
The Cleveland Leader las report of the
execution at Toledo, on Friday Lust, Of X, j.
NJ. Ward, who killed his wife and burned hes
body in February last, in the village Of Sylvia
MIA, near Toledo. 1t appears that he made
complete confession to one Of his counsel, Mr..
Fuller, wherein he acknowledged not only the
killing of his wife deliberately and with pre-
meditation, but the murder Of two other ser.
sons, many years since; the first, a store keeper
named Hail, at Richland, Ohio whom be mur-
dered GA the eve of his (HalPs) departure for
New York, supposing him to have in his pos
session considerable amount of money. The
second, pedlar, at Richland, who had stopped
with Ward, who was then keeping tavern, for
the night. For these murders he was not ar
rested, although suspicion fell upon him. The
woman to whom he was married at the time vi
his first murder, was so sure of his guilt, that
she became insane under the tormentins
thoughts such knowledge created, and is now an
inmate of a unatc asylum
APPEARANCE OF WARD on THE scAPFoLD.
Something like an hour passed in getting the
prisoner ready, during which he grew extremel!
eXcited-his pulse beating at the rate of I3O
conducted from his cell to the scatfold by his
religious advisers, two Catholic priests, and sea
ted on chair directly under the rope. His
step was not very firm, and his face changed
color rapidly. He was habited in robe et
white with belt aroundthe waist, white pants,
gloves and dove-colored slippers. Across hung
from his neck suspended by black cord, ami
he held another cross in his hands. He was u
man Of large size, broad high forhcad, some
what bald, shaved clean on the face, save large
goatee.
HIS REMARKS or TIE scArFoLp.
He said-"Gentlemen, am guilty Of but ona
crime--that confession is not true--T am goinZ
to leave the world with clear conscience-i
never murdered but one person. Is Mr. Fuller
here?' (Fuler is the gentleman who too,
down his confession and had it printed) On
being told Mr.. +. was not present he contin
ued:-"I am sorry for him; that con fesson il
not true; throws more crime ON me than ala
able to hold up. You are about to launch me
into eternity Ito the Sheritf); you are pretty
good looking men, all Of you Ito the audience).
| hope you have good feeling for me. l have
no hard feeling for any one on this great earth
| want to leave this wcrld In Peace. God can
help me. have made my peace with him.
! (Here he repeated Catholic prayer "0h, Hcl..
7 4
! it pretty welt considering. would like some
one to pray for me.'
| Here he clasped his hands, and repeated the
| Lords prayer after finishing which he repeated
-"I believe in God the Father" sc.
at has been wondered how became Cath
olic. 1t was because had more faith in them
than in any other church they came to m
more genteel-they didn't want me to confess
| to what | didn't commit Doctors and Minis
| ters OF this town wanted me to confess that I
killed two men. am not going out of this
world with a lie in my mouth. | have told You
| all can rec0llect-and if had committed other
murders think would remember them--one
don't forget such things. | have been decent all
my lite--never stole ten dollars five dollars, one
dollar nor fifty cents-never murdered and rob
bed man. | think my heart is good-at least
| think so. | have confessed my sins--have
made my peace with God--am not afraid to sit
! here. | hope it will prove a warning to others
! A man who will kill his wife and burn her up---
its horrible (Here he beat his breast with his
hands,) killed her because | did not want
anybody else to have her. ! made up my mind
that if could not have her, nobody else should.
Here the priest held the Grucifx before him,
telling him to cast his eyes on the cross, &c
He dropped his head, on the priests shoulder,
while that official talked and prayed with him.
In few minutes he raised his head, and resu-
med his remarks, in somewhat livelier tone.
occasionally trying to be jocuar.
81 have no property but my body, and that I
have given to the preachers, and my soul TO
God. Pretty good hands to give them to---I
hope you may do as well. gr
Taking hold Of the rope, he remarked to the
sheriff thatit was rather short. "Gentleman,"
said he "you see am not afraid to leave this
world, don't you?" Here again he said ths
Lords prayer, stanmered, shut his eyes, mur-
mured "Holy Mary mother of God, &c, I
believe in God, and Jesus Christ, who descen-
dcd into hell, on The third day he rose again and
sits in heaven at the right hand of Almighty
F., God" &C. MAY the Almighty God give me
pardon and absololution for all my sins--my
God!-my God! | am dying-amen"
Here they raised him to his feet, bit it was
some time before he could stand firmly. Il
can't stand" he remarked. Then afterwards,
II bid you all good bye" Then turning to SONG
gentlemen who were near he said, Il guess you
don't have as much trouble with me as they did
with the chap at Cleveland? Now, gentlemen,
see me go.' The sheriff here prepared to PIN
ion his arms, whereupon he said--"You need
not tie my arms. will never touch that rope. y
After another pause-"You might all shut your
eyes when / go down-don't laugh" These
were the last words he addressed to the specta-
tors. The priest held the cross to his lips for
him to kiss, which he did. After several min
utes spent in prayer, by both the prisoner and
his religious attendants,the cap was pulled down
over his eyes, and at five minutes Iefore 12,
NJ ba al0cad his IN rfh