The New York herald., 1866-04-27
EXECUTION IN NEW JERSEY.
James GlennOn Hanged at Elizabeth fCr
the Murder Of His Wife.
His Confession and Speech at
the Gallows.
INTERESTING SCENES AT THE SCAFF0LD.
&c. &c. &c.

&c. &c. &c.
James Giennon, who convicted or the murder OF
his wife, Mary Elizabeth the February term Of the
Over and Terminer, at Elizabeth, j., suffered
the penalty Of the law yesterday by hanging
The cuprt was remarkably firm and selfpossessed up to
the last momsnt and by his conduct elected the sympa
thy Of all who witnessed his dying moments.
THE MURDER.
The murder OF which Giennon was convicted was CON-
mted just year ago yesterday, that ne suffered
tho extreme penalty OF the law the first anniversary
OF his crime He living with his wife in the third
Of tenement house in Morris avenue and
ployed Iaborer the New Jersey Railroad On the
morning Of the murder he quite early and went
work. He returned about nine o'clock. and had
trouble with his wife. Leaving the house he did
no, until twelve O'Clock when, finding dinner
ready his wife na of drunkenness he became
exasperaed and beat her to such extent that she
died in short while afterwards The murder first
discovered by man named Budd, who entering
Glennons apartments found the deceased lying with her
head cradle, in which there infant few
months old The prisoner sitting chair in the
room, aud, explanation Of the affair." stated that
the deceased had fallen on the cradle and
killed herself. MIR. Budd suggested the propricy Of
sending for doctor, but Glennon secuted at the idea,
said his wife only fit to die In ditch, words
10 that effect He was promptly arrested and suqse-
quently indicted for murder. Upon the trial IL was
shown that the deceaseds windpipe was broken and,
there being finger marks upon the neck the theory Of
the prosecution that the unfortunate woman had
been choked death. The defence set up was
that death really caused by intemperance,
and not by any injury received at the hands
of the prisoner It was shown that deceased
was continually intoxicated and that on the day of
l,o. cIo rtxn
sci for the accused urged that any jury could
only convict mmsaughcr but the appeal on behalf
OF his client in vain. Glennon was convicted of
murder in the first degree and sentenced death des-
pte all his lawyers efforts to the contrary. An effort
then made to obtain Communication Of the sentence
from the Court Of Pardons but that body refused to inter-
ere and decided that the law must take its
SYMPATHY FOR THE PRISONER.
EThe prisoner had been in the employment Of the New
Jersey Railroad Company for several years. and prev
to the murder enjoyed excellent character
dusry and sobriety. The Superintendent of the road
Mr. Woodruff, who seemed to take quite interest in the
told reporter than Gennon Of the best
nstured fellows he saw, and that he lost a
days work by Of drunkenness. Such being the
fact there considerable sympathy for the prisoner
and the many and frequent visits made by his friends
showed how deeply they were interested in his fate.
THE DAY BEFORE THE EXECUTION
distant
relatives who with him for several hours and
tried TO cheer him up. Glennon was quite calm, and
received his visitors with unusual self possession He
said that he was prepared TO die but thought 1t
rather hard to die for crime Of which he did not be-
love himself guilty.
To the Rev. Mr.. Clark OF st. Johns church. the prs
oner confessed that he might have been guilty of man
slaughter but not of murder He stated thai being
sspcraed by the drunken condition his wife he struck
her single blow in the neck which knocked her
on the CRADLE where she found dead by Mr. Budd,
a. previously alluded to- He dsclamed any idea OF killing
h0r nd IN dapv unonu 0f
gat0n whatever and concluded his confession by saying
that he nrmly believed death caused more by intem
pcncnt Tor what had occurred and expressed the hope
that God had already forgiven him for what he had done
appetite good ever. Indeed the warden Of the
prison declared that the condemned took hts meals
with hcarter relish than he did during the last few
days OF his existence
THE MORNING OF THE EXECUTION
spcnt by the condemned in receiving and taking
leave OF his friends for the last time He was ared in
noat suit Of black clothes and occupied chair outside
of his cell door that he might moro easily
with hs friends Among those who called upon him
dntroduccd to the warden as his niece the
gir seemed much afflicted at the awful situa-
tnc interview The poor creature remained with
the condemned for several hours and only left him
whom necessary FOR the executioner to enter and
mako arrangements for the approaching tragedy Mr..
Woodruff alo called upon the prisoner and upon leaving
received order Glennon for keys in the pos
session Of the aicr. OF which belonged to the rail-
road company and the other engine company In the
ucgbborhood Of which the prisoner was . member
and ssc Collected manner in which 10 Save some drcc
toos 10 his friends the disposition OF his body after
che execution showed that he was man possessed Of
tiian ordinary courage He requested that his
mains might be handed over to one OF his friends,
naming him the warden, and gave directions when
ssd Who're tho body should be inferred with the most
pgvfcct uoochslance
rnk cHrLB or THE cospEMNEp.
~. about three and half years Of age, was the
object q grca, soctudo the part Of the unhappy
He xref portir nx hat hc rh,
sioaid I've properly educated, and placed in such su
alton thai mEht hear anything or the tragic end
Of ~ parents He seemed much affected and urged Fa
thcr hcnocssy, his spiritual adviser to do all in his
power for the welfare OF the little orphan The clergy
promised that he would faithfully attend 10 the
quest and received paper OF guardianship from the
prisoner so that be might take legal possession Of tho
child.
The scaIod importation from Newark, where
u has been used number OF similar occasions. II
erected the ground floor Of the prison, and
entirely excluded from outside view. The prisoners In
the cells facing the gallows removed to another
part Of the Jail where they excluded from all view
PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXECUTION
commences at an early hour. Sheriff Bonnel aud the
warden OF the prison unceasng their efforts to
maintain order and deserve much credit for the
picte manner In which the details carried out A
large police force hand outside OF the prison.
while the inside OF the building lined with men so
that all the passages might be kept. clear. About
thr,c hundred tickets Of admission Is
sue sSsd ,,ng,c q the ne .,ua,s sS,sria and Judging from
loss Tho crowd was orderly one, II Is true but It
struck being unnecessarily large and promiscuous
fer occasion OF that Kind.
vaxfHo LEAVE OF HIS FELLOW PRISONERS.
Al eleven o'clock Gennon expressed q desire to take
leave Of bis fellow prisoners some Of whom he had been
associated with for nearly year The warden checrfully
granted the request and rondncted the condemned
through all the cells He graspcd each OF them by the
hsad, and In an aleciions.e manner bid them a
last farewell He through this ordeal with great
self possession and paced the corridors with elastic
Sep, as though nothing unusual was about to happen
Tho prisoners quite affected, some OF them shed
dag tss~ they shook hands with the unfortunate
aa others urging him TO be Of good cheer and KEEP
up h spirits 10 the last IL curious TO how much
istercs they took In the fate OF the cs and how fer
ycnuy thcy prayed for his salvation after he took h
leave Of them.
Gennon then proceeded 10 take leave OF such OF his
friends In attendance and this ceremony having
Sesn gone through with he resigned himself TO the
Of his father confessor, who unremitting his at
eentons 10 the culprt The execution 70 have taker
DlAce - NJ the fatal hour apprraghed Glen