Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-03-27
THE Exc CLIFTON Or TosTER.

NFw YORK, March 21.-Foster was
executed at Z minutes past 8 O'Clock
this morning.
The apparatus devised4or his .execu
ton consisted Of upright beams having
iron pulley wheels to which were at
tached heavy weight. This weight
was suspended about six feet from the
ground, the object being in this way
to break the neck OF the culprit by the
sudAeness of themovement. About six
hundred persons received permission to
witness the execution. The applica-
ton for tickets CT admission, however,
reached nearly six thousand. About
three hundred police were stationed
about the Tombs to preserve order.
Nine rurderers have been put to
death on the gallows used on the oc-
casion. IA
Early as seven o'clock this morning
several hundred people had assembled
il front Of the city prison anxiously
awaiting the moment when Foster, the
murderer Of Avery D. Putnam, would
be lad to the scaliold, and yet not !. one
in twenty Of those who waited 50
patiently outside had the slightest
chance Of gaining admission within the
precincts Of the prison. Foster awoke
at seven O clock and partook of cup
of coffee, but ate nothing. He was
very pale and his strength, seemed fast
failing. .,,g .5,s9, T$.4ee; xsisc,
He was attended By the Rev. DR..
Tying and the Rev: Dir, Schoonmaker,
Chaplin Of Sing Sing He was engag,
ed in devotional exercises III, 70 nine
ocleck. At eleven, minutes past 8 o'clock
h. was led out supported by the Sher-
if. Foster walked unfalteringly to the
scafold. His face had a hectic flush
when he arrived beneath the scaffold
Rev Dr. Tyng; assisted by Rev. Mr..
Schooinake Ell, read the 5ist Psalm. AS
the solemn words were read, in which
the Rev. Dr.. Tyng besought God to
open the eye Of mercy upon; this thy
seryent, the scene was hushed and ex-
tremely impressive. During the read
ing of the service Foster stood beneath
the scaffold, his head bowed down and
his left hand shading bis eyes. The
Rev Mr.. Schoonmaker shook hands
with Foster and said, "God bless thee
my dear friend At seventeen min
utes past nine the bolt was drawn and
the body rose into the ali.
The condemned man gave enc slight
struggle, only SO slight as to be almost
ilaperceptible. There was an absence
of the usual movement Of the lower
limbs, and a barely perceptible motion
Of the hands. After hanging five min
utes the body was lowered about nine
inches and q Minute thereafter about a
foot further Twelve minutes after the
bolt had been drawn the pulse ceased
to beat. Foster had died almost with
out struggle 1t was evident during
the reading Of the service that he was
rapidly sinking and scarcely able tc
stand
The physicians noticed this and Rev
MIR. Schoonmaker had but Just shook
hands with Foster, and said 'sgood bye
God bless you my friend" when the
fatal bolt was drawn. After being
allowed to hang a little over twenty
minutes the body was lowered into the
coffin and conveyed into the dead house
Of the Tombs whence it will be takeI
to-day to the residence Of Foster
widow. The intermsnt will probably
take place on Monday next.
AT twenty minutes before 10 O'clock
crowd Of Deputy Sherifs and Others
Of one hundred and fifteen persons who
had gained admission to witness the
execution, slowly made their exit from
the scene.