The sun., 1870-03-09
THE SCAFF0LD'S VICTIMS.
THE EXECt-TION IN THE JiIL YARD
or HJNIINGDON TO-DiY

in the Deed.
To-day, Albert Van Bordcnburg and Gottlieb
Bohntr, alias Dutch Charley are to pass their last
hours on earth. On the night of the 18th of last
November, these two men murdered Peter Peghtal,
farmer Of Huntingdon, Pa. his wife,
and little boy named Scott Garner who lived
with the Pcightals. They robbed the house. piled
conhustbc matter around the dead bodies. and set
IRE toll With their booty secured. and in the hone
that the flames which rose up behind them would
soon destroy al traces OF their crime, they hurried
from the spot walked RAPIDLY to Huntingdon, which
was few miles distant, and took passage on the
Cincinnati express train at ten minutes past the next
morning. Bat II was so destined that very few
minutes after the murderers had left the house of
the Inflated farmer, a man passed by behind them
He saw the glare Of the flames through the windows
and gave the alarm. Neighbors hurried to his as
sstance, and In q short time the house was sur
rovnded by an eager crowd. The doors were broken
down, pals Of water passed in and the FIRE ex.
ting uished
APPEARING. OF TIVE VICTIMS.
The murder had been committed In the kitchen.
The bodies lying In different parts Of the room
With hah'eonsumed be9Siinr heaped upon them. All
three had been somewhat burned, but not enough
TO make them unrecognizable. The body OF Mrs.
Pcightal had received most injury from the flames
Her person and arms were charred and crisp. The
right leg and arm OF Mr. FeEhtal had been severely
burnt and the left side and leg OF little Scott Gar.
ner. All three had been shot through the head.
The murderers must nave had plenty OF nerve, and
not been hurried for time
A bullet had entered the head Of Mr. PelVhtal on
the len side, little In front OF the ear The pistol
lad been held close to his face that the powder
len a burn upon II. Mrs. Peightal had been shot
twice Ono lpil har On tha laft
aide and the other her head on the right side above
the But she must have strugglcl even thsn for
her skull had been Knocked In to complete the
work. Little Scott Garner had evidently given them
little trouble A hail mad passed completely through
HI head. entering behind the lot ear and coming out
behind the right From the appe lrance OF the table
tie family had been at supper when the murderers
entered. They could have expected no attack, and
not one ns Van Borten6urs claimed. or else il
could not have been finished IN 20 clean and accurate
manner.
TRACING rHE nJt'rRsN.
No weapon or aruele Of clothes I'D been len IN
the place to give clue 10 who ~ perpetrators
were but there vas cover " snow Owe he whole
surrounding country aud the footrrn,s Of t,.o men
led from the farm house 10 tAe town OF Huntnrdog.
Oue OF the neiEhbors started on the trail, ard
reached Huntingdon ten minutes after the train had
pas ed through, which tile murdcrers had taken
their departure VINO the men were was a. yet un.
certain, but the two who Ind actually committed
been lettering about the ncighborhood for
several days previous TO this. aud had not been Ia
NorAuy 1eruruel Ol iNost WHO saw Iltm n dt-
.seriution OF their appearance was te!egraphed to
Altoona the next station, with an ordevtor their
arrest spccill ofneer Of Altoona FASTENED TO the
depot, and awaited The arrival OF the train IL came
shortly after O'Clock. Entering IL, the Officer he
gan its search. But at the same time that he made
his entrance at one door, Bohucr and Van Borden
rurg stepped down uron tie platform from the
other TIE officer not finding them In TIE train,
fastened ca; upon the platform a-gin. Hv saw them
walking away. each With a bundle iu lis hand.
They scented to be % no hurry and iu good spirits.
Gu being arrested they apucared In no way startled
iapf. and l.UuI Ithrr seoFufufiy
on being toll v hat the char e that had been
made agaias. thea.
rus orIrcr or rur cariE.
They were taken @ the juL however, and
searched Ia Van Boz ienbp-gs pockctbook there
siI0 In Bohncr's banG.v there was laC con.
coin that IN The bar, two shavis, cape aud
pair OF Tantaloors. To- Van Bordenturg bundle
there was nuthut lu, coth.a.. All those articles
of apparel were anorvari Identified as belon.iug
the Feghtgls. Concealed ia The cell In wLch'the
men were confined a razor with lie name OF Peigh-
~ scratched upon ~. Gnd $50 in coin we're fcund
,euaily tiridci before ilcv sfcprcd uron tbe ,-in
W 30 the Jul tey made an attempt 90 escape hy
iearinE up the noor Of their or They were de-
tecied, however, and securely haudcutcd.
THE RtrrRS To urSriSGnov
They were brought back o. uuntinsdon on the
10Th. A great crowd was gathered at the depot
They made several attempts 10 take the prisoners
fom the hands OF their guard and lynch them then
aud there Before berg lodged In the jail In Hunt.
lnrdon, they were a-aiu searched. Ia Bohncr's
stocking about ti25 IN currency VAS found. and in
Van Borlcubarg'- mouth S15so Ia gold. Thc} saw
gone and finally confessed But each persisted In
denying lie direct share la the deed, ascriblug
TIE actual work TO TIA, other.
now rms WORK WAS poNH.
From their confession It appears that the supposed
{2OO or $500 was concealed in MIR Ptighta!s
House. They vent there for the first time some two
or three week before the murder, aud number of
times subsequently,, accommodating and watch
ing for rS.v good opportunity to rob III
shSarh aGRsS ISSy Ss Pcss sSeme afraid Of Scm S
on Monday. the 10Th OF November, they started
for the farm house They arrived MI there about mid
They then went up into the hay lon and slept there
iii evening. This was on the 10Th On that night
tation OF Mr.. Peightal. The family afraid Of
them, however. and locked the doors of all the
themselves slept. They consequently found no op-
portunity that night for the robbery According to
Van Sas s IssS1ts ne , ss mot Wiling
TO take part in The robbery, provided 1t could be
done without sctlal violence. They lotered about
the place all the next day and tie neXt evening the
deed was nnaly done. How It wns done has not
yet appeared. Neither ofthe men has admitted that
he had direct hand in IT, Each one asserts that he
remained without to watch for the approach OF any
who might interrupt the proceedings. Bohner,
two and II either acted as sentinel it Is not proba-
Tile that II was he, The statement OF Van Borden
burg II therefore the more probable According 10
his story he opposed TO violence IN the last. lie
remained on the railroad before the farm house On
the lookout, while Bonner entered the house.
ner, and gave him his own pistol in addition 10 the
ono BUhntr carried already. So will spare the
hives Of these people" he remarked, and our
own
Bohncr then went In. Van Bordenburg denies
that he heard any pistol shots. and says that when
Bohner reapTearcd, he was handed a bundle, with
which he started for Huntingdon. To the truth of
this statement, however, as well 20 that OF Boh-
nor there are -urmouutLblc objections in the neat
manner IN which the murder WIS committed and
IN the firing Of tie pistols which neither claims to
have heard.
TIE TRIAL
was begun on the 18th January and on the ql.t
sentence Of death was passed on the men BOLncr
has been very violent since his imDrsonmcnt and
has made desperate attempt at escape, ms well ns
few days ago a htrce assault a deputy sheriff
Both the men are natives Of Germany, ana both
fullaEly fellows III Appearance. Bohncr bearing a
marked resemblance to the brutal murderer Prohst.
The men viii he hanged to-day. IN the jail yard OF
Huntington. ILe scalsId was completed last sat
urday
How the Hoboken City Fathers Look Aftcr