The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-08-11
Prom the Toledo Biade.l
TIE DEATH PENALTY AT NORWALR
ExecatIOn Of Bennett ScOP.

Judge PeaneWell presiding, Bennel
> ScOp was convicted of the charge %
numbering Jacob Goodman, a pedlaF
IN whose emRiRy he was at the time
; 9ocdman WA pedlar, ew by birth
whofrom motives of good will and
sympathy to one of his own faith
= and ancestry, gave ScOp employment
4 and peeuniaFy aid The murder, il
, We are informed rightly, was commit
I. ted in the southwest part of Huron
county, near the dividing line between
Greenfield and New Haven townships.
Scop was travelling with Goodman in
wagon. When passing the house Oi
Mr. Hartman, ScOp was observed to
get off the wagon and get over the
fence. An iron bar was taken from Q
lumber pile and secreted in the Wag-
on. This iron bar was afterwafd found
near where Goodman was found lying
dead or dying. The wounds Of which
he died were evidently made by this
bar. There was also the testimony OF
living witnesses who saw him deal
! blows upon the unfortunate yictim.-
4 1t appears that Seop, after dealing the
ldeath-blOw to Goodman, pitched him
out Of the wagon, and while in the
ditch plundered him of his papers and
Roeket-bOOk. This is the theory OF
the case as deduced from the evidence
given at the trial.
The eonly motive Seop could have had
lfOr this murder of his friend and ben
lefactor was to plunder him Of what
mOney he had. II he was guilty he
was guilty Of "a most cruel, heartless
lcginle and If iBIiCcent Of the nlurlel'
Ihis fate is one to be gladly deplOred.--
fFrOm the remarks of Judge Penne-
well, made to the prisoner on the Oc-
lcasiOn of his sentence, we gather that
IScOp claimed to have been a miller
The following further particulars We're
gathered by our reporter at Nor
walk as follows:
NoRwALK, o., August 3, 1870.
THE PRISONER IN HIS GILL.
Scoops Incarceration dates from the
10th of October last, tho day after the
bloody deed was committed. During
this entire time he has been under the
direct charge Of Sheriff Edward Culp.
From the first the prisoner maintain-
etl 4 cheerful submission to bis fate,
and conducted himself with a scrupu-
lous observance of every rule Of the
Jail, and with such kindly feeling of
his fellOw-prisOners, and respect for
his keeper, the Sheriff, that the form
er always called him a 'gOod fellow"
while the latter acknowledges that he
rneyer had so good prisoner under
4 his charge. Naturally buoyant, and
! mirthfll, he seemed to relieve the
| gloomy, loathsome air of his prison +;
! and no visitor ever chatted-for his
] IN. l.1n frNrrsnnV tn har fhn|
1 grave term cOjlUerSe-with him, but
what he or she would truly forget that
! they were in the sad presence OF n
doomed murderer; and he was treat
! ed BIZ visitors with as much attention
as though he wore the laurel of a hero
| instead al the ineffaeeablc brand of an
assassin. Even the Sheriff's child de-
| lighted in passing behind the creak-
ing, chilling irolf door to play with
ScOp, and The latter would beg the
sheriff 70 let the child come to him.
| Some OF the ladies of the city often
called upon the prisoner, and some of
them sgouIl present him with sweet
meats, b0Qilets ana other tokens of
their sympathy alie friendship. His
chief method of killing time was in
sOcisblIIty, IN decorating his cell
and in an occasional glance at a He
brew Bible af Herman paper. The
sheriff grailssd him the luxury Of 4
pipe and tObaeeo, and lac daily passed
many hours in smoking. lie was
familiar with card playing, and when
ever a lonely companion would "ELke
handl Scep would go into the sport
of beating him with hilarious zeal. II
He allowed no one to beat him in
nseven up.n His religious belief seem
ed not to be settled, as he would claim
To be a jew and yet to believe in the
birth and crIcifixiOn of Christ. Ex
cent with DIR. Mayer, the Jewish Rab
bi of Cleveland, who Visited him sew
eral times Just previous to the eXeeu-
ton, he rarely engaged in devotional
exercises. But he was hypocritical,
and when his companion suited, he
would curse like pirate" He was
cieanly in his habits, and disappear
ance on the scaffold seemed TO CON
eern him as much as the preparation
of his soul for the future state, and his
last and most earnest request, on bid
ding the Sheriff good night, last eve
ming, was that he might bathe all
over this morning. Several days ago
he began to arrange for his lying gar
ments. and asked the Sheriff to buy
him . new shirt, pantalOeas, drawers
and socks, and 20 give him a white
coat and vest. The favor was kindly
granted, and after the clothes We're OBJ
tanned he showed them to the visitors
in evident satifactiOn with the man
ner in which his wishes and tastes had
been gratified.
His innocence was what he persist
sdi in offering to the last, though he
would not allude to the matter with
out questioning. my innocence is
the last thing shall say on the seaf-
fold" was his repeated eXpressiOn.-l
He doubtless had every hope of re-
eeiving Executive clemency till Fri
day last, when positive refusal was
received from Gov. Hayes, in response
to the earnest solicitations of the cul-
prit's friends for a commutatiOns On
the receipt of this crushing denial the |
prisoner showed for the first time q
sober, serious, and deep appreciation !
of his condition, and this was all, for |
not a tear moistened his eyenor asigh |
heaVed from his breast, but tnat he |
was really struggling to repress both |
was apparent in his countenanee.-l
w lLn SIOlCtll DEdNtI1 AtCi ASluSu dp t4tC i
last fond hope which had thus far |
sustained him, and with q cheerful |
ness which fairly made the, believers !
in his guilt shudder, protested his in
nocence, as he contemplated the short |
space Of time still separating him |
from n fathomless abyss before him. |
With the exception of loss of appetite |
and degree of nervousness which,
disturbed him, there was but little in
Scoops conduct and condition which
indicated his apprehension of the ap-
preaching tragedy.
PREPARATION FOR THE JUDICIAL
t.fH TRAGEDY.
This being the first execution which |
has occurred in this county since its !
organization, q new scaffOld was I
Obliged to be built expressly for the |
occasion. Being completed, it was |
erected within the Jail yesterday its
position being in the northeast cor
ner, in the passage-way, opposite TO |
that fronting Scoops cell, which was