The New York herald., 1871-02-13

lic executions In Maryland on Friday last-ful Acs
counts Of which appeared In the HERALD OF satur5
day-and especially the Manifestations Of m0rbid
curiosity on the part OF the people to witness the
fearful acts, as well az the seemingly unnecessary
measures adopted by the ofncials to
CRAFTY THAT CURIOSITY,
are almost sufficent to snake the belief OF the
warmest advocates or capital punishment In Its ef-
cacy as a means Of preventing crime by inspiring
dread Of the penalties OF the law The hanging OF
Howard at Cumberland was u case IN point There
seemed to be an effort to have the day Of execution
regarded much In the light Of
A PUBLIC HOLIDAY.
while all the arrangements for the dread anaiE
seemed to have been inspired by q close study OF
the precedents laid down Sixtecn String jacks
Claude Duvan and similar works in the yellow
cover class OF literature.
Even to the
MIDNIGHT SUPPER
in the condemned cell the night prior the exc
cution were these precedents followed In the case
Of Howard. On Thursday night, shortly after twelve
O'Clock Howard, together with the Shern, Ia fair
representative OF the burly, doggedly d etermnedl
sheriff OF olden times in EnRland) and mis- assistanta
sat down to o
BoUNTIFUL OYSTER SUPPER,
during which conviviality relgned, and the COM
demned man, who was possessed Of fair vocal abiis
ties sang
and similar ditttes.
The original plan for the procession to the scat.
fold provided that Howard should be dressed In his
white shroud and seated on his coffin In o wagon,
nanked on either side BY the military and police.i
This arrangement was modified at o late houH, PERI
haps at the instance Of the clergymen, and Howard
RODE IN HACK
with these reverend gentlemen; but the militia, one
hundred strong, preceded by q band, surrounde6
the vencle and the Sheriff rode at the head OF the
procession. vigorously pahing cigar-truly an
attractive pageant.
Fully three thousand persons, nifty per cent Of the
MIDDLE AGED WOMEN
and young girls had come in from the surroundings
country. Their male attendants devoted the houra
preceding the execution to general rollcking, and
NUMEROUS DRINKS.
the eject OF which was soon apparent. The 90lOW0
was erected on the slope or hill af0rding faig
view spectators In the tmm ediate Vicinity az well
as those timd ones who chose places or observation
on the surrounding eminences from quarter "a
When led up the steps OF the scafYolo Howard was
NrLuENCE OF LIQUOR
that he could scarcely stand upright, while his
utterances were maudlin and tnC0herent. The
of the persons responsible for this condition
Of man so near eternity bitterly denounced by
many OF the better class present. but by the majority
Ills condition was made q subject Of
MUCH MERRIhENT.
their ability; but, in view OF Howard's condition.,
the performance Of any religious duties but 4
broad farce which might well have been omitted.
No human being with his
with liquor Is In condition to realize the hopes Of
salvation held out by the tenets or common rel-
eleventh 1 hour. and certainly Howard was NOT Of "A A
of decency and pr0prtety would have dictated
early conclusion Of the dlsgraceiu spectacle OF q
man VINO had but few minutes to 1--we
Keeling UPON HIS SCAFFOLD;
the Snefir for dying speech y In which he a.
any other man so intoxicated, talked maudlin non.
sense Or might have uttered s words N his dsram
Of innocent men for life. The words Of dying men,
6e s, what t1ey may have their weight; Even alter
FALLING OF THE DROP,
and during this time Howard's irreverent and fre-
us 10 occasionally provoke smiles and once q gem
eral laugh: Bravado and religious utterances were
Again referring to yellow cover literature, 1t Ia
'.DYrNa CoSFEssroNp
to be hawked around the streets for sale is well
established precedent and the Sheriff had not for.
Written by HoS bS
stood to have been the work OF q fellow prisoner,
was published In pamphlet form
by the Sheriff. that functionary stating to the re.
y put my money into Il and intend g
the pecunIary benefit Of Howard's sister living IN
money from such q source. II the entire state.
ment be true her refusal is certainly to her credit.
EXECUTION OF xARrrN, =
the negro, at Frederick there was much less cere.
but nevertheess, the authorities did their best to
pander to the curiosity OF the crowd by erecting the
scatIold in the jail yard at such height that the
VISIBLE TO THOSE OUTSIDE
necessary and in no sense productive Of any bene-
nt to the cause Qf public justice But the demands
Of the spectators were not to pc lightly disregaTded
personal popularity among the voters OF 9 county,
and ARRANGEMENTS for good view for all present
CONFESSION y TRAFFIC
was conducted on limited scale only at Frederick.
hitaries. Perchance yellow cover literature Is not
50 easily obtanable az Frederick or the Sheriff. as
such speculatons, and lett the matter to others
WHOSE sCRUPLES
At Marlboro the good people seemed to have re-.
ceved something Of scare Of the rumor that there
was slight possibility that the recommendation OF
mercy contained In the verdict OF the jury mfght
receive additional consideration from the Governor
at the last last moment, and result In repreve or
some other act Of law other than the hanging OF
the condemned,
FRIENDIEss CoLoRED GIRL,
scarcely more than fifteen years Of age. When the
rumOr referred TO- became generally current a ne.
uton was prepared and forwarded to the Governor
Recommendation of the jury was based upon an i'm ,
preston which prevailed among its members. and
also many Others present during the trial. that the
girl ~
WAS sEMr-TDIOTrC,
ana NJ subject for careful attention In an insane
asylum rather than deserving Of the treatment OF an
% %Srumafy CRIMINAL Her spiritual advisers both well
Io nmown Catnoilc cergymen, were confident that she
was not at any time responsible for her actions and
Inelr opinions were certainly entitled to weight.
But the public demand for an execution had 70 be-
CHILD WAS HUNG.
-, AS one OF the journals OF Washington remarks
lt would have been In juster accordance with the
splrlt OF Christianity and equally subscribing the
ends OF Justice II this poor, friendess half wltted
cnlld mad been sent TO the State Prison instead OF
cnoKng her to death, Haunting her tortured body
insulting OF humanty.n
Maryland has had Its
ssBLACK FRIDAY,v
day which VIII not soon be forgotten. Its three
executions furnished to fully 90 600 persons amuse.
ment" or at least "entertainment.U In view NJ the