The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-05
THE ALTO w S.

OF Mrs. Miller In PhiiadeIphia.
Within five months past there have been many exc
| cations in Pennsylvania. Yesterday the number was
made complete by the hanging Of Gottleib Williams at
Moyamensng Prison, in Philadelphia The case OF this
man will be long remembered as ono OF the most re-
markable record for It's hideous features This man.
appears, was the Of wealthy butcher doing bus-
ness. fifteen twenty years ago. Market street. Phil
adelpha, and owning large amount Of property In that
and Spring Garden street. Gottleb the son. always
an unruly boy, subjected 70 no control and would
not suffer any restraint Falling into bad company and
bad habits at early age he sgnaEed bis adoption
OF tho evil course In life By committing murderthe
greatest Of crmesbefere no had attained his majority
This bloody deed occurred February 90 1884, In the
course Of An alteration WHOM occurred in the market
between him and boy employed BY pedsr 70 soil
candles the latter made peculiarly sarcastic re-
mark. In his rage young williams seized butcher
knife lying near a. hand and stabbed the poor
boy 70 the heart, causing his death within
few minutes. The murderer arrested. tried amid
much popular excitement and. being found guilty Of
"involuntary manslaushter," was sentenced TO four
years imprisonment He pardoned, however owing
to the influence Of his family and friends after
short Incarceration again turned loose on tho
munity. He figured during the war a. descrser and
bounty jumper and after short stay In California
turned TO Philadelphia confirmed cripple, from para
lytic stroke which affected the left side Of his body
including its limbs Mean while he had managed TO
squandcr the entire fortune which had been left him
snare 81 ns pr a on me ass o. inc
we'll from associations beng shard case, he be-
came providing vagrant about the scenes OF his boy
hood. haunting the old locality where he had been
reared and accepting the charity OF the Of the
property that had belonged TO him. He known
about Philadelphia AS bad iimping vagrant, ever
Sowing and VOW ng vengeance some one. terror
to little children and BY no means pleasing 70
the sight OF their elders But Notwithstanding his des
perate character and tire alternate fits Of moody
and violent passion which characterized him, the good
people were in the habit of admitting him to their
houses and giving him his meals Whenever he might de-
mand IT, This done Of commisseration
for his wretched plight view what he had BEEN
than from any fear that his brutal threats might
inspired.
Among the benefactors OF the unfortunate
old lady, Mrs. Eliza M Miller, aged sxtythree years,
and residing with her husband and sister at No. o24
Buttonwood street. Here Williams often called, and
loft without having had good meal he was
regular visitor, and well treated that the fact
became subject Of remark in the neignb0rhood One
morning, however, the the morning OF sept IL, 1865,
heard issuing from the house OF Mrs Miller,
of tho ncighbors and the fact that she had been bru
tally murdered not learned until three O'Clock
the AFTERNOON Of that day. The body was found with
inflicted on the head and throat probably with
Suspicion at fell Williams who, contrary his
CUSTOM did not appear at the house alter the murder.
| Hc WAS found wandering through the streets, with
blood STAINS on his clothing and collar belonging
deceased his possession Ono OF the sleeves OF
his shirt had been off, and this being found where
he had concealed It, was discovered 10 be stained
with blood. On these evidences he was charged with
| having committed the murder.
|
begun In the Court OF Oyer and rermner Phiia
dciphm the 18th OF last March, before judges Ludlow
/ and Pierce .Districs Attorney Mann conducted
prosecution. and Messrs WorreIi and Gcndo
ASST med counsel for the unhappy
man The defence was most ablo and persistent
Nothing left undone that might aid in saving the
accused, but in spite OF the best efforts OF the skfu
counsel to prove alC, the evidence though crcum-
santial overwhelmed their most arfai plausible the
guilty Of murder in the Grst degree motion for ar
rest o. Judgment was made by tho prisoners COUNSEL
but this denied and the prisoner accordingly
sentenced TO be hanged on the 4th day Of June
Tux DRPoETMENr or PRISONER
after his conviction was uoexceptonabe His case OK.
physical deformity and his persistent denial Of his
guilt Many morb.diy Interested phanthropists OF
Philadelphia tried their utmost to induce the exercise OF
executive cemency in his behalf but in vain Mean
lime, however, the prisoner deported himself with
the most imperturbable coolness During the
time intervening between the sentence and ex.
ecution, however, he became 20 impressed with
the words OF his spiritual ADVISER the Rev Thomas g.
Aen that no warmly embraced religion and became
markably dcvout All attempts however, TO draw
frsonen,,v mporuned bv hs snrnal adviser 10 throw
rHK NIGHT BEFORE rnx HxEcUrros
prisoner retired early hour and slept soundly
no visitors being allowed TO annoy bm during the last
few few hoSrs Of v his LIE During the day he
counsel and Others and yet protested his OF
the murder with which he was charged. Ho scknow-
said that crme had prejudced the people against
him to such degree that he sentenced 70 be hanged
for what he had NOT really committed.
YESTERDAY,
the last OF the wrsched crpple's existence, dawned
melancholy Of the thought that the NE ola human be-
ing DO arcod 70 the stern retrbutvs decree Of
Ss rso: eros'T sSara MS Two
with the lcrime, he had bitterly complained, visited
him ia his cell, and remained with h,m Ior Two hours.
During their stay OF Thorn read aloud his request
the parable OF the Prodga Son. and during the reading
Williams burst into The parting Of brothers formed
scene which affected even the scr0est Of the officials
In tho JAIL although the Of their daily
pcrence they have met ith and become
nine O'Clock his spiritual adviser arrived and remained
cosccd with HIM up TO ten O'Clock, when the Sheriff,
uy wsny pessn arrived me s
time had manifested the utmost nrmness his spiritual
adviser and declared himself reliant on God and ready
to meet his DEATH A few minutes before oioven A. NJ
the Sheriff, accompanied BY Mr. Worei, entered the
prisoners cell and notified him OF the approach Of
tho time for the performance OF his unpleasant duty.
Colonel Keichiin, OF tho PRISON inspectors,
tured condemned II no still profcssed his limo
Colonel, and shall 80 state IRON tho scanod." Tho
sheriff then notified him 70 prepare, AMI he answered
ever acknowledged to any one the commission Of tho
crime, and he answered In the negative He also took
occasion 70 express himself perfectly satisfied with Mr.
Everything being readiness, the prisoner arose,
and with the and OF his crutch passed from the cell
through the committee and thence into the prison
yard followed by the mournfui procession usual on
such occasions. In passing through the committee
room he paused shake hands with Mr.. Haincs the
apothecary Of the prison. and bado him good BY in
| careless style.
THE scArYoLD
was OF tho ordinary trap door drop style and showed
the marks Of age, having be used for past
the last occasion having been the hanging OF Pfobsi
| Beng set up at remote point IN the spacious
prison yard however this fearful engine Of death
not easily TO be seen from without tie hi Oh walls OF
| tho frovning Moyamensing. The roof OF old do.
serted dscry however situated opposite the prison
afforded very good view, and there collected
at the time the prisoner arrived In tho yard. large
crowd OF anxious oamsns workmcn and reporters who
were not allowed within the prison walls The crowd
/ about the prison not, however, very numerous;
| being generally Understood by the people that oil
attempts At ca'cning glimpse o. tne doomed man
| business. large police force, however, under
| tho command Of Lieutenant Joseph Fuller.
| Of the First district, and Lieutenant " q.
/ Hampton OF the Second district, guarded all
the approaches 10 the pr efcctuay, and kept
rcspccabe distance scattered crowd of boys and