The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-08
TIED GALLows-
Execution Of Andrew Brcntlingcr, for the
Murder Of His Wife, in
Allen County, Ohio.
IRE LAST MOMENTS OF THE CONCERNED.

IRE LAST MOMENTS OF TIE CONDEMNED.
LIZA Ohio, April Z 1871.
But for the operation OF the new law requiring the
Apse Of hundred days between the sentence and
tAe execution OF criminals Andrew Brenliinger,
Who suffered to-day the last penalty OF the law,
Nould nave been lying in murderer's grave since
tho goth OF January last. All the preparations
necessary ior his execution in the secusion or the
JAN were made for that day, but the mandatory
order OF Governor Hayes So proceeding and
gave the doomed me- respite until the 7th Of
April. -, 80.
THE STORY OF THE MURDER. - 80
which he has now expiated, Is briefly as follows:-
On the oath OF October last, about noon Brennger
AID his wife left work on their farm, where they
were building fence, and entered the dwelling,
evidently with some purpose IL view; for they hur-
Eacd the children out and locked the door. A few
minutes only elapsed when loud and angry words
were heard by the children, and very the
mother appeared at the window trying to escape
from the clutches OF her inturiated husband. She
succeeded IN getting out upon the porch and run
ming little distance into the yard; but Brentnger
stli retained his hold and, after scuiling, in
which the woman fell, he stabbed her repeatedly
with q common penknlfe. Finding this Insult
Accent, however. he shouted to one OF the
children Martha Z. Brentlinger to go into the
house and bring him MS dirk knife. The child re-
fused but the brutal father he would kill her
II she did not obey and in terror, the child
brought the weapon and put 1t IN his hand.
The PROSTATE and bleeding woman, fast
c,utched around the neck, begged, prayed
ana screamed, "oh! for Gods sake, Andy. do
not kill me,' but the appeal was in vain;
for again and again the glittering blade raised
In the murderer's strong right hand and plunged
with irresistible force into the wretched womaa's
body until, under repeated stabs, resistance ceased,
and the victim sank down motlonless in death.
THE ATTEMPT 10 CONCEAL THE CRIME.
Brentlinger attempted temporary concealment
Of the corpse, and lowered around the grim
presence until evening, when he walked over to an
adjoining farm, where his son, Peter Brentlinger
aged sixteen years, was working, and took wnal.
ever money he had and then told him that he had
s.kiied the id b--h, and tnat she must be buried
He then directed Peter 20 TO house and bring
him his clothes 10 certain place tnat night Peter
did directed, and there his father and another
son, Abraham, who also hired cut. The father
then ordered the boys back to the house and bury
Their mother. They stared at HIM IN mute amaze
ment and horror, bat he reiterated his command,
and. drawing out The numerous weapon used in the
appalling deed, swore terrlncay II they did n OF do
rs he told them ne would XIII them too. Terrified
INTO submission the trembling lads returned to the
house. dug hole I'VE feet deep In potato field
near by, and going TO the temporary place OF con-
ceainent, lifted the rigid form OF the murdered
the soil down FIRMLY to make the surface even and
then narrowed l. over TO remove the traces OF the
unhali0Yed work. as,t
The Brentiinger farm lies on the Auglaize river,
It was four days after the murder before the news
reached the village II Is Impossible TO trace the
had something do Win IT. but at ali events ths
news soon spread abroad; and seIconstltuted
cS%te na q VILLAGERS stared ,f for pr Bhrenngers
H,s stoad eoun1enance fell his boodess
way to the potato field, ana in an distracted sort Of
manner pointed to the burial spot. The body was
soon exhumed, and. although buried without cover
ing or dressing oher tnan the bloody clothes. the
frightfrl character OF the death wounds was soon
made manifest. The body was considerably swol-
len and already emitted the unmlsrakable odor OF
putrescence. The simplehearted villagers were hor-
Tiiied, but they proceeded with Judgment and pro-
pnety. coroner's inquest was held, and it
was proved, by the evidence of. Martha E. Brent
Ringer the little girl who brought her father the dirk
knife, that the woman was Killed by slabs at the
hands OF her husband. Peter Brentlinger, and
Abraham, his brother testified to the acknowIedg-
and also to their burying the corpse. Brentlinger
was taken into custody and lodged in The Lima jan
Trial. CONVICTION AND SENTENCE.
The trial Of Brentlinger commenced very early in
December and occupied two weeks. The prosecu-
ton conducted 10y J. +. Brotherton prosecuting
attorney, OF Allen county The defence was con
given were developed through the evidence Of the
children and revolving in detail as 10 give
1t was the effort also Of the defence 10 show that
Brentiinger's wife was untrue to him. and that he
proved 1utie, for the jury, alter long and patient
hearing OF the case and careful sitting OF the
rss degree On the ls Of beeebe the
defence Immediately made O motion for new trial,
but three days later The motion was overruled and
Brentinger called to the bar for sentence. Judge
Mckenzie Asked the culprit what he had to say why
saa Sha sha sayS Tne Judge sad
ing, If you do not wlsnu and then sentenced him TO
January 20 is7i bcTgeen the hours OF seven O'Clock
A. NJ and one O'Clock Z. M. Brentlnger said not a
word in reply. nor did he give any outward mani.
festatlon OF emotion
The murderer was closely kept in the Jail OF Lima
after the ueath sentence but was nevertheless
kindly treated by the Sheriff and his deputies. And
here 1t was, while awaiting the final act OF The law
that the true nature OF the man developed Itself.
Here It was that MS explanations OF the motive that
prompted him TO murder his vile were given, not IN
an idie, garrulous manner, but logically and me-
thodically to those oil his visitors patient enough
20 hear them through minute, sometimes frivolous
and sometimes shocking details. just before
MS respite. came, IN conformity win the new
law already alluded 10, he made 'cean breast Of
it,' and acknowledged that he killed her because
she was prosttu c. II was rumored soon after the
respite that Brentlnger sorry the time OF exc
toned upon the subject he replica NO / am not
sorry; that Is, some OF them newspaper ues.1 But
he was fully prepared to die; as luly prepared as
his crime, hal devoted himself TO religious medita-
tion and exercises. under the Spiritual guidance OF
Rev. Mr.. Bartholomew, OF the German Lutheran
Church, and In all things behaved himself like a
man brought 70 terribly realizing sense that he
the halter.
BRENTLINCTR's HISTORY.
The history OF the IN. orIunate man IL given by
himself, and wl appear most interesting in his
words TO the reporter
MY name Is Andrew Brentnger. I was born In
Plckaway county, ollo and l was hfty-two years
old last month. Ny grandparents were botn Ger
mans but never got any schooling. When was
about three years Old was moved into the Sam
dusky Plains, into what tnen Crawford, but Is
now wyandotte county. Then we moved 70 Illinois,
md then back to the nelghDorhood or my
little farm the AuglalZe river. il Is
tg.ltaa of ms