New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-01-08
CdPlT4L PUNISHMENT.

William y. Wooley, middle-aged man. was
legally strangd to death at the quiet town OF Freehold
In Monmouth County, New-Jersey, yesterday. The exc
cuton was first fixed for the cath OF December last but
inc respite which was allowed was granted By Gov.
Ward to avoid painful and undesirable exhibition dur
Ing inc hohuay season IL confidently hoped by the
counsel and friends Of the condemned that executive
clemency would finally stay the execution altogether
and commute the death sentence to i'm
prisonment f0e life but fortunately for the
convicted prisoner no did not render his last
hours unhappy and agon,zng by sharing
in these groundless hopes the contrary singular as it
may appear he rather DESTROYS of having the event
occur Than otherwise. plain accoHnt OF the murder
dency and usefulness OF capital punishment even I'm the
rigorous State OF NcwJersey may DE found Interesting
with it. Near the Atlantic coast line Of Monmouth
County n j. begins small stream which is known as
flows through Wild and orbiddng portion of the state
which is seldom ireguented by, by travellers ,rs
river and a short its mouth. the little
village Of Oceanpor mostly populated by fishermen and
Winter and Summer. Father and son, and even daugh-
ter have engaged IN It from one generation TO another
mtted the act for which Wooley forfeited his life The
date OF the the 18th OF August 1868 Pre-
viOus 10 that time WOOey had been living with Harris
horn Fleming brother fisherman and and FISHERMAN,
resident with the Fleming family for period Of IA years,
sw"y in Tie . Newesey Regmen Capt A. H. Pat
tersons Company serving faithfully private soldier.
1t was after his return that the rangement between
him and his bOarder took place. which resulted in the lat
ters leaving the house and was the immediate cause OF
the homicide. Fleming accused wooley Of having
lived in adulterate intimacy with his wife; then quar-
relied with him and chastised him, and finally cJeced
murder. Femng's wife, who occasored the feud, was
also reported TO have taken sides against her
former paramount few hours subsequently
wooley vent to a hotel the village, kept By one
Jacob Bennett and was there heard 10 exeaim, If
that ID son of , I'll shoot him., or words TO that
freely,
practice with gun, which he had brought along Win
approached the hotel but SCORER observed than
WOOley pointed the gun ut him and fired, woundng him
After lie had perperacd the appalling deed, WOoey
on toward the sea- but returned before two hours had
hand. He then quietly gave himself UP the hotel pro-
rest me, take me to Freehold, and hang me-" At the
trial. which followed in November last, the prisoner
admirably and strenuousy defended by his counsel,
ex-GOv. Joel Parker and Mr. VIM. III. Conoyer,Jr They
endeavored 10 show that their client was not morally re-
snOnsibe for tho crime that he was supeed and crzed
with drink when lie committed IL that there were strong
grounds for believing IL to be unnentiOna; and lastly,
that ne was, al az events on1 sy VI ,t fii io
second degree lt was shown that MS greatest lalng
was liquor which he sometimes drank in such excessive
quantities as to make him feared-Otherwise he was re-
ardcd good and pcaceaDlo man. III was represented
by his advocates that his favorable qualities were the
more striking because OF the deficiency OF his early
Training among the lawless and untutored inhabitants
among whom he was reared. very unpleasant
thing proven against him, however, was the fact
that he exceedingly harsh toward his wife, and, IN
consequence had been separated from her ana MS Two
daughters for number of years Ihey are now resding
The prisoner gave several evidences OF his desire to
cipate his execution by death Soon AFTER ms arrest ne
was placed under the OF Dr.. Nought, OF Freehold,
and while he WAS being treated he made various attempts
stop the healing OF his dangerous wound In the throat
even to beseechng the doctor to let him die The wound
ultimately healed, and left him with an impeachment In
h h nrraisn@ent '" and CONVECTION lie quietly
reconced himself to the course OF the
a% SS@sE1f hi. n prison as f e'' a"
Which lad with him in his cell he r.i,cd consider
.l,la rtfn uOfl
taught to drink whc., child and that he never had
much educati0n. Tie was born In 1919 He was silent
wife. s ~, voluntarily aesnYYledSed that he was
a murderer lie sS!ievgi that he would not have
committed the ofense If he had not been lntoxea
ted There nothing specially repusive about his
personal appearance which would denote that lac was an
assassin by nature He had high forehead: heavy jaw
dark chin WHISPERS, with tawny face embr0wned by
constant exposure aud also large ana nne phy sque
pcarance Of the prisoner There was nothing strlkngH
or Tlesdd fhfg m nh III, to
his love for smulats and cOnsOed himself with cOpous
draughts OF whisky M to nearly the last Hent az hs
on the evening before execution the prisoner par
took OF liquor together with milk, but did not eat
anything He roso early yesterday morning and re-
peated his repas Of the previous night subsequently he
dressed FOR tue scaiod aud his attention was next
devoted to the welfare OF tho soul lie left alone
with the Rev. Mr. Dillon an Episcopal minister the Rev.
Mr.. Brooks Methodist minister, aud the Rev. Mr. Me
Iaughlin, OF Squa village who prayed with him. The
procession 10 tie scafo!d was headed by sheriff
John H. Patterson OF Monmouth County sheriff stephen
H. Sutphen and other consta5es. The prisoner walked
behind then hi company with the cergymen who ad
minstered the last offices OF the church while he stood
the OF the scafIod, THIS erected in the
Of the Court House. In large yard which was ncosed
by n Temporary fence. An unusually large number OF
curious spectators admitted within this lncosure
and the majority of them acted IN the most shameful
manner during the solemn spectacle. Wooley
dressed in dark clothes and had his tightly pnioned
10 Biz SIDE. lie exhibited no emotion but maintained MS
unincing cOmpOSure even while the moose was being
adjusted about his neck. The weights fell at
1865 o'clock. and the body renamed suspended
for nearly half hour. The pulsation OF the wrist
ceased ~ minutes aud the beating OF his heart ceased
IN Is minutes His last aud only words were request 10
mako the execution quick.
After the execution large crowd showed their way
into yard and surged around the scaod without the
slightest regard for proprcty More painful than the
exhibition OF the dangling corpse, to the thoughtful
spectator however, the presence OF several
and curious little boys aud girls flesh from school Sew
cral weIdrcssed women were also seen looking at the
execution from windows Of the adjacent buildings
Woocys body removed to OceanpOrt by his relatives
for burial.