The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-27
EXECUTION AT ELIZABETH, N. ].
james GIennon, tae wife Murderer,
Hanged-BIs Confession, and ExpIana-
zion of the Crime.

james GlSnnon, tae Wife Murderer.
Hanged-HIs Confession, and ExplanH-
ZION Of the Crime.
The extreme penalty OF the law was yester-
day executed upon James GlennoD at Elizabeth,
n. j.. IN which town, eXacdy year since, he
murdered his wIte. The facts ia connection
wnh the crime are briefly the e:-Glennon was
employed upon the woIks OF the Camden aud
Aniboy aSallrOad Company, and bore an excel.
lent cheIacter Tor generel steedness aud
sonriety. HIS wife, however, by whom he had
two cnlldren, was an intemDerate woman, aud
generally neglectiul of her home and her huS-
band, and frequently cruel to her children.
Glennon demonstrated with her frequently,
but to no pul pose, and at length her passion
Tor drink and her nee lect of her home duties
became SO great that be was obliged to caution
the storekeepers in the neIshborhood against
supplying her with any Kind OF intoxicating
liquor, with or without payment. This course
appears to have exasperated her, and to have
led her to almost starVe her children, and on the
2Gth OF April, 1866, the miseues OF his house
mold were brought to a climax On the moro
ing oil that day Glennon went home rather
eaIier than usual to dinner, and found that his
WE had managed to purchase quart OF rum
from a grocery store in the neighbo. no ID, aud
had become quite intoxicated When he
el tered the room she vas lying, according to
his own confession, across the childrens cradle,
with her bFck towards him. He suddenly
became very violent, exclaimed ''D-n you w
to his wife, and struck her blow on the back
OF the head which felled her to the ground.
nc lllGu Iubutu in6 uOue6 III u sbdJ0 vi
frenzy, but returned in a few minutes and lifted
his wife from the floor by the head, He asserts
that he struck her only Cnce, and that 1t was
from the effects of that one blow she died.
Some ntig hbors beng arou. ed by the noise in
Glernons house, notified ihe police, who found,
on examining the body OF Mis-. Glennon, that
she was quite dead, and that there were me-ks
as OF tnrottling upon her throat. These marks
the husband asserted were upon'his wlte's throat
on the evening previocs to the murder, but he
oti' red 70 explanation OF their cause. O.
Glennon was tried at the special term, in
Elizabeth, before Judge Haines, on the 10Th OF
February list, wss found guilty of murder in
the first degree, and sentenced ID be hung by
the neck on The anniverse-y y of the day on which
he committed the crime Siuce bis trial he has
behaved with great gentleness and kindness to
all these with whom he has been associated in
PRISON: and he he's always perststently denied
that the killing OF hs vie was either pIemedi-
tated or intentional; lie attributed it to an un-
lucky blow, dealt IN a moment of almost pardon
able passion. To the lsst be had strong hopes
OF repIieve but the ultirirg exert; ons of many
friends were tuUile-eveu to prolong his !lite tor
few days more. His jeilors say chat until the
nil hit before the day lor which the execution
was fixed, he lived, slept, and talked as usual;
but that on that night he could not sleep at all.
At two o'clock yesterday morning he lay down
for short time on the bed, but he could nei-
ther sleep nor be still he was obliged to get
up and walk about his little cell.
Early in the day ne was visited by his father
and uncle, the former living where his son was
born, in brooklyn, and they stayed with hum au
hour or two attempting to reconcile him to his
fate. Later in the day his niece who cried bit
terly throughout her interview with him, visited
the convict who also shed many tears in part
ing with her. He comforted her, however, by
saying thatI it was better he should die then, as
he was prepared, and that he SHOULD die as he
had lived, a staunch Roman Catholic Through
out the morning he smoked great deal, and
after his visitors had left he was able to speak
quite coolly about the disposal of his body. He
then took leave personally of all his felloW-prl
soners, who each shook him by the hand and
bade him keep up his spirits. He was imme-
diately after closeted with his spiritual adviser,
to whom he repeated the substance of what we
have stated with regard to his crime.
At l2i O'Clock the prisoner was led out by the
Sheriff to the place of eTecu; on, within the pre-
ciucts ofthe jail. AS be appeared, with the fatal
moose around his throas those who bed managed
TO gain admission to the Prison tbronged uo to
the scafiold in silence. The DepI.y Sheriff (Mr.
A. A. Ward)' having read the wa,cant, which
specified tia. the execution should take place
between tie hours OF 10 and 2, asked the p-i-
soner if he had anything 10 say. C.ennon then
said: L ... --.----
81 have been accused of murder in the first degree.
That is untrue admit that caused the death of
my wife; but not Intentionally and without any
premeditatOn 1only wish to add thar die firm
Roman Catholic" ia 20 5.H .#
He then kissed the cross and knelt down,
while the priest in attendance read certain por-
tions of the ritual, and answered with the re-
sponses in an uudertone. His face was ashy
pale, but not single evidence OF fear or trepi.
dation was apparent. His hands were folded in
front of him, andlthey we're as firmly claspsd as
though in the grasp Of friend. On rising from
his knees he shook hands with and kissed the
various officers of the JAIL and submitted to the
covering OF the black cap with wonderful com.
posure.
The Deputy Sheriff then read the usual for
mula, ending with the words, And may the
Lord have mercy on your SOUL" At the response
of "Amen," the body of the unfortunate man
was suddenly ierked up by the falling of the
heavy weight beneath and after few convul-
sive spasms, which were fearful to witness,
James Glennon ceased to exist.-N. Y. Tribune