The New York herald., 1863-11-28
EXECUTION AT FREEHOLD, N. J.

Tn. Long Branch Trmgedy-HaQ sfn@ or
Peter r.. sIocum xor the Murder OF HIS
Nif,-Appearance OF the Condemned at
the Ganaws-Intersst,ne speseh Deny
Ing His Guit-ExtraorGtnAry Exhibf-
tion OF Firmness-Scenes anu Incl
dents, tSe.
rhe execution of Peter E. slocum for We of his
wife Abigail, at Long Branch, N. j., in the month OF ny
asst took place yesterday Fr,ehold in tie presence 0
sbout Ave hundred spectators The cuprit maintained
his LnOcence TO the last, and exhibited extraordinary
drmness during his last moments lie made long
speech the gallows, in which no TOOK occ'sion " No
his the M 81 solemn manner, ana
concluded py pra, ns for all enemies especially those
who had sworn falsely against HIM on the trial.
THE MURDER
or which slocum convicted was committed on the
lgh .f July last at his dwelling house in the vicinity OF
he Bath Hotel Long Branch. The shot dead
bed and husband slept at the Bath Hotel that
sieht was Immediately suspected OF the crime He
smpIoyed in hotel produce buyer and during the
reale er part the lived away from home
On the night Of the murder he observed riding
wards his dwelling house al very unusual hour and not
being abs for the nocturnal visit he placed
ander arrest An OF tho matter showed that
the murIer committed with gun belonging to the
accused and that after used iD the commission or
The brought down stairs and deposited in It's
U
placing the weapon in It's usual position. thought
he would cover up his tracks; but the act had
tho very contrary effect, and used OF the
strongest arguments against him by the state Attorney
me muzze OF gun appeared to have been placed with
In few inches OF the womans head blow ng the greater
part Of her skull OF, and causing instant death. An
infant child OF he deceased which usually slept with her.
WAS found another bed aud this tact also used
against prisoner the prosecuting counc arguing that
no father would have been Thoughtful as to
remove the child under such circumstances Besides
this the accused several important admissions
when relation the matter. and not being
sbe TO account whereabouts the night of the
murder, the jury had mes taton convcting him OF
the crime The motive which ledo tho murder the
alleged criminal intimacy Of the accused with his wifes
sister Acine Chase Iwas shown that they occupied the
apartment at hotel in Freehold one night, and
together several occasions under oircum
etances Of most peculiar nature Socum stouty denied
his guilt and defended his sister In ax against all attacks
upon character; but the circumstances pointed
closely 10 their guilt that he made few sympathzers
An attempt made TO gain trial but II failed,
he court of Errors affirming The Judgment OF the lower
court.
Finding that there chance Of escape, Slo.
cum resigned himself to his fate and announced
that he would meet his death like man. During
his incarceration he attended by the Rev Mr. Mel
OF the Episcopal church. and the Rev. Mr. Cramer OF the
Methodist persuasion, who mnistered TO his spiritual
comfort and ared effort TO the cuprit TO
meet his doom as became true Christian The clergy
the OF the incesssnt in their at
tsations to the doomed man.
THE EXECUTION
eook place the yard room, which
fenced for the occasion with high boards and sur
rounded by Gordon Of military. commanded by Major
James Yard Sheriff woolly otcatcd on the OCCASION
and performed the unpleasant task with remark
s' ssa ability and grsa, deal Of .se se'ns vim II
shs cuprit and In manhood they had often worked 70
Sesher in the field. Tho condemned bad been in his
employ for years and during lha, time he conducted
himself with proprsiy Probably one witnessed the
execution with greater regret than the very man who
played 81 important part in carrying out all the details
necessary Tor enforcing the extreme penalty of the law
scKNE AT THE GALLows
II was intended that the execution should take place
precisely noon, but delays ntervened and not
until quarter past twelve O'Clock that the executoner
announced that all readiness Al that hour the
cprit led u the scaiold supported each side by
his spirit al advisers Be walked aud with unusual
hrmncss, and Notwithstanding the gaze Of the crowd,
exhibited wonderful self possession. On arriving
~ the Of scaod he carefully scraped
ths temporary Aoor after he had taken the mud
- bowed TO several o his friends who were the crowd
7s~.s sPEscH OF THE cuLPRr.
0xarlKNKx- You have all come TO SEQ guilty man
hanged; but you mistaken In your lives.
know that sm innocent, and my God knows 4, don't
sa S.s % sss soss nj lied up o he ave ana
what say is of NO consequence, perhaps. = am not
nv S wss "'Hs IN 'I heaven nopo 70 meet You ali
there wan. you 70 s.,. understand si that l have
and he tell you II he likes would not be here to-
DAY could have go, hold Of witnoss who went away
All that say Can prove. Ask my attorney. ! DON'T
want you believe me, although have one foot 10 the
grave and the other following closely after IT. but do
ever &c. yourself nx like this You n likely
be caught but arc. don't be afraid TO die
IKE a ! used TO be scared to death almost at the
idea Of dying, but now. would rather die than live
whether you believe not. deny that ever said my
shI' y s wt sa, Sooae ae,y my GOO spsas sns
upon certain subject, but it may be- wrong "a long
psuss mowever WV Yn say i is ,d muon nn, noa Know
gone. There plenty OF them that falsely
against me, and there men around this courthouse
who tried 10 hire men To swear to e but acquit
shs sheriff and State Attorney of any blame. am
charged with the murder Of my wife Now want TO
know any OF you would do such thing under the cir
suustancesS Is IL likely that a who without
father mother and riendess In the world. would
70 70 work kill her who would suffer death for
No; they pitched upon me, and they have got me, but
shsy have not proved me guilty. They wanted me to
House on the night OF the murder How could |
prove IT, Her mouth was shut who coua prove II, and
mine closed also Yes, thai dear wife OF mine. who
was murdered for that mbney, could prove IL " her
nouth not closed In death. 1hore is certain
n this crowd who he lost sixty dollars by the
receipt will say further that hity seven dollars OF that
oncy mine; but don't want you to believe any thing
say unless you like II was said on the trial that the
nsurderers Of my wife could have object coming
the house, there none there. The witnesses
Soiisrs 10 pay for cow. Well The fac, is had The mo-
ney, but did net have 10 about me, and the man
Who owned tho COW wanted the money right
% the spot so you see | had 10 borrow
or 20 without the COW. n solomon
Gardner here day he tell you what say true
"a voice In tho crowd-"He is bcre.') They said was
seem horseback that night comIns from my house
swear before my God not'thcre. Il was my wife
end not who died. and thank God. the last time
saw bor kissed her. II had been fairly dealt with II
could have been proved where every hour OF that
n9ht II the colored could have been found he cocd
haze certified TO what say He could prove where was,
and l would give ts0c today II he would come here
and state what he knows about IL. somo Of my
particular friends have beon working against me
ever since I have bees Ia here They have aso
been trying 10 bring an Innocent girl into tho
unuss They said wanted 10 get my slster.in hw
for . wife, and that II that brought here. deny
before God. They not satisfied with having got
here but they trying 10 her and her folks That
GIRL Acine Chase, vs. as good girl as there Is in Mon
Mouth county To day, and want you all 10 understand t
ssk you all for sfke TO say moro about H. she
knows nothing about II more than the Sheriff does.
have been here since the 18th OF July aud have been
vell treated by Mrs Smaiy. She has treated like
man ought 10 be treated, aud not like you