The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-26
THE GALLOWS.
Execution Of John w. Moore ut Greenville,
Bond County, Hl.-EIistOry of the Case
Written and Verbal Confessions Of the MUIR
dcrer-Letters from Moore to His Wife and
Child-The ScnnOld and the Execution.

Bond County, Hl.-History of the Case
Written and Verbal Confessions Of the MUIR
dcrer-Letters from Moore to His wife and
Child-The scnnold and the Execution.
From the st. Louis mo- Republican, Oct. 23l
county. in the state OF Illinois nifty miles east OF St.
Louis, on the line Of the st. Louis, Vandalla and
Terre Haute Railroad John w. Moore, convicted OF
the murder OF Mrs Louisa McAdams, VIE OF Mr..
Jesse NJ. Nc Adams, on the 9th day OF July last, SUI
fered the extreme penalty OF the law by being hanged
by the neck until he was dead.
HISTORY OF TINE CASE.
John w. Moore, the condemned and executed
man, with his wife, lived IN house and on the farm
of one John p Goodson, about three miles south or
Greenvine. Mr.. Goodson was an unmarried man
and made his home with Moore and his wife; or
rather they Kept house for Goodson, whose iatner
fourteen or sixteen years unai he attained ms ma
jorty. Mr. McAdams owned and occupied the farm
adjoining the one on which Moore li"ed; his house,
frame one OF two rooms, being situated about eighty
rods to the southwest oil Moore's there being small
branch and grove OF timber between the TWO houses
McAdamS ana Moore were about the same age, and
were somewhat related by Neutrality-suspicious. TWO
years previous to the murder Moore having married
young woman OF the noighDorho0d by the name
Of Hannah Urme, sister TO John 0rme, whose wife
III turn was sister to the murdered woman, Mrs.
McAdams. Under these circumstances 1t was natu-
raj that close neighbory intimacy should exist
between the two families aud Moore, presumng
upon that intimacy and the frank, Tree, open
aud honest disposition OF Mrs. McAdamS (who
Is said to have been most amiable womanL
and with unlawful ana unholy lust, and in
violation Of his own marital VOWS and obiga-
tons, sought on the day OF the murder to violate
her person, and falling in his purpose, In most
brutal and iendish manner, attempted to conceal
That CRIME by committing a greater one At the
time Of the murder Mrs. McAdams was about eigh-
teen years OF age, and had been married about one
year. while Moore was the father OF QUE child Moore
was man in whose physical organization the AMI
NAL predomlnatcd, and since his incarceration he
has frankly and freely admitted that the control Of
ns coac ana M 70 his Inability 70 coniro IT,
more directly speaking, to his 1n0rd1nate ana amor
GUS desires, he attributed his unfortunate and de-
plOrable end.
This unholy attempt upon the purity and virtue of
Mrs. McAdans, US above stated, was made on Mon.
day. the 5th day OF July and the marks on the moor
OF the room (Which was an uncarpeted One) where
the struggle took place gave evidence OF the strength
with which she resisted his Generous purpose. She
wore at the time Of the occurrence pair OF high
heeled boots with nails III the heels, Impressions
from which were clearly indented in the floor Tor
distances OF three feet In different directions. Fail
ing in his purpose, and fearing the result
OF the exposure with which she threatened
him, Moore became al alarmed and and lett the
seems BY his confession which is published
below, told his wife that q neighboring woman
was sick and desired her TO go over Alter she lett
OF neeing from the country, but thoughts OF his
wife and child prevailed over this purpose and lie
abandoned IT and Went into his wheat field to open
out some shocks TO dry rom the rains. While
engaged IN TINS work and considering the crime OF
which lie had just been guilty, he determinedco 90
back and see Mrs. McAdams and by some means
prevail upon her to hush the matter up and conceal
his baseness from her husband, the church Moore
being member OF the Methodist Episcopal
Sabbath schooD and the neghbors. Seeing
him returning towards the house. and
started to fee field in the direction Of
her sisters, Mrs. Orme. Anticipating her object to
be to give information OF what had TRANSFERRED, he
gave chase and, Overtakng her, committed the foul
and hesh murder for which he was yesterday exc
cuted On catching his victim he struck her several
times with his fist, telling her to the ground and
then drew hiS knife and stabbed BeVeral times
In each side and also on the back OF her neck ana
head then turned her over on her back and cut her
returned to his own wheat field, threw down some
Shocks reset them ana went back to the body OF his
victim to see II she was dead, and finding her spirit
had flown he went after mis- own wife and told her
that Mrs. McAdams was dead in the field. Return
ing to his home ne mounted horse and started TO
where some or their neighbors were engaged IN q
harvest field to give the alarm that Mrs. McAdams
had been murdered. The first man to whom he I'M
parted the fearful intelligence, however, was Mr..
