The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-11
THE sCAFFOLD
The Execution of orme, the Murderer
of Brodhead-The Crime and
the Trial-The Escape
from Jail
Etc, Etc, Etc, Etc., Etc.


burg.
The deceased was a brother of Thomas Brod-
eUd, the proprietor of the Brainerd House, at
Outolsville Monroe county. He was about
torty-fye years of age, and had been formerly
engaged in the lumber business. His assalant,
we've William Brooks, aged twenty-five years,
Scotchman by birth, who had been railroad
la6orer since his arrival in the country eighteen
months before, and Charles Orme, an Irishman
twenty years old On Thursday morning, Sep
tember a. 1868 these two men left Scranton
on freight train, but were put off at Strouds-
burg that afternoon. They wandered about
Stroudsburg and took drinks at the principal
Lotels During that night they robbed a hard
ware store at Stroudsburg, and stole u lot of
tools and a coat, and placed the proceeds of the
robbery in carpet-bag, and proceeded towards
the Water Gap. They stopped at the Brainerd
House, got intimate with two or three la
borers on Saturday morning about 10 o'clock
and took drinks with them, when they were
left in the bar-room alone. They waited until
Thomas Brodhead went out, and then quietly
robbed the drawer of eight dollars. They then
went to Luke Brodhead's tavern, near the
Brainerd House, and took a drink after which
they walked short distance along the road
when they were overtaken by Thomas Brodhead
sharing the money when the Brodheads came
up. Thomas accused them of the robbery, when
they threw the money down and said, Take the
money" Thomas then told them they must go
back with him. when Brooks appeared willing at
first, and then refused. Thomas Brodhead laid
hands upon Orme, saying that he must 90 with
them. Orme attempted to throw some money
over an orchard wall, but a two dollar note fell
to the ground, and as Thomas Brodhead stopped
10 rNin nIya lava n1 MET fol Ia;
head. Theodore warned him not to fire, and he
turned and shot him (Theodore), through the
heart. scutlle ensued between Thomas and
the men, in which several pistol shots were fired,
and the former was so badly beaten that he sank
to the ground exhausted whereupOn they fled.
They went down in the Gap and up in the
mountains and after wandering around found
they were headed off, the whole neighborhood
by this time being i'll arms and securing the
country for them. Without knowing it they
took cut and came out near the scene of the
murder, there being nobody about the citizens
being in the mountains hunting them. They
were soon seen, however, crossing the road and
wading through Cherry creek, when the alarm
was given and the spot was soon surrounded.
They hid in some underbrush, but, when sum
mOned, came forth and surrendered. One of
them pointed pistol at the crowd just before
the surrender, but did not fire, and both captives
threw away their weapons before being caught.
There was great trouble to prevent them being
lynched by the incensed citizens; the Sheriff and
After period of great excitement both men
were lodged in the StrOudsburg Jail, and the
prison was guarded day apd night. This is the
only murder which has o ,curred in that section
of the country for many years.
The prisoners were arraigned for trial on the
29th of December and several days were taken
up by the cause. They were represented by
able counsel, but verdict of guilty of murder
in the first degree" was returned. An appeal
was then taken to the Supreme Court upon the
ground that the Brodheads, being private cti-
zens, and having no warrant their death, result
ing from resistance to the attempted arrest, was
not murder, but manslaughter This the Court
below refused TO affirm, and this formed the
principal assignment of error. The point was
argued at length, but was overruled by the
Supreme Court the opinion stating:-
"It is au answer to this point to say that it
required the Court to take the question entirely
from the jury, and to say that the crime was
only manslaughter. Though the arrest be Illegal
the killing would not necessarily be mansaugh-
ter, for the question of malice still remained.
The illegal assault will not reduce the ofense to
manslaughter where the revenge is disprOpor-
tionate and barbarous."
On Saturday morning, April g. the citizens of
SToudsburg were startled by the ringing of the
alarm bell at A. NJ. 1t soon became known
that the prisoners had escaped, and speedily
there was gathered at the Jail an excited multi
tude, armed and uuarmed, on horseback and on
foot ready to scour the country. 1t seems one
of the prisoners feigned sickness, and at length
tumbled down on the floor of the cell us if in a
fit or spasm. The other one called to the old
tailor. who was watching in the hall, and asked
him if he would come in and help him lift
his companion on the bed. The old man un-
suspectingly unlocked the door of the CELL
leaving the keys sticking in the lock. The pri-
sOners at once sprang to their feet, commanding
the jailor TO keep still at the peril of his life
Their hOpples and handouts they had previously
removed without keys by hammering them
open, and they now sprang out, closing the cell
door on the old jaor; and were soon at liberty
outside the Jail. They had failed to lock the
Jallor IN, so In a few minutes after their escape
the bells rang out the alarm, and at an early
hour the chase began Couriers on horseback
were sent out in every direction, whilst those
on foot took to the fields and woods. A blood
hound brought from Jersey for the purpose
seemed to indicate that the fellows had made
for the Pocono Mountains
Throughout Saturday the excitement was very
great in Stroudsburg and vicinity, and business
came to a halt equal to the day of the murder
ward, private individuals had added other hun
dreds to the Offer and the pursuit was vigorous
and earnest Up to Sunday morning nothing
had been heard from the criminals. Many OF
the pursuers had returned declaring the chase
in vain. At length, Mt about 3 o'clock in the
afternoon, Orme was captured few miles from
Stroudsburg. farmer, at whose barn they
stopped, gave the alarm, and although they at
tempted to escape on stolen horses, Orme was
taken.
Nothing further was known of Brooks where
abouts until May IL, when Mr.. Laivrent encoun-
tered him five miles west of Fort Jeryis, n. Y,
and seized him. While walking with his captor
Brooks suddenly plunged down an emOankmenl
of thirty feet effected his escape, and from that
time to the present he has been at large.
Efforts have been made to secure pardon
from the Executive in the case of Orme; but as
the latter attempted q second time to escape
from his confinement, all hopes of unmerited
clemency had 10 be abandoned