The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-06-14

! "THE GALLONS IN BALTIMORE" th
head the Baltimore Gazette of Wednesday gives
an extended account of a number of execution!
which have taken place in that city, anC
among them those of Adam Horn and Conrad
| Vinton, who were hanged for murders com
| mitted in this county. The crime and fate o.
| Horn is that described
"On Monday evening, April II, 1913, some
| persons out cunning discovered in a ditch, neal
the residence of Adam Horn and his wife, Ma.
linda, on the Reisterstown road, twenty-five
miles from Baltimore, and five miles above
Reisterstown, the body of woman, sewed up
in a coffee bag, and deprived of its limbs. As
Horn and his wife had both disappeared, the
gentlemen at once guessed the truth, that Horn
had killed his wife and fed, and they made
further search. In the house they found the
legs and arms.
A search was at once instituted for Horn, but
without effect, until April 20, when he was ar
rested in Philadelphia, at Zimmerman's Hotel
where he had arrived on the 18th. He had at
tempted to convey some property he owned in
Baltimore county, and called on Rev. Ohio H.
Burgess, pastor of the Holy Trinity Church, to
identify him before the Commissioner. The
Rev. Mr.. Burgess the next morning, on look
ing over the paper, saw the account of the
murder, and he Immediately informed the au-
thorities, which led to the prompt arrest of
Horn. He was brought to Baltimore on Sat-
urday, April goth, in charge of Officer Ridgely.
An immense crowd of persons gathered to get
glimpse of him. He remained calm and col
lected and proved to be German, about fifty
years of age, pock-marked, with forbidding
countenance and was about five feet inches
in height He was identified as being a man
by the name of Andrew Hellman, who, in Lo-
gan county, Ohio, murdered his former wife in
the most horrid manner, and made his escape.
He was tailor by occupation. He settled in
the locality where be committed his last crime
shortly after. A requsition was sent from
Ohio for him, but he was retained for trial here.
He was tried in this city, the trial lasting
from Nov. 20 to Nov. p, Isaac hewitt Steele,
Esq, States Attorney, prosecuting, and James
NJ. Buchanan, Charles F. Mayer, c. z. Lucas
and ]. J. Snyder, counsel for defense. The re-
mains were identified as those of his wife,
though the head was not found. On being con-
Victed, Horn was coldly Indifferent as he SEEM
ed from the moment of his arrest to his execu-
ton.
"On Friday, January II, 1884, he was execu-
ted by Mr.. Tracey, High Sheriff. He was at
tended to the scaffold by Fathers Newman and
Sandell. The Sheriff was dressed in deep
mourning and wore a sword by his side, "the
badge of his Office" Horns son followed the
Sheriff and the reverend gentlemen, apparent
ly unconcerned, and took leave of his father at
the foot of the gallows. The condemned as
cended to the platform with firm and unal-
his spiritual advisers, he returned thanks to
Mr.. T. 0. Sellers, the Warden of the Jail, for
his kind treatment. The drop fell at twenty
minutes past twelve o'clock, and the doomed
wretch fell about five feet, pending to the hal
ter. There was but very slight struggle
The body was subjected to the usual gaIvanic
experiments, and afterwards given to his son.
1t is estimated that thirty thousand persons
witnessed the execution. The name of Horn
was used by nurses for long time after to
brighten children into fear and obedience.
The EXECUTION OF VINToN.
Conrad Vinton, or as some called him, Con-
rad WINNER, was hanged for numbering Eliza
beth Cooper, near Parkton, Baltimore county,
by Joshua II. Hynes, Esq, Sheriff, on July 20,
1919. He was attended to the scaffold by Rev.
DIR. Wyatt. The night before his execution his
coffin was placed in his cell at his request
The morning of execution he was firm and re-
signed, but very weak. AT IL o'clock it was
necessary to give him stimulants. While be-
ing appareled in the habiliments of the grave
he grew stronger and made fervent appeals to
Heaven for mercy. Mr.. Hynes, Sheriff, con-
Quoted the execution. After the trap fell a
momentary spasmodic action was observed,
and all was still. His neck was broken. Every
housetop, tree, hillside and every point in sight
of the scaffold was filled with spectators of the
execution.