The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-05
Execution Of Martin Wallace, at Salem,
Washington County, N. Y, for the Murder
OF Barney NcEntee.

from the Troy Times, Dec. q
Martin Wallace hung ut Salem, Washington county,
yesterday the murder Of Barney McEntee the 10th
Of February last in pursuance Of sentence passed upon
him by Hon. Cornelius L. Allen one Of the Judges of the
Supreme Court.
McFntee, the victim a fifty years Of age,
weak and noensye and given 10 the inordnate use OF
liquors. Wallace farm aborer who, during the
season, had been employed Hoosick Falls, in this
county, and in North White Creek. His life OF the
lowest character From habits OF dissipation he was I'M
able To accumulate any money day OF two before the
murder he Is known 10 have been entirely out OF funds
groceryman with whom he had been trading refused
give him credit His landlord, at Buskirks Bridge, told
him he must move unless he paid his rent His employer
would give him ORDERS as he was in debt TO him
Under these circumstance on the morning Of the 18th
Of February, he met McEnee. The two together
visited several places during the day, drinking consde
rably, McEntee paying for the liquor, and Wallace de-
elarng that he had not cent Of money. Early in the
evening they the place Of Joice, Buskrk
Bridge The old man very drunk'-so much so as 10
act SHY ING prisoner secmen - DC sooer; Seve,a,
not put much in his glasses, but McEnee drank freely.
he displayed his money foolshy-a ten dollar bill on the
Bra,teboro Bank being on top OF several other bsand
paid for everything. While here Wallace persuaded him
10 relnquish his Intention u going to Schaghtcoke and
promised 10 see him safe 70 Posts Corners When they
lett the old drunk as 10 be scarcely able 10
stand lie was advised not to go but the prisoner pro-
missed to attend to him. and sacrcdy pledged himself TO
short time after by a man named Sessions, going
In the direction of Wallaces home This was
past eight Mr.. Sessions, when going home, and at
distance Of about half mile from Joces came upon
object lying in the road. Upon STOPPING down he saw
that i McEntee. Surprising that he lying in a
drunken stupor he shook him and said, Grouse up, old
man Deceased did not stir, and he then that he
was dead. An alarm was gwen neghbors aroused and
light procured which IL was asceraincd that McEntee
had been murdered There two terrible fractures
the hcadone upon the top OF the skull aud one Just
above the From these blood had flowed very free
~ and the head of the deceased lay In pool Of gore
Near by the larger portion OF fence stake, which
had been broken short OIL IN the middle With this the
blows were inflicted, and bark peeled of from the
end and lay IN the wounds From the position in which
tie blows given evident that they were dealt
from behind: no person meeting deceased could have
given them. Tie body was altogether cold when
found, though, as was intensely cold night, the
trem!;ics We're freezing rapidly.
The wallet IN which deceased had his money when at
Joccs sticking from his coat pocket into which il
had evidently been hastily thrust II contained nothing
whatever A handkerchief in which the wallet had been
rolled was gone. There were tacfs N the snow around
the body, ~ which announcements we're taken Seat.
tered the road beyond The scene q the murder and
N the direction Il Pots Corners for which the two had
started together found bits % woncn from pair
~ gloves beougng 20 Mcfniee, which Wallace had Ia his
fossesso il the drinking shop.
Inc trlai az Wallace wAch had been adjourned upon
the Application Cf his counsel. on NJ the last
sion q thc supreme Court N salem, Hon Cornelius y
prosecution by District Attorney Mclwugall, assisted
hy Martin Fairchd. and Or the prisoner BY lion. james
ellison, y - Croker aud j. X sharpe. Great interest
Was manifested "a the case which VS. tue hrsi u The
Kind uVsn tie criminal annals q the county IN many
years. The court house was crowded every DAY. The
trial occupied days, closing With m able and impair.
iial charge IT, the jury BY Judge Allen IA which the
material nature of crcumsant evidence, and - bear
IND ufsn The testimony agans' the prisoner were dwelt
mon There had been hardly a shadow Of evidence Cor
the dcfencc-so perfect the made ont for the
people The jury we're ont about an hour celebrating
uvon verdict when they returned and announced that
they had ioGud the prisoner guiy Upon tne renditon
II the verdict Wallace, who had been standing, turned
pale, sank back into ~ scat, aud seemed ior few
minutes deeply aetaicd. Nc was rcmaud"d 70 jail
for few hours. Upon the assembling ~ the Court,
his wife. who had been with him throughout the
trial. sat iusSe the bar with her infant chld IN her
them.
filed with tears, but he soon rcganed bis compo.
sure iron being asked II he had anything 10 say
why senicnc should not be pronounced upon him
he replied ~ am not guilty Judge Alcn then,
after dwelling upon the Nervousness q his crime,
and advising him that there no legal errors
that would entc him to new trial. and no mitigating
circumstances 10 commend him ~ executive clemenCy,
sentenced him to oe hung ~ wednesday we u, day q
December After sentence had been pronounced Wallace
exclaimed. nAmen 10 that Thank you, Judge n am
hung will lie hung innocent, and am ready TO be hung
to day ~ He was then conducted TO his cell.
No new features Of this developed until one
week ago Sunday night At that time Wallace, having
previously prepared himself With an ron procured from
bucket III his room. worked his way out of his cell and
into n corridor which Is separated by wall from the
hall There bis further progress was stopped After
working until daylight 10 secure egrcss IN vain he
turned to his cell where he found when the turnkey
upon his rounds IN the morning The failure OF his
attempt seemed to break him down completely. As he
was being roned for security against another venture he
said You may iron all now and added that he
had Just 70 hope but before bad not believed that he
would be hung, feeling confident that some OF
.ecapc would be presented His mental suerngu seemed
10 be much greater since he lost flesh during the
last few days Of bis Incarceration than he had done for
months previously.
few minutes before twelve O'Clock, the witnesses were
called upon to form themselves in line from the iail
door the entrance of temporary wooden structure
about twenty FIVE feet square that had been erected the
yard for the purpose Of execution Including the attend
upon the prisoner, jury, physicians witnesses and
spectators there nearly hundred persons pre-
sent just before the clock struck twelve the were
removed from the prisoner and Mt twelve precisely the
cell door was opened, and he came out lie in his
shirt sleeves, black pants and vest, pair
shoes and the black cap always upon the
scairold. His pinoned behind hs back,
~ allow o. hut little motion.
There was Just the slightest twingc about the muscles
OF the mouth and eyes Wallace stepped out Of the cell
and looked upon The lines through which he b pass
But Il was over in n moment, and he was far col
leccd than the priest who walked by his side with the
crucnx and beads and read TO him the responses which