Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-07-08
LOCAL NEWS.
THE CoNDEMNEn MEN.

This Friday, July &, is the day nxed fer the
execution of Cornelius Tuell, Convicted NJ tho
March term of the murder of his wife in Yen
ruary last, and for the execution OF Peter
Gcoden, (colored,) convicted al the December
term of the murder OF George Banks, (colored,l
In November last.
The circumstances connected with these cases
will probably be remembered. Cool "a was sus-
pecied by Banks OF being the paramour of his
(Banks} wife. and Banks attempted to put him
out of his house, when scufIfe took place, in
which Banks wife came up and held ner hus-
band while Gooden stabbed him, causing his
dea'b. Goode n was tried at the December term
of the court His counsel, Mr.. Beali took ex.
ceptions, which were overruled; and on the
last day of the March term he received his sem
tepce. with stony indifference.
Tueli will be remembered as the person who
murdered his wife with circumstances of dia-
bolical atrecty. He had been in the habit of ILL
treating her for long time. In February last
he committed the murder, by beating her horri.
bly, with hammer. He afterwards placed the
corpse in bed with his two Dung children, and
subsequently conveyed il to GIenwooG Gem
etery, where it was Inferred hastily and with
ont ceremony, his allegation being that she had
died of small pox. The fact of the corpse being
| taken away so secretly came to the knowledge
of the police, and they SET to work to ferret out
the facts; when a corGner's inquest was held,
and the body exhumed at the Cemetery: and
on examination it was found that she had been
beaten almost to g. Jelly. Tuell was arrested,
and at the March term was tried when, among
other witnesses, the little son OF the deceased
testified against his father. The trial excited
great deal Of interest at the time, and the deed
was regarded rs one OF the NEST atrocious ever
known in this District.
Gooden was formerly slave and came from
| Elizabeth City, North Carolina, which he left
two years since, getting with the Engineer
brigade, Gen. Benham, in which he cooked for
| mess and with the brigade came to this city
| where he had been residing 8 months previous
| to the murder. Gooden Is said to be very
orderly man by those who know him. His
| father and mother are dead, and two of his
brothers are in the army. Some Of his sisters
| are in Dixie, and one is in Philadelphia, to
| whom he had written several letters which
failed to reach her, and therefore he had no
| tidings from her. On his trial he exhibited
| haroihood that was generally remarked, but
| from the time of his conviction he seemed
gradually to realize his situation and lately
| exhibited much feeling. Since his sentence he
| has had religious instructions from Rev. Father
Walter, Of st. Patrick's church. who frequently
| visited him and doubtless he had prepared
| himself to meet his fate. Yesterday he ex.
pressed himself as ready TO die, although he
| asserted that it would not be long before some
| people would find out that he was not guilty.
| He had for some days been hopeful of receiv-
| ing a pardon or Communication, but as the time
| drew near he seemed to lose all and exhibited
| considerable feeling. On Wednesday the jaiIor
| Mr. Milburn, went to his scell and read to him
| the death warrant, when he shed tears freely
| and promised to prepare for the change, ex-
| pressing the belief that the Lord would take
| him to himself. He is inclined to be superSti-
| ious ard is ayerse to beng left without light
in his cell, fancying he sees spirits when he Is
| in da' kneSs.
Both the condemned men have been con fined
in cells opening In the same corridor. and in
| consequence of the extreme heat OF the weat her
| they have been allowed the run of the corridor.
| 1t was in this corridor that, within few days,
| they were so fiercely attacked by mad dog,
the particulars Of W hich were given in the Star
| at the time. Tuell escaped from the dog by
| sheltering himself in his cell, and Goodin by
clambering TO window where by almost
| frantic efforts, he managed to keep the dog
| away from him until assistance reached him.
| Tuell, of W HON we can learn but little, has
| been In the city several years, tor the most OF
| the time serving as a waiter at the National
| Hotel. and subsequently he drove hack for
| the keeper of the hotel stables. He asserted
| that this was the first scrape he got into When
| the sentence was passed upon him he was to-.
| tally unnerved, and for awhile was very i'll,
| but with proper nursing had measurably re-
| covered although he had changed considera.
! bly, his complexion having become very fair.
! He seemed very apprehensive lest some of his
| friends and relatives should know his end,
| and expressed the hope that some of them
| woul never learn how he died,
| Since the sentence, Tuell, who for some time
| had 3 lingering hope that his sentence would
| be commuted, has been preparing his soul for
| eternity, being almost constantly engaged in
| reading religious books or meditating on his
| fate. He stated that he knew nothing of the
| transaction, that he was drunk at the time, and
| that there were many things said about him of
| which he has no knowledge. Rev Father
Walter has been assiduous in his attentions to
| Tuell, who expresses himself as being fully
1
| MIR Milburn the Jailor went to Tuells cell
| on W ednesday, and informed him that BE came
| to read to him the death warrant, when Tuell
| stated that he would rather not hear it; bu,
| when he was informed by Mr. Milburn that i,
| was his duty TO read ii he aCquesced, and
| heard it read more comp osedly than it was
| anticipated.
| THE GALLows.
The gallows was erected in the Jail yard,
north OF and close to the building, In March
| last, for the execution of jeremiah Hendricks,
FNr ofl
Emanuel Pollard, colored, for the murder OF
George Butler, on the list of April, since which
time it has stood Its dimensions are as fol.
| lows: Height Of uprights supporting the beam,
| twenty two feet; height of platform, twelve
| feet from the ground and twelve feet square.
| One foot higher than the level Of the platform
by five, but has been enlarged to eleven feet by
| five, making it on size to allow the execution
| of four persons ct the same time. The rope is
OF the best manila, procured from the Navy
| Yard, after several pieces of rope from the
| stores of this city had been broken under the
! test weight Of 225 pounds. The rope is made
| fast to elect on either upright and passing
| over the beam the two nooses prepared for
| Tuel and Gooden hung something over three
! feet apart.
! This scaffold has been already baptised to its
| grim mission, having served for the execution
| OF no less than four noted criminals Wood
| ward, hung some years ago for the murder OF
| his wife; James Power, hung for the murder
| of young Lutz; John Conrad Kessler, sol.
| cember 5. 1862, for the NJ urder of Lieut.. Fer.
| nando LinZy; and Augustus Ford, colored,
| hung on the Sd of March of last year, for the
murder of Geo. Adams, colored.
THE EXECUTION.
Early this morning Father Walter, OF st.
Patrick g Church, went to the cell OF the con-
demned men, and administered to them the
| consolation of religion. Both appeared calmer
| this morning than they have been for some days
| pas, feeling that their fate W as inevitable.
| The time designated for the execution W o.
| between ~ and 2 o'clock, and before the hour
first named, there seemed to be but little Of the
| windows of houses near by began to be
| throneed with eager gazers, and some crawled
upon the roofs OF porches OF houses. few per-
| sons getting upon tops OF houses, and some
boys crawied up trees and telegraph pole
overlooking the yard in which the galiows
was located. A rather large crowd OF men.
| women and children also eventually gathered
| outside of the wall surrounding the Jail
| grounds, and remained there until the tragedy
| was over.
| The wife of Tuell's wite's brother paid a
| parting visit to her relative little before ~
| O'Clock, and was admitted to his cell, when