New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-03-02
TIE SCAFFOLD.
EXECUTION OF GEORGE wnuNrR

Rroome ct with a FrenehwOman, TO whom ne was mar
ned On Friday afernoon-there were two black fridays
N this vretehs eareer-July a, 1865, he murdered her
Hc took small hatchet, followed the woman into inc
Ionse and buried it in brain She fell to the fcor
With a single shrek, which brought witnesses W INC
Heed Wagner was covered with blood. MOI ohy us
hands were mbued his boots were also tarnlshed Win
he crimson lfe-tde which sprang ike fountain from
e prostrate form The murderer was tired IN OctoDer'
ss nv the Court OF General Sessions, was found guilty
and senenced to be executed the 18th OF the follow
ng December stay OF sentence uo d ythe lie Of the
murderer thus prolonged to that tiIne ,, y, tho
,rmc for Which he suffered the death penalty But teIe
we're strange circumstances connected with the
certainly did not look like deliberate murderer when
he led out to death nc was dressed IN SUI, Nv STcd
aggression and his whole demeanor bore the uces Vi t
long Of oSr n shdy IWhskeIs In fact every
thing about him, even to the cut OF ms % bo
make orr best and most thrifty citizens OF foreign
extraction Yet this men was Was P Ts counsel had
soleInny asseverated: 1.-The act was never even lol
momen premedated by him was 9oae Wien e had NO
reasons doing the deed; IT was all % @ a mon
hdeoms dream He said that he had an lndstlneth re-
collection Of seeing man follow woman WIN se no
1nt1b S'S the man The suddenly clutehed
ina hatchct stronger and then Glove his
stood gazing gpngy on tue Tragedy PeO1 The Scene
sni he himself became the murderer stI in the vague
dreamy state but with a nameess horror thrlllng nun
Nc eectrcity ne fled He did not know what he was
about but r0aned through the streets until ne was
brought to stand,stll by policeman anu drhD
minutes afterward he was no longer the I t
German mechanic of the day before he was wagner nT
amci"g over his head He saw that halter dangling be-
fore hs eyes for s months, and yesterday the long
man adjusted it around his neck; he became one OF
strange procession and in few minutes therSad1[ Ho
his long dream Of horror, II unable, ndeeu' 10 enu N
It is strange and horrible thing to see man led out
10 die II common thing as ~ 1seI 20 10
scventyve years ago all London assembled about me
walls Of Newgate them worked off, rs the hang
man Barnaby Ridge expressed IT, mUnvu d tbe
boys were hanged for stealing o@ves o. n cher in
romantic highwayman made his last dance on o n te
with t9e P SSd invaded my lords in
search Of poor rabbit TO gd ms eanpli T,r
60 feet in air. with the whole world TO see you dS
and cockney frutvenders and pe'w9len h w The
same time the Frenchmen were choppng on eaen of
heads on the Place de Grove and windows 9yeIIOUEs
The execution were sold at fabulous sums Executions
are Of far more private nature ~ may ny w 10 are
Of our superior civilization to know that the pgpG g
not permitted TO mdiscriminatey witness the Eai
killing Of But in TINS country AZ Ss Wv as If
smuggled through win IN a slotCicu ne STATE
everybody ashamed OF the TRANSACTION, IN INC ~ an
xe1ton unless he be some sort Of Official concerned IN
the proceeding Therefore, IN order 10 wines a o
nointnr him as "A deputy. There were great HtIIy
R5nnties AT the hanging of Wagner yesterday. The
although be had heard the busy hammers III me yaIuou
s Saised i'm the northwest corner of priscnyard
close to the Franknst wall In the early inOrnS MS
underneath the gaows eyed it without displaying
SfSts doomT9 o'clock While kneclng in the chapel
steamwhistle announcing the hour Oh vS s hoe
l b r9SS 70 his Feet with gasp almost like
hE V" HS e Vas Isborinr mana mechanic at least
and he knew the meaning Of that shrin seamwhise 1t
half the world to be up and away on lts ms
sion OF abCrtO in and among the busy wheels ana
SSa1s 81 TS1mgSy Geoe and had PROBABLY often
quiesened his pace as he wendell his way 10 iIe TOK
slung across his shoulder Now, as he sprang
TO bis sei nS%sNes lie VAS Vas Tss@sa Una,
pang OF agony darcd his face, and was several
seconds he could be calmed He then resumed hs
kneeug posture and his face put on once again Ihe looA
The morning wet and ugly one; but upward Oi
90 spectators without Including policemen were d. as
fold was partially protected by rude awning, but the
went the monotonous raindrops from pillar and beam
and the Egyptian masonry OF the prison Itself was
stained the walls but the crowd stood bFeathlessy and
II tRrSns Ike this il is sratifyng to notice that most
OF its members drawn from unrefined circles. Hall
who have got within the coveted walls through the
friendship OF some policeman or Justice OF tee
class OF gentlemen who attend the show for
fowy each deaththroe as though they desired to have
tphOtorsphed upon the brain for future use The po
anee They have little work TO do 10 keep the crowd in
across the gaoWs and every one feels ts influence The
bell OF the prison strikes with clear sharp ring and the
form The crowd instnctively divide, for the doomed
walks in the Heads are uncovered immed
atey. Every spectator looks as If lie ashamed Of
himself. Here and there mean bully is seen wrapt up
IA the morbid interest Of the OCCASION but the general
peraiion Of cOwardly deed. Even the police
men look abashed The Sheriff, as he walks be
eide the victim, appears as though he would gladly
prisoner neatly attred in black lie has been exhorted
hathis white bOOdles features are comparatively
posed hut you read Il months Of dungeon life in the
scared liberty longing eyes utter through the crowd in
vague way a. though lac felt himself TO be ia horrible
dream from which he would shortly awake.
No one, apparently, in that solemn hour remembered
this mans crime. dead hush fell upon all Wagner
had the halter already about his neck AS he stood be-
meath the rope, the clergyman addressed him IN the
soothing tones of religions last office. He listened
lips the crucx he carried in his hand once, only
the wild eye cleaned through the crowd, though i'm
returned their gray depths, aud every that
the victim had attained that Ultima Thule Of despair
hangman, at a signal. drew the black cap the
doomed mans face, scientifically adjusted the knot under
the steel ring Of the halter snapped into
the steel ring Of the gbbet rope. little man with
breast behind the Enclosure TO cut the rope You
hear the single stroke Of there il the sw sound
the air about feet. II a mans meek Is broken by
that jerk, he dies easily and quickly; If not he dies
stranguation lie have suffered fearful torInents
for he twisted and kicked in the for fully five
minutes after being jerked from his feet Gradually
the body grew still In about IS minutes they lowered
the body until its feet almost touched the ground Two
order 10 let the officials know when death had taken
place. While one felt pulse either side, another
There must have been futer Of life where, for
they presently hauled him up and let him danee
again. couldn't it, and lowered the corpse into the
coffin wherein il was Enclosed without removing the
distorted with protruding tongue and starting eyes,
result OF the slow choking which had been undergone