New-York tribune., 1869-06-23
SIM SUTTON THE NEGRO MURDERER.
Ills brarn srxrrNor co,mtrrp.H

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Gov. Randolph yesterday morning mtlmNeo
to NJ NJ Knapp esq one of the counsel for Sam Sutton
the negro condemned % hanged the 25h inst lot
the murder of Cesar zabrske that the sentence woHd
be cOmmuted to Imprisonment for life. The Court OF
Pardons session Paterson at later hour made the
order for change Of sentence and the necessary papers
VIII be forwarded 10 Hackensack to-day. Very strong
influence has been brought bear upon tho Court TO in
duce this Many OF the best citizens of Bergen
County Of the opinion from their knowledge of the
unfortunate criminal, well from the evidence
adduced at the trial. that in striking tho fatal
blow he had intention to take ire
Yesterday o representative of THE TRIBUNE visited
Hackensack NewJersey for the purpose OF seeing ana
conyersing with the negro sam sutton umef sentence
Of death for the murder OF Caesar Zabrskle ahother
negro in July 1861 The day fixed for the execution was
friday next ana preparations Tor the last Ace III te
drama OF the unfortunate mans e were ao'HS % |
hearted Sheriff Van Blarcom, and the nciiaDe dehght
OF the criminal news came from Trenton that the death
sentence had been commuted
The visit to the cell Of the prisoner made hour
or two after receipt OF the telegram Sutton although
man Of great self-possesson except when strongly
moved by anger had been very much excited, but was
now quite calm, and seemed as little agitatcd by the
sudden call from death e by the daily change from
light to darkness in his grated cell go , 80 80
When THE TRIBUNE reporter entered with the Sheriff,
he found Sutton leaning against the stone sill OF his WIN
dow, ana gazing abstracedly at be changing SKY what
the thoughts OF the ignorant were at that mo
mcnt who tell His rcvery broken by the Sher-
iG who said checrly: Here Sam, Is gentleman come
talk tOyOu. Tell him all you know about the affair that
brought you here and when he wants leave you snake
tine door"
the whole O your story from beginning 10 end sd the
reporter, and with but little hesitation, and assisted
only by an occasional question: he related MS experience
III about these words:
Well, Sir. it were an unhappy succumstance. That
man Caesar In the Summer Of 1866 10 we was all al .
picnic mp TO Saddle River aud We was having good
time. lie had taken TOO much whisky, aud he mad
crowd OF Paterson f8lets along with MN, ana once
wouldn't play the fiddle for hlm, and hc got mad Welb
Sir lie pulled OF lis coat and dtawed his knife ana made
for me- and then run, cause knOwed II were iOr me-
1 never had fight in my born days. l never
well nigh onto send' me into eternity. Well run INTO
the barn, and they artor me. hid In the manger aud
the hay with knife II there. All at onst Inc
teched me and / thought was gOne-for they was al
the mangcr aud got down alongside Of horse and ~
minute Caesar. he the other side, sngin ont all
hole in the oor and ketched sight the led did and
opened II end went down, and then got away. IN
the place was there with my
wife and my brother and some friends C@sar
ne KEEP threatnn all the cyeuin that he would kill me,
and my folks they said sam, you'd better GOT So
started for 60 but that bound 10 rush onto
destruction that night. lie follorod and called me-
and then OpUed, and when he was comm Up seen ne
cI ~ ] I3t 10 h ny 20 @ goI 2 gu, y & hG ht % fo
Tered NE with his crowd and cut me TO pieces 50 there
stood. and when lie come mp struck him. didn't
truth"
Then he told how he fed few miles away, hoping that
nothing would come ~ the affair, aud how after few
weeks absence from home he went back and learned that
CTsar was dead. Then ho Hurried away In TIE dark
night and skuked here there and everywhere working
Little wherever he could. never singing long m place,
but fleeing at the frat sound ~ danger always pursued
by the tear Of the outraged law aud by the awful cries
Of his gully conscience. Then in his peculiar dJonted
way he described his arrest and his trial with us result
and the simple story done. .
SutiOns face bears none OF the signs that mark the
mau Of blood He quiet slow, measured IN ms speech
and hasR voice by no means unpleasant he has long
been known iu Bergen County where he was born as an
Industrious peaceful man. Sheriff Van BlarcOm once
employed hm for two years aud that ia that time
ho had occasion 10 nd fault win the man. nor ala
he ever bear complaint concerning hln 1iany OI INC
best citizens ~ the county I'm hopes tnat, after St
ton served two three years In the state Prison. the
cemency Of the Court OF pardOLs Will ba extended 10
him. and the unfortunate victim Of circumstance be nj
lowed an opportunity t0 atone for his ohense without
wearing the rest Of his days IN the workshops ana
dungeons OF the Jail