New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-08-10
EXECUTION OF JERRv INV
.u-.~ VBRIEN'

point 10 the prison entrance Of the Tombs Inc crown
was Of the most motley character IL lnciuueu 'e'es,
pickpOckets, appewomen' laborers' business i'D
others attracted on their way down tO"h' anu qi'o
numher ~ the blue bloused Panamahatted gentlemen
Wboare eycrywherea feature in Metropolitan sPeo"'i
1t was Black Friday, and the occasion was tne h"Se
Of Jeremiah O'Brien, the murderer OF apoe'u'o 80,
Smith nv name in Prinee-st., over IA months 'so' ~
souad Of police outside the prison was suholeh''
rabbe were easily kept at bay 1t was easy 10 sec VIVA"
the rabbe wanted They knew that there was man "
be nut 20 death within the walls at soeiooA ~
90 ADVERTISEMENT and thew were anxious o close to The
affair as possible. When II became eNueh III 'h%C d3
t them as n determined TO be in the closest prOX-
Unity the tragedy preparing Within, ,o rodod with
those who had the document necessary TO ADMIT tnein
and ms the gates were not opened nui aDou. ~ f ad
before o'clock, they soon Deene .h os,S vore NO
mittancc These gentleman thank God there were no
women among thCmO were by no means OF the IaoDle'
They better dressed better OOKaG III eve
and each his hand pocket ned OUT eerlcat
fo assist in preserving order at the execution"
AS there were from 200 10 900 Of these Temporary
IT. is to be presumed that there was no great
obstruction to the preservation OF oraSr napn
greatly facilitated the dignity OF the asSemelage Du'
there was certainly no az aont 90 minutes before
9,and then there was general rush, much croWalnE'
cts or certificates were looked upon by unhappy out
siders the beloved of the Gods ana sever" ~ %
cure good seat in the show II was all the d3olAee W
could do 10 take up the tickets last enough b men The
gates were then closed Many of the outsiders mus nt
cuded were indignant one Oh 'ne hIoh e o nose ex
claimed just the officers were pushing p FSr he
Jabers Alderman oRafery promised me s1 ~ tb hs
show But I'm be even via 6o MN Of the prison
offered the sergeant in command DusheI OF lSSn
70 be ALLOWED to so GS tempting Was declined with
yirtuOus smile. And the outside crowd were Stauuly
pressed back for half block or more where they were
kept for over hour The number OF spectators al
United within the walls was unusually large As tSe e
remember ii, there were scarcely % SPECTATORS "' me e
execution of Friery and Wagner; Dut on on ta nI
t9fe s wSTs Fe h e most prOUmac
question is. what so many goodlookns men
aR nG Se ope The average morality Of the crowd
ms looks at it, is good There are lerhaps, 10 men men
present In two minutes you can pick Gus the par,
keepers the rong6s and the PgS S % STs OBJ
frehdSn9 70 SoIe and tbey do not appear TO number
more than 50 or 40 The majority are respeetaDleI We'll
todo gentlemen Of all ages-merchants and merchants
erIsbo have either entered the walls out of morbid
TeaiIife which the mimic drama of the stage cannot
afford. .-,.-.,....,,,, -.o..o,,, .oo,-ror y,
the prisOnyard 1t is the same structure when ucst1 e
Capt Beale Governors Island three years ago. Ken
nedy nj Fort Lafayette short time later Bernard Eel'
and Wagner, the wife murderer SIN more IecenS, "a
description Of its lOathsOme operations is almost nect
saIy. Suffice it to say that the seaod USED AT we
is supposed to improvement on the ola cOlVeh-
onal style In the old country sH n N paose above
trap below the spIlnglng OF g pOns,ors me
spirit into eefnity is still adhered to- Here instead OF
falling down the cuprt ieTked up. His halter is fas
tened to suspended rope which is controlled by heavy
weight suspended by mere thread in an adjoining IN
closure. The thread" is cut the rope with us INt6
weight attached, is jerked high into the arr ana he
slack purchase is great that either the mans neck
YetefdSy as in the case of Wagner the scaod was
covered with an awning as the aPPearanS S 81 {ee IF
the rope were ranged a number Of benches with rough
deal desks front for the convenience OF the press
benches. The rest filled with gentlemen who IN,
tent being as near as possible to the tracey I ne
santa IN
and fictitious pencils their ears ID order 10 eIu9e
e so there being about $50 present ALL Including
the police There seemed to be more than orohpAy n
stood on tpoe and climbed the projections Of the prison
easements TO see the AFFAIR aH1 ine Se agedy We're
crowded with male and female spectators aeSGnpSf
victim was advertised to be disposed OF at O'CLOCK
promptly After waiting I 10 S Tr ~ among the crowd
many of whom had business" TO attend to, and 70
s SaS9 5~e T xs H ast Mr. Kelly the sheriff made
ais S The sSerR
fnelooking man, and seems to hate the hanging
ance Of Washington Market butcher He said after the
saw stretched did my best with him. If be had kicked
aion1rym1D and cut my throat Both before and since
that time has frequently shown his loving hand and
his roSs beforn other words he knew his rCpes-fOr
upon the present occasion he cOntened himself with feel
test the efficiency Of the weights The killing tools must
found in good Order for presently all returned
20 the prsongate and reenered the cell OF the doomed
The police Immediately pushed back the crowd, and
formed long lane through which the fatal procession
should pass its way to the scafod Some sim CON
fnued 10 press against the instrument Of death, and a
number thTODged around the prison gate IN order 10
view the prisoner his first entrance into the yard
While waiting here there were great many comments
passed upon the and there brutal impa
tence expressed as 10 the nonappearance OF the prs
In the month of June 1856, Jerry oBen was standing
on PTnce-st. attitude OF doubt He did not dream
of ii at that tme but lie was IN reality trembling on the
verge of an from which there retreat
in publication Of his entire being. In house Of in
fanny close by there lived woman who had been his
smith young and beautiful though utterly
lost Jerry OBrien loved her mady and passionately
1t the old story, which has been rhymed by owen
She a.rlot and md, T gs,sn ,Rist
Jerry's reputation bad. He supposed 10 live
I'm an illegtmate way When he became poor, this CIR
supported him. She kept him in clothes, food, and drink
by wages OF her shame But at last she grew needy
herself and her fayOTs came few and far between The
scale of wicked fortune before her, with money
SIDE and hunger on the other Wth the reckless des
drew in the proceeds jerry was jealous OF tue girl
not only question Of affection or passion with him.
but OF subsistence as well He at this time repre-
sentative Of OF the meanest classes IN the word-a
man," sOcaled who was willing TO subsist ON the pro
SeTG PT Stood SpS on Princest with million
thoughts drifting through his mind He had been sol
der Union, and IL is said had fought Dravey,
and he had also figured extensively as Fenian in the
raid Of year He also had mother and sisters
at the home he might sun cal ms own PeTchance q
waited his mind az the fatal time, but his
thoughts were intent ON darker scenes Infatuated by
long Of bad whisky and stung with the frenzy Of
1eaOusy, his thoughts dwe only upon the unfortunate OBJ
Jeey 81 hs passion He seereted afshnife on MS person
found IN upper story and pursued her 10
81 she Tie andady and others entered her room
and besOught him 70 be mercful At last the girl fed
dow ssirs terror, OBien pursuing her with the
drawn knife. The shadow Of her death was lowering
her yretched head and she felt It, She half turned
him. and exclaimed in words TO this substance: