New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-03
THE EXECUTION TO-DAY.


the lime of inflammation Of the stomach and 80 her
nby,ieian certified. On the 23d day of September,
1855 her ,dy was exhumed from It's repo-~ in Green
wood Cemetery was anaiyzed by Professor X. Ogden
Doremus, and in March 1859 after trial Of nineteen
DAYS ,be verdict Of guilty of murder was rendered by
| a Jpry Of marked intelligence and caud0r. From the
time of the Ddton Of that verdict until the late a.
tem,d of Stephens 10 escape his doom by another
doutle murder, the Courts have been occupied with
motions for a trial. with wrs OF error, while the
chief Executive officer OF the State has been met with
powerful appeals for pardon or Communication OF
his sentence 10 iuprisob for life.
The entire history Of the case has evinced not only
"ibe romance Of crime" but aso that OF judicial hs
tory.
One morning in September, 1858, Robert Bell
was brought before Justice Welsh, for having at
tempted to kill James Stephens the previous day
in broad daylight. Upon The exanination which fol-
| lowed the arrest Of Bell. the following facts were
] elected:
Youpe Bell, who was then in Ireland, cav letter
from his sisters Fanny Bell and Sophia Bell, neces Of
James Stephens, who were resldIpg wth MIN, ad-
dressed to their pareas requesting them TO direct their
letters 10 the of other person than James
Stephens their uncle, and saying if they would do 80
they Fanny and Sophia would give them more minute
particulars respecting the death OF their aunt, Mrs.
Stephens Robert Bell had lived with his amt for the
period of six years of his childhood and from her had
received parental kindness. AT once he 6eca ne pos
sessed with the idea that he must go TO America ana
| investigate the cause Of his aunt's DEATH
He accordingly left home and arrived in this city 10
July or August, 1853. Stephens met him at the dock
and took him home Bell staid one night at bis house,
| and never called on him again. On the day that
| Sophia Bell to be married TO Mr. Samuel Card
we'll the anoDy letter of which much has been
| said, was received by Mr.. Cardwel, and showa TO
Sophia Bell, who refused to marry hn until tue iti,
| sity of that letter ascertslned. Robert Bell
| at once became greatly excited, went aud pur-
| chased pistol loaded to the muzze with powder
and two balls, went up to Stephens ID the street. id
hold Of bis shoulder, turned him around, ana say1as
| a; " Will disch I'd
six inches Of his breast, without iDlurng HIM In tue
slightest The report OF that pistol however,
| aN oke The echoes of StePhenss dea'h-knelI. o
The friends of young Bell at once applied TO Chsun-
cey Shafer, esq defend him, but upon Mr. Sbansr
presenting himself in Court young Bel, very politely
making his friends for employing such capable oodn,
| the bar Of New-York and Dobln togetheri that he
tried TO kill Sephens sorry he had not succeeded,
| and expected TO go to the State Prison for 1t.
Mr. Shafier locked himself up in cell with young
Bell for two hours, and then, waving an examl-
nation, his client admitted to bail. Very soon
warrant issued by Justice Welsh against Sepht ns
for the murder of his wife by lsudanum and arsenic,
upon the affdavts Of Fanny and Sophia Bell. Ste
phen, upon being arrested evinced the utmost cool
ness while he threatened all manner Of prosecutions
against The parties concerned IN his arrest
Mr. Sedgwiek, then Assistant District. Attorney 70
Mr. Sweeney, having placed the prosecution in the
hands of Mr.. Shaffer that gentleman at once set TO
work. While entertaining the friends OF Stephens
with examinations from time to time before Judge
the body of Mr.. StepaeDs exhua ed, and post NOR
TEN examination made by Dr. Wood and Others after
hch entire body of the decessed was placed at
the disposal of Prof Doremus who made an analysis
Of the same, which for silt and care and labor has
probably never been surpassed
Coroner Connefy pdrsued his inquiries with the ut
most sctvity and fidelity summohDg before him every
druggist IN the upper eat OF the city, until ne found
probably killed his wife. After ABOUT months steady
work. the Coroners Jury returned verdict of murder
against Stephens, but the Grand Jury at frst refused
to find bill against him. Finally, however, they re-
considered the matter, and the Indictment pre-
scented. Upon District-Auomey Waterbury's acces-
sion to Office he took mp the mater Ia earnest still re-
t.nipg Mr.. Sbaer for the prosecution, as well as
awaiting himself of the great chemical skill OF Mr.
Sede wick his now ass slant.
The trial came on In March, before Mr.. Justice
Roosevelt and Jury almos. of Stephenss own Sc
lection several of whom avowed themselves opposed
TO capital punishment The trial was probably of
The most remark able that occurred 10 this country
The sciences of medicine, chemistry, and law seemed
TO be exhausted and sUre was Stephens of an &C.
qnitial that he seemed to enjoy the spectacle as spec
tatOr rather than party Interested Several OF the
witnes examined for whole days, and the pub
Ii, mind at first Inclined TO believe in Stephenss inno-
cepce began waver and then TO fear that he was,
after ALL wife posone" aud the solemn verdict Of
Gully did not surprise those whe had closely |
watched the progress OF the TRIAL.
Then came the motion for a new trial before the |
Oyer ard TeIminer, which was denied; then the ap-
peal TO The Supreme Cont, and then TO the Court Of
was affirmed.
Many people have regretted that justics 80 slow
but this cannot be deplored in this case since the au-
horsbip Of the letter Card established and the
true character of Stephers developed.
During the trial of Stephens much sympathy was |
manifested for him, and many were unwilling to be-
eve in his guilt. The religious pretensions put forth
by him during his confinement in the Tombs have done |
much 10 feed the sympathetic flame, and up to the |
time of the detection of his scheme for eecng
his escape from prison-the carrying ont Of which
pan would have necessitated the sacrificing of the /
lives Of two beepers-viyorous efforts were being
made in his behalf The Governor has been entrested
all sides to respite Il accused, and with such i'm
poIunity were hs claims 10 mercy urged that the /
efforts babe fair to succeed but for the contemplated
escape. On Monday last, Felix Sanchez, fellow
prisoner confined in adjoining cell 10 Stephens and
also under sentence of death, reyeAled TO Mr. Sutton
the Warden Of the prison. the details of the plan by
which Stephens hoped, ny double MURDER TO regain |
bis Liberty. Our readers already familiar with the
manner III which his plans were defeated.
The BEARING OF THE PRISONER.
Up to the time Of the detection of this plot Stephens
had manifested stoical camness Since then, how
ever, when all chances Of escape were lost hs has
seemed almost overcome by the thoughts Of his i'm
ptnding doom. He has been attended by the Rev. M
Knapp who is the only person he has been willing to
see and has spent much time iu prayer and in reading
the Bible. Yesterday, he was ealmer than he
had previously been, and ays he has no fear of
DEATH but reerates all his protestaons of innocence
He ysed in the morning by his sister, Mrs
Hannah, and her two daDghters, and the interview is
described as heart rendng. lis sitter threw herself
upon his meek, and wept, ia a paroxysm Of grief
Stephens endeavored to cheer her up and finally kne
down and prayed long and ,arnesty with them, ex-
pressing his conviction that thew should meet again I'm