National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-02-09
Hanging of George BOtts.

George Bolts was hanged at Newark,
New Jersey, on Friday January Goth,
for the murder of Oliver s. Halstead,
jr., in July last. Earnest efforts in his
behalf were made by his friends in the
Court of Appeals, and when near the
point of death vain plea was entered
that the woman wills on had been married
to him. under the name of Julia Jen-
kins, seven years previous to the muir
der; but, beyond the granting of brief
reprieve, the Judgment rendered at
Newark by Judge Depue in November
was sustained
The murderer Bolts was AZ years of
age, of English parentage, but resident
of this country, since childhood. HIS
physical strength was eXtraordinal
while intellectually he was wholly I'M
tutored, being unacquainted with even
the rudimentary branches of knowledge
He had lived with the woman Wilson
for several years, ut irregular times, as
her husband.
Oliver s. Halstead, jr., a member of
an honored family, appeared first Oh
the scene as Mrs. Wilson's lawyer, but
he soon became so rashly infatvate / with
her that Bolts heard of it, and frequent
ly threatening to shoot Halstead At
about seven O'Clock on the morning of
July i, 1871, Bolts went to Mrs. Wilson's
house, knowing Halstead to be there,
and after breaking through two doors,
shot and killed him. The disparity in
the social position of the murderer and
his victim, the latter having been a law
yer and politician of much notoriety,
and the former charcoal dealer, added
to the exciten ent occasioned by the
murder.
During the night preceding the exc
cution, Bolts was nervous and wakeful.
His sister took leave of him during the
evening, and his brother and the chap
lain spent the night in his cell until 1870.
About that hour Bolts expressed wish
to walk, and, accompanied by the war
den and his spiritual adviser he prone
naded the hall. With great coolness he
examined the gallows, and touched the
bag of sand which was suspended at the
end of the rope, for the purpose of test
ing It's strength. Then he returned to
his cell, and throwing himself on the
bed slept for three hours.
The place selected for the execution
was the large hallway OF the Jail, aud Mt
the further end stood the gallows which
has been used for number of years,
and is arranged so that the weight is
released by pressure on treadle. Prob
ably not less than 200 persons, including
the officials, police, and reporters we're
present. Three tiers of cells running
the whole length of the hail. opened
upon the scene, and their occupants pre-
sented a line of wretched faces pressed
eagerly against the bars.
As the time approached, Sheriff Pick
well made his appearance with the pris-
oner, accompanied by his spiritual nd
wiser. Bolts shows his close confine-
ment; and his face exhibited symptoms
of great fear and excitement. The
clergyman gratefully thanked the !
prison officials in behalf of the doomed
man, and stated that he died with trust
in Jesus Christ.
The knot was then adjusted, the cler. |
gyman shook the prisoners hand for the |
last time, the Sheriff pulled down the |
black cap, stepped quickly behind the /
screen, the noisy slide OF rope over pull /
leys was heard, and the body of Bolts
sprang fully four feet into tho air. fall |
ling back a foot or two with the rebound /
of the rope.
Convulsive struggles then ensued. dur
ing which the hands clutched at the air.
and the dying man raised himself re-
peatedly. The pulse marked "a beats to
the minute, five minutes afterwards. The
neck was not broken, as it seldom is I'M
der the present mode az execution. For
IA minutes the pulses both of the night .
and left arm were plainly perceptible,
and II was not until after Is minutes
bad clasped that life was pronounced
extinct. 1