New-York tribune., 1870-08-06
EXECUTION OF JOHN REAL.

gled within the walls OF INC Ui'S ii''0"' -
orally known as the Tombs, at one innu'o pa'V
oi"i' ~, N, tho history Of the murder which has
- -, rominently before the public since its coin'
,,iI particulars have very lately been givehh our
,,rs and all that remains TO be done is 10 reooiu w..
onr,s,ve details OF the hanging made douDiy ~ " ~
singular omission Of important duty Oh 'no
hangmaD. .,, pprp,pArroys
,,,oo, n largo force Of police was assembled at
ar, c,h Ward Station House, and at - they tooA Po'
session OF Franklin-st., between Cehuc anu I'm 80
,Iocirg strong guards In FranKlhs.', III .no Pnot
oc,,on with the other streets named. ihoy ccaou ~
street and thereafter one without pass 10 en'r .o
,r,son WAS allowed within the lines fliteeh linu''s
later ooo pocemen filed inside the prisoh-yau' ui'
-, n aoubIe line extending from the door OF the
o,o rr,son from which Real was TO make MS hnai
exit around to the foot OF 'ho 90'H'i',
which was in front OF the 1emipe PriSon' A'
q, tbose who had passes were admitted anu 'ooA po
uons behind the police while the reporters occuFou
to nv tho side OF the scaffod, from whlch an uh-
sea.o =; lou ~ the execution could be had. The
go, ora q, an bour Which elapsed before the ap-
oonco ~ Real was spent by the crowd In conversation
with obscene jests, which were steeu "
and applauded as unconcernedly as II the oJect "ho"
a,,od tbem together was one Of far less significance
Meanwhile the hangmen were perieetlhs lhelr aIr'iko
ments and when the Undersherins, undef MI Joel W.
arrived at 81 O'Clock they were so far completed
iusted the moose around Reals neck
The preparations inside tho Jail, however, were ora
different nature and were befttlng the soIemmy
Of the OCCASION Real rose at 81 O'Clock, anu III company
with Sheridan under sentence OF death iOr shoouhg S
wife went to Mass passing once more under the scaou
Returning he bade Sheridan goodbye ana spent the
remainder OF the time prior to the arrival OF the execu
toner I'm prayer. This functiOnarys name Is hopert
simpson, man 10 years Of age, who was formerly
the executioner of the city, but was Superseded ny
Isaacs who recently gave up the position AS soon us
the moose ard black cap were adjusted ana the arms
firmly pnloned to his sides, the procession, pre-
ceded by Real, on whose right waiked father
Duranouet and on the left Mr.. Stevens and followed
by the Undersherfs started from the cell. At pre-
cselv three minutes OF ne the procession Issued from
the door OF the prison. and Immediately every head III
the yard was uncovered and the utmost silence pre-
vailed Real walked firmly and without assistance lie
carried cruci6x and during the short walk to the scar
fold he was engaged In prayer He was neaty atIculn
blue roat and white vest with ght-cOlored pantaoom
and calfskin boots Arriving under the crossbeam, nc
kneIt with the priests and Mr.. Stevens and several
others and engaged In prayer While in this position
the hangnan attached the TO the ropei which de-
pended from above. AS he arose he kissed tho crucN
and the hand Of the priest 10 whom he consigned H. ana
the executoner then slipped the knot down so ughty
that his neck appeared to swell above and below inc
rope He still continued praying and at one minute past
nine Mr. Stevens, who was wiping his face win MS
handkerchief, held in the right hand, dropped ms It
hand to his side, aud slinutaneonsH Win Win IN 1no
signal the rope suspending the weight was cr',
the latter falling upon the matrass placed to deaden e
noise, and carrying Real up about M iY I TO m
side and slight drawing mp of the legs, there was no
motion OF any Of the muscles and II was suDeq1SulE
scertained that the knot had been adjusted well that
the neck was broken. After he went up was discovered
that the hangman had failed to pull the cap down over
remedy the defect The crowd who had witnessed every
thing thus barring two exeeptonsl with me
utmost nOncalancc, promptly ssed the action OF me
ma anf aTE & ne eoG @ qW n to the crowd
which for three or four minutes had KEPT senSe 10 %
sume conversation, and to press FORWARD 20 OBTAIN dr
view of the body it was swung around by Tie phyS
clans. 4. , ,.,o,, T.,
front while the back OF the neck and the hands, after
lapse of minutes, turned purple TIE tongue pro
truded slightly but otherwise there "'ie no repuisNe
After hanging minutes, it found that the pulse
WTa W"s pfonoanced ro dead by Drs. Neas and Shine,
and the body lowered and p;,ed IN H15,l eolin;
in accordance with the facts vas given, It was
delivered to hiS friends sheriff 3Bea 3,b @ was IN to e be
police arrangements which were perfect both to pteycnt
onbfH and TO preserye order were under the direction
OF superintendent JouTdan and Capt John j. Kennedy
partially taken down. the crowd DEPARTED and the prison
had resumed its usual quiet
OUTSIDE ToMBs.
As early as o'clock motley groups Of curious persons
began to assemble around the Tombs Though unpro-
yided with cards Of admission and utterly without hope
OF seeing ANYTHING OF the sad tragedy to be enacted
within the gloomy walls, s they hung around the rail
ings collected the street corners discussing in sub
dued tones the fearful fate TO which poor Real" had
been doomed and wonderngf the same wonderful cour-
age that he had evnced from the first would sustain aim
to the end. All seemed TO sympathize with him or pity
him. many and bitter the curses hurled at the
Governor.
Reals last appeal to tho public was everywhere can
yassed Tie charges 1t contained, his reasons for writ
ing everywhere spoken Of and appeared TO no ac-
cepted as truth. Among the women, Of which largo
number present expressions OF sympathy for Reals
sisters and for the untimely end to which their
brother had eXchangedas many silent prayer
was offered for him. As the time moved on the crowd
grew larger! The execution was the all engrossing
topic nothing else thought spoken OF, and as
person passed who had been sufficiently fortunate pro-
invitation to attend the hanging, or an appoint
ment Special Deputy sheriff, he closely scanned
and carefully scrtnized though his right TO enter the
Jail invested him with peculiar interest.
At n O'clock Capt. Thomas j. Kennedy OF the Sixth
Precinct arrived with 800 policemen, $50 Of whom were
posted at the corner Of Elm Franklin and Cenrets,
thereby keeping the whole block the Franklinsr.
entrance open to the reception of those who had been
invited to the execution The heavy iron gates at the
main entrance Of the building were closed and guarded
by about 40 so policemen. outside the ranks OF the
Police, the streets were hronged with men, women aud
hustled and bundled here and there; old women who
could scarcely maintain the favorable position they
thought they had secured and venerable vagabond Tor
whom the Tombs seemed to possess resstess attractions
congregated around such Of the policemen seemed dis
posed to mpart information and with staring eyes ana
gaping mouths listened to the details of the arrange
nens, Reals chances OF Late reprieye, while all
expressed horror Of the death to which every moment
was carrying him closer.
AT s45 o'clock there about 5000 persons scattered
through the streets surrounding the jail The windows
and roofs OF the neghborng houses and stores were
fairly alive with humanity wholly unable to see ANYTHING
OF the execution because OF the drawn the
yard 1t was generally understood that at o'clock or
within few moments after Real would be placed be-
meath the fatal BEAM aud as the hour approached quiet
seemed to settle down upon the entire multitude, and