The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-08-09
JERRY o'BRlEN.

Preparations for the Execution TO-Day-Ia-
terview Between the Prisoner and His
Relatives-His Demeanor the Esd Ap-
proaches.
commenced yesterday at the Tombs In the afternoon
the carpenters began the work OF erecting the saows
before evening the entire structure completed
1t consists Of two strong beams firmly braced 70 the
stone floor Of the yard distant from each olher about
fifteen feet and joined at the top by heavy cross
piece extending from upright beam TO the other.
In the middle Of tho cross piece rope passes
through a hole made for its easy passage, and
above the beam small pulley, Of the ends 10
connected with heavy weight which Ia concealed be
bind board partition, the weight being held about four
feet above the surface Of the ground by guy rope,
which is fastened firmly to beam ON line with the
base OF one OF the upright beams and which, when cut
in twain by the OF the executioner who is 70 be
stationed behind the partition win cause the weight to
fall and the body of the wretched condemned, when
attached by the moose around his neck to exposed
end Of the rope, to be jerked from the ground dis
lance OF four feet The horr1d structure has
been erected the spot in the yard that has been
made unhallowed ground by all the executions that
have taken place in the jail yard for the past seven
years, just opposite the womens prison. and almost
beside the cell occupied by the condemned criminal IL
10 the galows from which Frery, Ferris and
Wagner paid the penalty of their crimes, the deep in
cson OF the executoners made at each exec uton
in the ground beam being plainly visible
During the entire afternoon Sheriff Kelly beseged
by persons whose morbid curiosity did credit 10 their
manhood, who DESTROYS OF seeing the prisoner be-
fore the hour fixed for his execution, Of being APP
pointed special deputy sheris according law wit
ness the execution itself In no one instance were The
desires Of the sghtseers granted and the Sheriff has 30
far decided not to allow any one to enter the jail yard
pending the execution except officials and others who,
by reason Of their public position or official duties,
are under the necessity Of being present Among
appeared before Justice Bowling in the afternoon.
and begged the Justice to commit him for ten days as
drunkad, as he was DESTROYS OF being placed in cell
where he could witness the execution. He had come
fully prepared for the OCCASION and had concealed under
ns cSd - nee Ss naow M
cell In which he desired TO be placed The Justice COM
piled with the mans request but much TO his disgust
and disappointment as soon as he was taken into the
Tombs yard he was placed In the '.Back Maria and
Blackwells Island to out his term Of ten
days
OBrien was visited during the day by his mother and
sisters and although their visits Of late have been very
frequent the Of the final hour when the un
fortunate young Is to be deprived Of his life had
the effect of rendering their interview one OF most
painful and touching % Ins grief Of me Ss
fortitude Of her equally suffering daughters 10 induce
her 10 leave the cell Of the condemned before night
came The prsouer bore up manfully during the n-
terview and did much by his actions and modest advice
to strengthen his heart broken relatives in this hour Of
their supreme grief Decidedly the most painful feature
their that the sorrowing women IN going 70
and from the coll were compelled to pass almost beneath
s1 turned hr e 70 he i
hufryng by. Although while the gallows We being
erected the echoes Of the sounding hammers Of the
carpenters ct work reverberated throughout the build
ing and fell painfully on the Of those in the cell
adjoining that in which condemned ID imprisoned he
advisers and the Sisters Of Mercy were In constant
attendance upon him during the day and were unsrinE
opdes tbrosah Which hs to pss
The sun in which he b. astrsd the execut ion,
which was sent in 70 him Yesterday consists Of PAR