Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-03-26
The Car-Hook Murder.

On the morning Of Friday, April ~,
1871 New York learned that one OF
her citizens, Avery D. Putnam by
name, had been cruelty murdered the
previous evening W lie attempting to
protect two ladies' from the insults Oh d
drunken ruffian. Mr.. Putnam, before
he died made an ante-mortem state
ment. in which he narrated the circum-
stances of the assault, and recognized
William Foster as the person who com
United the cowardly attack upon hlm'
The facts of the case as published at
the time, were as follows j.: At IL o clock
on Wednesday night Mr.. Putnam,
merchant doing business at NO. oo
Pearl street and residing at No. 3 Col
lie place, accompanied by Nine,
Duval, modste of No. 762 Broad
way, and her daughter, entered car No.
40 of the Broadway and Seventh avenue
line, to ride up town. Mr.. Putnam
and the ladies took seats in the forward
part of the car, and at Sixteenth street
Foster, an ex-conductor of the road, got
on the front platform. He then stared
persistently at Miss Duval, and as she
paid no attention to bis grimace he
pushed open the front door and look
ed directly at her. Mr.. Putnam, Oh
seeing Foster thus insult the young
lady, rose from his seat and closed the
door. This incensed Foster, and be
opened the door again, which was I'm
mediately closed by Putnam. When
the car reached Thirtieth street Foster
came inside, and remarking that he had
paid his fare and was entitled TO seat
sat down close beside Miss Duval. He
then behaved in british manner, and
made a noise with his lips which Undue
ed the young lady to change her seat.
Mr.. Putnam then interfered, and said
although Foster was entitled to seat
in the car, yet he would not suffer the
ladies in his charge to be insulted. At
Forty.sixth street the car was stopped
and Mr.. Putnam alighted, leaving the
car by the front platform. AS he was as
sisting the ladies to alight Foster went
out and stood on the front platform. He
had previously said that he would give
Mr.. Putnam "helr' and Selling the
car-hook proceeded to execute his
threat. Striking Mr.. Putnam on the
the head with it he fractured his skull
and inflicted wounds from effects of
which Mr.. Putnam died next day at
St. Luke's Hospital. Foster was ar
rested, tried. convicted, and sentenced.
subsequently the Court of Appeals
affirmed the sentence Governor Dix
refused to commute to Imprisonment,
and Foster was therefore executed
New York, March 2l.-The appar-
atus devised for the execution Of Foster
consists Of strai ght beams having iron
pulley-wheels, to which are attached a
heavy weight. This weight is suspend
ed about SIX feet from the ground, the
object being in this way to break the
neck of the culpr.t by the suddenness
of the movement.
About 900 persons have received
permission to witness the execution.
The applications for tickets of admission
however, reach nearly 5000.
Some 800 police are to be stationed
about the Tombs prison to preserve
order.
Nine murderers have been put to
death on the gollows erected for Foster.
The execution of Foster took place
at II minutes past 9 O clock this morn
ing, in the Tombs.
There were hundreds awaiting out
side of the Tombs this morning, hop
ing to be able to witness Fosters ex-
ecution. The crowds were kept back
by the police. Not one in twenty of
those outside, whowever, were admitted.
The prisoner in the morning was
very faint. He partook of some coffee
but ate nothing.
Rev. Drs. Tying and Schoonmake,
attended him, and he engaged in de.
votional exercises until few minutes
before his execution.
At 9 o'clock be walked to the scat
fold, accompanied by the sheriff.
Hare DIR. Tying read few psalms
after which the bolt was drawn, ano
the unfortunate man gave only slight
struggle. There were few precepti
BILE movements of his lower limbs, anc
the execution was over
Shortly afterwards the body of Eos
| ter was taken down and removed.
The doomed man seemed to have
hope of Communication up to the last
moment.
Nearly all the afternoon papers issu.
ed extras over the event.