The New York herald., 1866-07-29
Hanging Of John Kennedy at
Chicago.
Last OF the Sand Ridge Muir
derers Executed.
Full Account Of His Horrible Crime
and Fearful End.
SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO the NEW YORK HERALD.

Today the world Is rid OF the last of the trio OF the
Sand Ridge murderers by the hanging Of John Kennedy
n the Lake county Jail, at waukegan.
CRIME
rU which he was executed, at the time Immediately
subsequent to its perperation attracted great deal Of
sttenton throughout the country from the peculiar cir
eumstances Of horror surrounding IT. but that long
ago New sensations have diverted the public mind
from it, and the spasmodc rejuvenation Of the by
ehe several trials, and the execution OF Ken
nedy's two accomplces, Corbett and Fleming,
have not prevented its being in great
forgotten. The story of the murder may there
Soro be briefly told as follows:--on the night
Of November 20, 1864, the three hanged
Cor share the affair Pat Fleming VIM. Corbett
and John Kennedy, having determined upon the murder
OF Patrick, or, he familarly called Taylor
Aaoney, engaged the services OF James Finan to
plot them out to Maoneys house the Sand Ridge,
10 the Six Mile House, and the four went there
gether in hack driven by VIM. Gubbins The hack went
20 within hundred yards OF the house The assassns
got out to walk. Fnan, not knowing their object, but
fearing them, they displayed pistols and even
threatened him. did hesitate to point out the house OF
sbe doomed Then they let MIN return to the hack
while they went TO Maloneys door. The lights
tmguished in the humble little home, and the family
asleep The assassns demanded admittance, and
being refused made attempt to force open tho door
kaoney the inside held it against them. Suddenly
pistol ball Cred from the outside through the door,
and through the heart of Maloncy, who fell dead with
single cry Of 'Honora,'' the name OF his wife. The
assassins, satisfied that their crime accomplished
returned to the city, and 1t not until the next day
the fact Of the murder made known. All night long
the wretched widow surrounded by her three weeping
little ones upon the floor the darkness, holding
upon her knee the head of her murdered husband
With tho morning light assistance can,e and in few
hours the police exerting themselves to discover
te perpetrators Of the end sh deed Several neighbors
who were known to been bad terms with de-
ceased arrested, but evidence could be found
nganst them. The motive for the well the
names the perpetrators shrouded in mystery
only persons who could have thrown light upon tho
affair Gubbins and Finan, remained silent through
aydly fear.
DISCOVERY AssA srSs
Thus progress was made towards discovery until
April 1865 when Gubbins confessed what he knew Of
the AFFAIR, and Finan also having been arrested and
that he would be protected from the urderous
nends made clean breast Of his share in the
lion On the night Of the 23d OF April Corbett and Fleming
made murderous ASSAULT upon officer Kendelin and
being for this offence recognized two Of
tho men suspected OF the Sand Ridge murder On July
p they examined before Justice surtevant, and
committed for trial. John Kennedy also caught,
and after examination the 9th Of July, similarly
committed The Grand Jury found bills against all
shrco; but on the trial Kenncdy's counsel sharp
enough to obtain for him separate trial Fleming
and Corbett tried together November 25 in tho
Superior Court found guilty. and on December To- 1850
& hsas say 1 SSs s SS"n ao or er gu
but this confession suppressed by the priests beyond
tho mere admtal OF tho justice Of thcr punishment.
Az II can no longer prejudice Kennedy's II may
bore bc stated that the FIRST executed avowed 70
certain ofncers OF justice that Kennedy the primo
mover IN the affair engaged by ccrtn to conduct
The AFFAIR and that he engaged them for certain bonus.
Thh Of course, he denied up to The mc of his death
KKsrEDy's TRIAL
On the plea Of excited pubic feeling after the hanging
- 49, tfa 1tatu al
change of in his from Cook Lake county.
The TRIAL was before Judge Williams at waukeean, and
The accased when was sentenced executed on
the I'd Of March, 1868. An application TO the Supreme
Court for new Trial was refused, and as this appi-
cation had involved stay Of proceedings In the
Of tho execution the day Of his death by that
court nxed for the 9Th OF July. During his confinement
n Jail both before and since his sentence, Kennedy
ohsinaoy maintained MS innocence Of the crime which
he was charged with. Before his trial he had the
Impotence deny any knowledge Of affair."
evidence brought against HIM was too conclusive for this
70 be maintained oven by his assurance He has thorc
fore, since then cononted himself with assertions that
he wns forced 10 along With Corbcu and Fleming
the night Of the murder; that he did not 90 the
Of the assassination and finally that he had been
for some days and was then so drunk that he would not
hsve known r he had gone He pretended to be very
psoas while awaiting death, aud seemed derive much
consolation from tho pious mDistation OF Rev Fathers
Stussbcrger and Kennedy, who have attended on him
frequently since his sentence Ministers Of other
denominations than that TO which he belongs have called
him from time time, but have been codly received.
He was Roman Catholic, as were also his associates Ia
the murder and died IN an.apparcniy firm belief in that
faith The most curious development Of his plety
letter purport.ng to have been written by him tho
Fourth OF July Tor publication, sort OF general 10
entirely good for him TO have used for he
vulgar ignorant fellow and It's abundance OF slcfcal
phrases together with 70. construction pointed to quite
another author Still, II bore his name, u may be
Gndcd as his uiternnce, and In this y Is worthy OF
tnDscont Saviour He die through cruel
persecution aid Saviour He forEave his enemies
aa our were carried oyer 70 ,hs credit ds q ,e ao
count OF poor human nature 50 his would be, and he
OF otlerH A very cheerful idca ind ed; one which
must have conaoed him " he believed H.
KExSKnYis rKssosAI APPkAilsgcR
vas that OF tho lowest type Of Celtic humanity. His
forehead was low, Ms STIR dark hair ovehansIng his
M s yss Iso.s o.s OF ssiS villa a a ~ ruGs re-
short and badly put toseher and his gait was as
sss & a. epods Walk could Be from 'he s,sn'ss, rse
not natenng but truthful A for moral sensi-
sihties, he evidently had none by nature,
vhaicyer the priest may have cultivated In him.
He has been able In conversation 20 let drop some
which sncw the faIsiy of his clam 20 having
bccn grossly intoxicated For Instance remembers
so position Of each in the party when they got
out % the hack and the LANGUAGE usd at that Tune The
evening before his execution he seemed 10 suffer- much
from nervous anrc,y While talking his ,rem.
uous and low: HIS sentences short and somewhat
rambling, and his movements nsanty betrayed an In
sense degree ~ unsasincss He aversc
son; but the ,ue he did say took occasion 70
on being asksd " he knew John Williams the man
sd by torbe and Fleming 70 have bred him 70 do the
job b. hessed, was silent ard on boing again asked
Eyes, I'm acquainted with hIm--just siish,ly thsrs
sHn Reference having been made by a byssandor 90
the story alluded " he snswerod evasivey There
mzhy deal q stores told about that had nj ought
have beer y but being pressed for 10
truth of that he arerred that II altogether
fsise" Very Afterwards he signIncd his desire
left alone tho prctenco that he Swished prepare
his mind for death He said that he afraid
de, the and manner IN which he sad proved
that In this also no attempted 70 deceive.
fxrRvww wiru wrE.
Abont o'clock the evening before his execution
hls wife visited him. The Interview q pro-
frsced one Dut from the ony Of the wife deeply A.
fecln ng owing 10 the darkness of his ~ his could
bc seen but A. lar could judge from hs voice.
he much moved.
Afer comfortable nights rest he was again visited