The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-17
A DOUBLE MURDER EXPIATEn
Execution Of Ferguson for the
Murder Of Jonathan Lunger
and Wife.
The Crime Confessed Stolid Indifference Of
The Culprit.
Scenes at the Ecafold- Pre-.
pared to Meet His Cod

ITHACA, N. Y, June 10, 1871.
plcasantcr, brighter or more sunshny day than
Is this The town has never known though it Is the
first time it has ever had ga!lows up in twenty
years. All the forenoon the streets were thronged
with ladies' and their beaux promenading ana some
ola inhabitants nave sad that 1t is only once In
decade OF years such turnout can be seen On in
curing the cause the answer invariably was that
circus was coming to the town that day. and that
FERGUSON WAS TO BE HANGED.
About noontimc the promenader5 wended their
way towards the Park, near which stands the
prison in which Ferguson has been confined so
long ana i'll which the death penalty was to be car
ried out according to law. At halfpast twelve
O'Clock there was a motley crowd gathered around.
among them oeing some of the fairest girls
In Ithaca and OF the very plain
est, all shaded from the heat Of the
sun bv an admiXture of original styles
OF wagons, country carts, canopied with huge
umbrellas, ana numerous other nondescrpt
vehicles. The circus people must have found out
that another sensation had priority, and wisely
resolved TO tent without the city; but there was not
much sympathy for Mike Ferguson the murderer OF
Jonathan Lunger and his wife, among the assem-,
blage. The
STORY OF TIE MURDERER's CRIME
was told for the one hundredth rime the greater
number OF narrators giving the old version, while
guson's supposed recent confession; for Ferguson
has admitted that he killed the Lungers, husband
and wife, but says he killed the woman first. Tue
facts connected with the occurrence are SO few
that they may DC here briefly repeated On the
night OF the 2lss OF March, 1870 Ferguson entered
the cabin Of Jonathan Lungers, on the banks OF
Lake cayuga in which Mrs Lunger was at tho
time alone, and having had previous quarrel with
Lungers vile. raised an axe which he had brought
With aim On purpose, and with q
FEW BLOWS KILLED HER.
Iuuger, hearing the noise, TO the assistance
OF MS WIFE, but Ferguson attacked him also and
SET FIRE TO THE HOUSE,
threatening the murdered couples child Hannah.
with instant death II she made an cutlery. lbs next
movement was to take the child with HIM across the
lake In an Old skin Tor the purpose OF spending the
night on the opposite side; but wnlle passing over
OF the child. Next morning. having slept
the night before IN a haystack, he took
distance OF about twenty miles from Lake Cayuga;
but before evening set In the tavern keeper sus-
left. He then ramDed his way along TO lis mo-
Tiers mouse, ON tue edge OF pennsylvania, apous
there a.sposlng OF himself the inhabitants OF Ithaca
were in d state Of the Widest excitement, caused
ny the discoyery Of ,h me double murder;
In the March of 1919 and nelghbor OF
the Lungers, who Was guiding his children safely
py the lake, on inuIug Luhgers nus In ruins and
then seeing the chared ann scattered remains OF The
murdered two, AZ once gave the ALARM and the re-
suit immediate pursuit OF Ferguson, the
anxiety OF the people being Increased by the story
OF the child Hannah, who arrived on the evening
by the swarthwoods. Next day Ferguson was
arrested at his mothers house, with "a
taken with him irom Lungcr's hut.
coroner's inquest was at once held over the ashes
OF the murdered parents, and the child gave her
testimony. Ferguson was remanded ana stood his
trial Tor murder III the rst degree IN August 1870
when ne was convicted and sentenced to be hanged
on the 9Th OF the following November. A stay OF
proceedings, however, was procured In some way or
other, and a new trial was held and on the LIST OF
mon III
fenced TO the death penalty. Since then he has
given up all hope OF escaping from the gallows.
HIS DEMEANOR IN JAIL
has been rather one or indifference TO his fate than
such as might be expected FROM q criminal whose
the slender thread OF his not having been accounts
BILE for what he did, Little Of interest attaches TO
time drew near Tor hts parting with the
world he manifested some little more attention
kev DR.. strong and the Rev. Mr.. Warren have been
unceasing IN their attentions 10 him. so impressed
nad ny become YESTERDAY WIN inc soiemn,ty ., ms
TO eat anything. and last ught he never Thought Of
retiring, Icing wrapped up IN the consideration OF
what was TO-DAY before him. This morning. though
at first he steadily refused TO ear anything,
he was subsequently prevailed upon TO partake OF
dish OF strawberries. during the entire
forenoon and early IN the afternoon his two sisters
and ether one OF the ciergymen were with him all
the time, ana 1t was his own especial request tnat
no others should lie permitted TO disturb him. lie
had heard, the day before,
EVERY riuD OF TIE HAMMER
ana this maze him down-nearted. The gallows con-
sisted OF Two erect posts with cross beam aud
small side shed Tor the weight.
PREPARING FOR THE GRAVE.
Shortly after noon sheriff Root came into the jail
yard where about fly special deputy sherllfs were
awaiting the last act aud invited any OF us who
chose to so up to the cen ana JOIN in the prayer
about to be said for the departing SOUL All at once
complied. and heard some very appropriate re-
marks from the cergymen, one OF whom read, as he
told as, the prisoners fayorite Psamthe Misererc.
Prayers lasted about fifteen minutes, and then all
retired but The officers who were TO compose the
MARCHED TO THE sCAFFOLD.
Soon the measured tread OF the procession
reached the jail yard, ana stiffness OF death mo-
mentarily fell upon the spectators. All eyes were
turned to the door through which the procession
was to pass. There We're only lew steps between
the door and the scairold. First came Sheriff Root
and Sheriff Martin OF Binghamton, then Rev. Dr.
Strong and the Rev. Dr. Warren, next the prisoner.
supported by under shern Fish, OF Ithaca, followed
by Sheriff Campbell, Of Rochester, and ex-Sherin
Brown and sheriff Benton, q Cortland. The prIs-
oner walked steady to the scaold, his face bearing
other internal feeling That, however, he lost when
he took his seat upon the chair
UNDER THE MOOSE.
As II half in terror and half In curiosity his eyes, for
the first moment or two while here, turned nvolun.
tarily towards the moose near his head and Us the
evidently startled, bus from that out to the
end not muscle Of his face CHANGED;
He was calm, thoughtful and deeply attentive.
Then the death warrant was read and alter this,
DR.. strong rose and said he had few words to say
In the name OF the prisoner. Ferguson through
passed upon him, as eminently deserved and in ac-
cordance with the supreme law OF the Almighty.
the prisoner
HAD NO FEAR OF DEATH,
for he trusted In the mercy OF Him who ever orRave
those who trusted In the saving efficacy OF Ohrlsts
blood IL must be satisfactory co all TO know tne great
change Tor the better the Almighty had wrought
in the soul OF the doomed man. ne was
desired to say that Ferguson, now on the
threshold OF ETERNITY, mad commissioned him
especially TO thank Sherin Root for al hts
Kndnesses while the prisoner mad Deeh under MS
charge and all others from whom Ferguson
had received kindness. Ferguson was going to
meet ms God without feeling OF III Will TOWARDS
any human being. The reverend gentleman thvn
addressed the dying man III most pathetic strain.
THIS over, the moose was adjusted and the signal
given at ten minutes to one O'Clock, aud Ferguson
was
LAUNCHED INTO ETERNITY.
When the body was up SIX minutes the pulse beat
nineLy-sx; seven minutes, nincty-eight; eight ana
half minutes, sixty; nine minutes Iorty-eight; ten