The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-01
Visit to the Unfortunate Man-Biogra-
phical Sketch-His Crime-His Appear
ance and Feelings, Etc.

ance and Feelings, Etc.
Friday, March l, is the day appointed for the
execution of George Wagner, condemned to
Wagner, in July 1866. Whether the unfortunate
man will be hung or not, depends upon the sue
cess of efforts that being made by his friends
to procure o communication of the sentence to
imprisonment. After conviction in the General
Sessions, Wagner's case was taken TO the Supreme
Court, and finally to the Court of Appeals,
but in both the proceedings of the court below W
were uniformly sustained, and on the renllhitu7
from the Supreme Court the time was fixed for
carrying out the sentence. The prisoners ap-
pearance is not such as betokens brutal dis
position, though 1t is customary, IN photograph
ing persons placed in his situation, to depict a
physiognomy strongly marked by develop pments
which would indicate the worst kind of depra-
vlty as if it we're the duty of the writer to stihe
public sympathy, and wipe out the last lingering
hope of the condemned man. Wagner is a
native of Bavaria and is now forty-one years of
age. In 1853 he came to America, residing
the first two years in Brooklyn; alter that time
his home was in this city, where he was en-
ployed as jourheyman cabinetmaker up to the
moment OF the unfortunate occurrence which
has consigned him to felons cell, and perhaps
to felon's death. He has no near relations
living, except half brother and half sister
from whom he has not heard for great while.
At the last accounts they were still in Bavaria.
The prisoner is in stature about medium height,
and when he entered upon his confinement
some eighteen months ago, presented an ap-
pearance OF good health and physical Vigor.
His face is rather oval in shape, nose prolni-
nent, light blue eye, brown hair, with beard
and moustache of a reddish brown color. Long
Imprisonment and mental suffering have re-
duced him almost to a mere shadow and given
him an ashy pall0r. He is dressed in the same
grey coat aud vest and dark pants that he wore
| when arrested. His voice is mild and sub
! dued, and his general demeanor quiet and
resigned. Turing the first few months of his In
! generation he occupied a cell in the second cor
ridor of the City Prison, Tenth months ago he
| Ixrac nam cd fO coll M A in hn md fiar
which he will leave only TO pay the dread
! penalty of his crime, unless Executive clemency
! should interpose to give him place in the State
| Prison. He says that in early days he received
! no moral training except as his own inclination
| adopted, and was never talked to on the sub
| ject of religion. Since being removed TO his
! present quarters he has embraced the Catholic
| faith and receives weekly visits from Father
| Duranquet and the Sisters of Mercy. These have
| instructed him IN religious deVotions, and pro-
! vided few books, thus atfording the only
II means that can avail the wretched man for
consolation in these trying hours OF solitude and
| terrible anticipation. He says that for while
| his mind was much distressed; when awake he
| sank under gloomy forebodings, and his sleep
| was troubled by frightful dreams, but since
| religion has come to his aid he feels greatly
/ Comiorted, sleeps well, and is resigned TO the
i fate that seems TO await him. or the crime
| which he Is so soon, probably, to eXplate
/ Wagner processes to be entirely Ignorant. He
| does not protest innocence, but insists that If
| he did commit it, the act was done during ut
| of temporary insanity, symptoms OF which had
| previously manifested themselves in periods of
| mental abstraction, accompanied by strange
| vagaries in his conduct. Those who have long
| known him give him an excellent character.
| He was well liked tbV his shopmates, one of
| whom has expended $500 of his own means in
| behalf of the unfortunate man. Wagner speaks
| highly of the treatment he has received at the
| hands of the prison keeper. His cell
| is neatly furnished, as the cells usually
are, with an iron bedstead aud chair.
Near one corner hangs a small crucifx,
before which he spends most of his time in de-
| Votional exercises. At times, while conversing,
his appearance is collected and his eye calm;
but frequently cloud seems suddenly TO gather
over his soul; his eye dilates frightfully as ex
pressing frenzy of horror, and he will talk fol
awhile abstractedly, as If at that moment he had
taken leave of his last cherished hope and given
himself up to despair and melancholy. A brie
visit from our reporter seemed to revive hi
spirits TO some degree for the time being, bu
upon taking leave he again relapsed into hiI
usual sadness, and his PALE attenuated ngurC
sank back into the gloom OF his cell, like
dead man retiring to his tomb. Whether Wagner
be guilty and deserving of extreme punishment
or not, mis- situation and appearance cannot fai
TO excite the most profound commiseration
Shut up In his lonely cell with naught, aside
from his religious deVohons, to occupy his min(
but the appalling contemplation Of the spectacle
he is soon to present TO the world, he brood
over his doom, counts the days. the hours, tn,
, minutes, and almost the lesgening seconds