The New York herald., 1872-12-07
HERALD SATURDAY DECEMBER

nan-remaincd outside. At this solemn moment
the inmates n OIL cen No. H. which IS the third one
laugh but tt attracted no notice save fiom Keeper
Ccnraddy, who quieted the noisy individuals.
Rodgers sent for Keeper Meyer again TO bid him
goodby. Mr.; Meyer was deeply affected during
1ee Sref interview (which epssed ana
crucihx, at the same time handing him
note enclosed in q sealed envelope, which he de-
sired should not be opened until after hts death.
Mr. =. G. Davis one OF the counsel assigned by the
Court to defend the prisoner also went to the cell
fu counsel's hand, and as Mr Davis turned to de-
part said-"Goodby; 80 long"
THE DEATH WARRANT
was then read by DR.. Cooper, in q voice tremnlous
with emotion. Rodgers stood directly opposite,
but did not look &C him. His thoughts were
mass had been celebrated he ignored everything
that was going on about him, save the minister.
the rcang he meralv h"wsa and "e a inc ol,cas
who were thcre-Under Sheriff Thomas Murphy,
Dr. Cooper and Mr.. Conraddy--retired, leaving MIN
BY this time the jail yard was about half filed
and
CROWDS WE'RE cLAMoBiNa
at the entrance or the jail for admission. Deputy
Meyer stood at the door and allowed only those
who had passes" to enter Inspector Jonn S ,;
all along the hallway. In the yard a curious crowd
collected atout the scafod, examining 1t and In
would bear himself Sergeant Thomas Cornell, OF
the Washington street police station, had CON-
mand OF the squad stationed
ABOUT THE GALLOws
and kept the crowd from pressing too near It, The
scanold was in the rear OF the yard, almost ID d.
rectiy opposite the cell occupied by Rodgers. The
hangman, medium sized man, about thirty years
OF age, moved about very cooly, waiting for the
over the prisoners head ana ADJUST the fatal moose.
The crowd rapidly increased, but space was Kept
open BY the police or the 70 pass TN yag
were President Jourdan, Of the Police Board Com
missioner Briggs, Judge Reynolds ex-Jndge Troy,
sS liam Van i Wicken, Chief Clerk Richards Of the
Police Department.; Detectives Frost, Van Wagner,
ris, ''E Or. Frank M Munson. @ James Moore george
Hardy, Sheriff Henry, OF Queens county; exSherih
Hendrickson: Captain Cornelius Woglom, to whose
command Onlcer Donohuc was attached, was also
present with Captain Rhodes.
At about twenty five minutes to ten O'Clock there
was q commotion in the crowd AMI 1t was an
THE PROCESSION
to the gallows was approaching. In n moment
the burly M lorm a. OF sheriff Waiter was observed
Behind them was Rodgers, deathly palor over
spreading his conntenance, walking firmly and
Father McElroy He held rosary in his left hand and
Kept his eyes liked on e the gaows @ before him His
rested on his head, and the rope hung from his
neck. Father Mcdonald read the prayers for the
ppocesson Which ncUded beside those e nomed
Fathers Taafe, Raber and Brennon and the jail
officials, moved to the gallows. Every voice was
husncd, land all the air u solemn stiffness held.n
On arriving under the gaOws the party halted, and
Father Mcdonald continued reading the prayers.
This lasted for three or four minutes, and at the
conclusion Rodgers kissed the cruciix and then
suddenly turned pale and flushed alternately, his
eyes partially closed,
HIS HEAD DROOPED
and he began to sink An involuntary exclamation
OF horror escaped from some OF the spectators.
hangman, stepping out placed him in posi-
ton beneath the cross beam, drew the black
ssp n 0TT retired % S s% ssps ss'ed the the soo%S ana
with faintness. sherlr Walter approached, whs.
possible. from the terrors OF the moment, then
suddenly stepped back, at the same time removing
his his hat m as signal Tor the within the
fell with "thudr that resounded throughout the
yard and Henry Rodgers
SHOT UP TO THE CRossBEAM
fell distance OF nearly two ieet and was stran-
gled TO death. The arms and legs twitched convnl-
sively two minutes after The drop fell and tnen the
form hung quietly. He died easily.
The execution was witnessed by most OF the
prisoners OCCUPYING cells in the middle tier OF the
male department and some OF the female prisoners
spectators at the windows Of the Sherifr-s apart
ments looking out into the yard
AFTER THE LAoSE OF FOUR MINUTES
the body was lowered 70 within two feet of the
ground. 1t had been suspended at a distance OF
three feet and six inches by the fall OF the weight
hidden by the screen which enclosed the man who
cut the guy rope which held the weight DR.. Alex
then took hold OF the right hand of the victim OF
the law and iclt the palse Of Rodgers. He found
that the life pulse beat between thirty and or
again hosted to It's original altitude, and
THE crowd, AwE-srRICKEN,
with heads uncovered, stood around with fascina.
ted gaze bearing on the rapidly cxtinguishing life
OF q fellow creature. Many silent ejaculation Tor
mercy went up to the throne Of the Most High
during those awful moments, and the body re-
NAMED immovablc. Four minutes more rolled by
into eternity and again the body was lowered at
The pulse was felt stil slightly vibrating and the
heart beat, but so family as to be almost impercep-
tible. Around the body stood Drs. Moore, Holley,
Robinson. Coroner J. B. JONES' NJ. D., and
Deputy Coroner Lynch were also stand
Again the body was hoisted to its original position
Meanwhile the good clergymel, with blanched
cheeks and lips moving in PRAYER for the departed
spirit, held their places In front OF the instrument
oi death. Audible whispers arose among the two
hundred spectators and 1t was generally conceded
that life mad departed from the body OF Henry
THE BODY LOWERED.
Az the end OF ten minutes a thick straw mat
tress, the one upon which the heavy weight had
fallen in the executoner's enclosure, was brought
out and placed beneath the suspended body. The
hands oRodgers had relaxed their rigidity and the
fingers opened out, but the rosary still
cung to them. The cords OF the neck OF the de.
ceased stood t9, oat prominently and nd The % veins ap
slightly from the pores OF the skin and discolora-
tion became visible. The head hung to the right,
the rope DelnI wei adjusted. III was, however,
painfully apparent that strangulation and not dis
location oil the vertebrI, was the cause or death.
"Now, gentlemen cried the stcntOrian voice OF
the veteran Inspector Folk, "all excepting report
ers please step along this way"
The police saw well to it that those who were
not of the press vacated the vicinity OF the gaows.
At four minutes before ten O'Clock the body OF
Rodgers was lowered and laid OIL the pallet OF
straw. He had been hanging for sixteen minutes.
THE snERIFF'S INQUEST.
jury OF Sherif9s officials was then held, in pur-
suance of the law, and the official papers were
In anita and hnn n1n1t tn Tnnn A0
soon as this :ormality had been gone through with
Parker, the undertaken for whom the deceased
had held an especial regard, moved down the
police lines with one OF his men bearing the last
home OF Rodgers handsome black walnut coffin.
The bla k cap was removed from
TIE FACE OF TIE DEAD
and those about the gallows pressed forward to
obtain q view OF the features. Tile face
markaby placid, considering the violence OF the
method OF taking OF, by strangulatiOn. The
eyes were closed by the undertaken. The eyelids
and the temples were slightly darkened and the