The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-22
THE KEEPERS STORY.
singular "reminiscences of Life
Among Social Thugs.
THE poMp OF PUBLIC VENGEANCE.
The March to Death and
the Final Scene.
a WARNING TO STREET RUFFIANS.

The hands Of the prison clock pointed to the
hour OF seven on Thursday night when sharp
rapping on the gates of the Tombs brought the
solitary keeper behind the barred doors to his feet
and, keys in hand, he advanced to the portal The
locks grated harshly, the doors opened and were
closed with slam that reverberated through the
yaulted apartments as two young, well built men,
with dark mustaches stepped into the prison
office.
'Good evenin' Seebacher! How are you, Han
bury ?" said the keeper. "Is it rainin' stillf"
eyes; raining and blowing in cold gusts" re-
yponded Seebacher, as he turned down the collar
Of his coat and boxed his gloved hands together.
IA real ugly night" calculated Hamburg, the
shorter man OF the two, and the pair Of deputy
sherins turned to the right with the keeper and
halted before heavy barred door, with lock as
large as family Bible. great brass key clanked
into the socket, the bolt groaned back and the two
men passed beyond the bars into the prison yard.
The door came back with a Gathering clang and
the keeper sat down again in his cushioned chair
under the gaslight.
A little group of i've persons sat or stood in the
Iorrid0r Of the main prison. close to the door OF
cell No. s; q woman in dark habiliments, broken
and limp with an overwhelming sorrow, widow
In reality, though the broad-shouldered, bearded
man who sat beside her had joined his tate to hers
man, for whose life great community had
clamored for two long years, and the remaining
trio of the group were his two brothers and the
husband OF his sorrowng sister. There was little
conversation, and that little was lOwly Spoken for
the sweetest music of creation, the human voice,
Ia harsh when heartstrings are SO tightly strained.
They had come to sob out an eternal farewell to
their husband and brother, the condemned William
Foster.
THE DRAMA OPENED
In drunken revery two years before, and was now
closing in anguish, degradation and death.
Foster mad only been drinking little too much
Of that potent poison that 80 often
Disturbs the chemic labor Of the blood 80
Tickling the brute brain within the mans;
he had quarreled with q stranger and had killed
him. 1t happened at night, on the 26th OF April,
1871 Avery D. Putnam, q merchant, was in o
street car, accompanied by two ladies, Nine. Duval
and her daughter. Foster was passenger on the
same car, and In . maudlin way insulted the
ladies. They were travelling up Broadway. Mr..
Putnam demonstrated with Foster and q slight
wordy quarrel resulted. Foster said. ~ am going
as far as you are, and when you get or this car
win give you helll" Mr.. Putnam, with his escort,
alghted at Forty sixth street, and Foster, quickly
seizine Car hook from its place near the driver,
on the front PLATFORM ran to the rear Of the car
and struck Mr. Putnam two blows and thereby
fractured his skull. Mr.. Putnam died two days
afterwards. Foster, who was arrested, never
denied the assault, and upon trial In the following
month was convicted Of murder In the first degree,
the Jury accompanying their verdict with recon-
mendation to mercy. The trial lasted sixteen
days and at its conclusion he was sentenced by
Judge Cardozo, In the Court OF Oyer and Terminer,
TO BE HANGED.
Almost the whole civilized world Ia familiar with
che details Of the great legal struggle to save him
that ensued. The judgment was stayed and when
an unsuccessful appeal terminated he was again
sentenced to death. Another stay and higher
appeal was taken. 1t resulted adversely to him.
and he was again sentenced to be executed on the
9Th day Of the present month.
| There was no further appeal, save plea 70 the
Governor for mercy-for Communication of the death
sentence to life Imprisonment. Fosters relatives
were wealthy and influential Some OF them had
been intimate friends Of Governor Dix, in Paris
when he represented the Republic at the court Of
Napoleon.
Clergymen. lawyers statesmen, DOCTORS people
OF all classes pettioned In his behalf Newspapers
pleaded earnestly, even bitterly, to influence the
executive action, and respite OF Two weeks, ter
minating yesterday, was granted. He had been
cast or by his family, but in the hour OF his peril
which involved also their disgrace in a measure,
they came to his succor with all the power they
could control, and the
FRIENDS OF OTHER MURDERERs,
tried and untried used their influence in his favor
for his fight was theirs also. But the Governor did
not yield. In the face OF influences never before
30 powerfully welded in behalf of a criminal he
was steadiast In his determination that the people
shoud be protected from street rufflanism, and d.
rected that the law be indicated.
1t was this crime and its coming punishment
that had assembled the sorrowing group on that
clustering Thursday night In the prison corridor