John p. GOOdson the man on whose farm he lived,
and the next the men engaged In the field to which
he had started.
AS may be well supposed the intelligence spread
like wildnre and 1t was not long before the mangled
remains OF mis- VICTIM as her body lay stark and stn
in death on the spot where she had falen-a martyr
to wOmanS virtue and chastity-was surrounded by
large numbers Of the neighbors. justice Of
not until after his arrival was her body removed
to the house, and In the identical room whore, few
hours before, she mad successfully resisted hts base
assault, the solemn rites OF an inquest were held,
Moore in the meantime being present, taking an
active part IN the proceedings, and q part OF the
time holding lighted lamp over the remains of her
whom he first attempted to foully pollute and sub
8eQuently murdered.
Among other witnesses introduced on the occasion,
Moore was sworn to testify, and on oath stated that
ION that afternoon, on passing the house, he had
noticed Mrs. McAdams on the porch washing and a
strange man sitting by the well; that after he ar
rived at nome and had gone into his wheat6eld to
open out some shocks or wheat he heard scream
in the direction OF the house OF McAdams as OF some
one in great distress. Presently he heard another
scream, and then he started to run over. When he
reached the house he found both Mrs. McAdams and
the strange man gone the one from the house and
the other from the well He then supposed she
might have been haooing to Brighten some unruly
stock from the wheat field and went out and climbed
where her body was found, and discovered the
corpse lying upon the ground"
During the progress OF the inquest Moore and one
or two others had been stripped OF their clothing.
which was closely examined for stains OF BLOOD and
on the right sleeve OF Moore's shirt a small stain
was discovered. Previous to this some slight cir
cumstances had aroused suspicion against Moore,
and Sheriff Wafer took him down to the fence from
which no had testified ne had seen her body, and,
going to the spot where the murder was committed,
threw down few sheaves OF wheat, covered them
with q coat and returned to the position Moore
had designated. but found that neither they nor
human body could be seen therefrom. Some
boot tracks had in the meantime been found
IN the door yard, one OF which had been
known to have worn that day were next obtained
from his mouse, their shape and dimensions COM
pared with the track 30 concealed, and found to be
Identical and he was placed under arrest and
lodged in the Greenville jail Tuesday the 9th day
OF July. When Moore was arrested and searched q
common twobladed pocketkniie was found upon his
person, the larger blade OF which was about three
inches IN length, and from the point OF which o
small particle had been broken of, as II it had re-
Gently been in contact with some hard substance.
Even after his and until the Saturday follow
ing Moore protested his innocence, and respected
had he previously been that but few seemed willing
to believe him guilty.
On Wednesday, the 7th Of July, Sheriff Wafer got
on track Of q man answering the description Of
that given by Moore OF the one he stated he saw
sitting by McAdams' well, and, following the trail
to Woodburn, in Macoupin county, he arrested q
man by the name Of Dixon, and on Friday, the 9th
OF july returned with HIM to Greenvllle and lodged
him in jail also; but on saturday. the 10th OF july
Moore sent for Rev. N. NJ Powers OF the Methodist
Episcopal church at Greenvile, to whom be made
the following
WRITTEN CONFESSION:
To THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLISos:-
Know all persons that John W. Moore arrested
picion for the murder Of Louisa McAdam do this day
knowledge and confess that did do the horrible deed Of
which have been accused that hereby make confession
to the fact and pray that violence wilt be attempted but
that may be dealt with according to law also desire that
and all Christians requested to In and talk with
and pray for II there any forgiveness for such
awful crime 1 sincerely and earnestly desire II and shall