The New York herald., 1869-01-08
THE sOAFFoLD.
Execution Of william n. WOOlley at Free.
hold, N. J., for the Murder Of
HartshOrne Fleming.
HISTORY OF TIzn CRIME

Justice has been vindicated once more In New
Jersey. At noon yesterday william N. W0olley
who murdered Hartshorne Fleming on the 10th OF
August last exptated his upon the scaffold ut
Freehold. The details Of the murder have not yet
been made known to the general public outside the
county OF Monmouth owing to the secluded situation
OF the locality where the tragedy was enacted.
THE MURDERER AND VICTIM
William N. Woolley, who was on the verge OF his
fiftieth year when executed was born In Ocean
township, county or Monmouth and had been q
fisherman at Shark river up to the date of his arrest
He was one OF those hardy scamen who become
Injured to peris the deep that they lose all sense
OF fear and are prepared to brave every
danger incident to their pursuit Ais educa-
ton was entirely overlooked, yet he supported
q decent reputation, and had never been arrested
for any offence whatever previous to that unfortu-
nate hour when he hearkened to the promptings OF
the devil and hurried his fellow man before his God.
Indeed so favorable were the opinions entertained
for him In the community where he resided that
large number OF the inhabitants volunteered their
testimony OF his previous good character on the
trial. But he was always fond Of whiskey, and this
was his weak point. He would often remark that he
had been bred UP to whiskey drinking. Intemperance
became habiual and In the end the evil was ncura-
BILE. His wife and children separated from him on
this account about fifteen years ago, and they were
never afterwards rec0nciled. She removed with her
son and two daughters to Williamsburg, where they
reside at present, the daughters being married.
Woolley became only the more hardened In his
and led rambling. unsettled life Fortunes bufets
were countless; her rewards few. Among his ac-
quaintances was another fisherman, named Harts-
horne Fleming, who was few years younger
than Woolley. Fleming enlisted in Company A,
Fourteenth New Jersey regiment, and went to the
xynp nnrfn hfo o,uou nolla Lylavct tpsv,c
wife lived together, and in this inti-
macy commenced the second chapter Of the
tragedy. When Fleming returned home he
lived with his wife as II nothing had
happened, and was on good terms with wooey,
who now started or In quest OF q new domicie. He
found deserted house on the beach, and here he
took up his abode his only furniture being bas-
ket, kettle, few tins bed and gun. After some
their residence. and they appealed to WOOL
ley, who cheerfully took them in. They
yse tosetsr m Tor short
tween Wooey and Flemng's wife, she collected his
cooking utensils, piled them into the basket and
Woolley by the arm and pushed him out OF doors,
telling him not to come back there again. This very
Woolley rs much as might be expected at the mo-
ment; but as he trudged along the road with
his basketin his nand and his gun under his arm he
was br0oding on revenge. He came to Mr.. Jacob
Benefits hotel, set down his load behind the door,
asking the proprietor to allow them to remain there
TIL he could find some place to stop. The gun was
also LEFT there. He called for some drink, had
hurried conversation with Mr.. Bennett and lef.
THE CRIME.
The transactions just mentioned occurred on the
morning OF the 10th Of August last. wooley re-
turned to Benefits hotel after the lapse Of three or
-FOUR hours and, while taking drink, remarked to
the proprietor "Hart has got the best OF Sutton
day, but t-r Here he paused and swallowed his
dram with hearty quar- as II he relished not only the
drink but the thought that was passing through his
mind at the moment. Sutton was nickname for
was that after he had gone out OF the barroom he
met Fleming, with whom he had dispute about the
conduct OF the aters wife that morning, and fight
ensued, In which Wooney was badly beaten.
He exhibited several red marks on his
forehead at the hotel. lie became rather
excited and continued to drink. several parties in
the barroom taunted hun with his defeat ut the
hands OF FLEMING ana these reproaches exasperated
by those who shared the shelter OF his roof was bad
enough, but TO be actually whipped In addition was
an injury that gnawed az az his very soul Though
boiling within him. II was in this mood that
he gave utterance % some Expressions about shoot
bin. i,ut no one who heard the remarks antici.
=. @ .ea anv calamity especially as the gun had been
discharged by some ''rs -. WDo wSas "
practise . on . target ar the beach. Here
been made since TO unrayel 1t, but every
one has been failure. woolley paced up ana
r the %as %as at as %ors Mos nor s
tunately Fleming suddenly appeared on the scene,
Woolley clutched the gun and rushed TO meet him.
Nobody was az hand to interpose at moment
when a desperate man scented blood In the
very air Bennett nad gone to the beach to
get some oars. 'Here's the -, III blow your
brains out as quick as lightning,t yelled woolley
a he CRASHED his teeth and hissed with rage. His
eyes darted fire at his antagonist and the latter
quailed. lie made an effort 10 rush ut Woolley
but his legs trembled under him. II was fearful
moment Time and eternity were the stakes. Fem-
ing had one foot on the STEP sharp crack was
heard. Fleming reeed, threw up his arms aud with
an agonizng groan he fell PROSTATE. Ills bowels
fell out and reached the ground before he fell
The only expression he uttered was "Oh dear.i
Those who heard the report looked around and saw
Wooley place the gun ON the window sill, and they
rushed 10 the spot. Woolley advanced four paces
cast hendish glance at his adversary, who lay mo.
tionless, and ne seemed for a moment
drank his enemy's blood but he giared
ut the corpse as II he could penetrate with his gaze
the CLASSY orbs upon which the scales OF death were
settling. lie was the victor at last.
REMORsE, DESPAIR AND RETRrBUTIoN.
.,., scarcely nad the bystanders realized the awful
deed before Woouey received foretaste OF the retr
button that would follow on the bloody track. The
spectators were astounded, elmost terror stricken
fact they did not fully comprehend the situation t
was done I'm their absence and done, too IN an in
stanf. But the boodstancd soul was doomed to
become prey to the demon Of despair. The evil
spirit OF revenge had entered aud established SOW
ereignty there An alliance with another demon
sstihie, and the wretched man already sue
cumbs. spectator darts look at him, half
In surprise and half IN doubt and he secs an exult-
ing victor subsdinV after the lapse VI barely three
minutes, into tame, unresisiing. wretched mortal.
Bennett sfares at him and makes u stride II 10
eaten MN ny the throat, when the latter exclams.
Jake, give me rope TO hang myself You may
nang me mere, right toa tree. Dowhat you Ike with
me- The wlltlness OF the mans counenance
a. nc gave utteranccs to these ncoherent remarks
startled all who stood near, andsle added, with great
earnestness "liang Inc say, I'm going TO Frecholdu
fully seventeen miles dlstant.l Everybody seemed
riveted 10 the ground aud no one approached the
murderer
wooliey started on in the direction OF Freehold.
but mad not been long absent when he re-
turned with his throat frightfully gashed.
lie ran into the hotel, made signs 10 the
barkeeper 10 give him a drink OF water,
ana swallowed draught, but II poured out through
the gaping wound IN his throat. lie had almost
severed the windpipe with razor or some sharp
instrument. The tongue was cut through but
while tearing the wlndplpe in such a horrible man
ner Die carotid artery remained untouched. lie
was conveyed forthwith TO Freehold and lodged
IN the county jail, where he received
medical attendance. The wound was sewed
up four or i've times as the thread frequently tore