The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-23
THE REAL FACTS OF THE CASE.


story that william Foster before going on the
scafYold had taken poison to avoid the shame of q
public execution was circulated late on Friday
afternoon. The HERALD was then in possession OF
the rumor but, discredting the report, endeavored
TO trace II to some reliable source Failing in this,
1t preferred not to publish anything about the mat
ter, believing 1t to be o mere sensational canard.
Yesterday, however, the story assumed more i'm
portance and began to be widely circulated and
naturally. as in all such cases. lost nothing in Its
translation from one mouth to another. HERALD
reporters went out and endeavored to trace mp the
sensation. All the persons who could possibly be
connected with the story, all those who passed
with Foster the last hours of his life, were seen on
the matter and the affair turned out TO be, as had
been originally believed by the HERALD, cruel
hoax, without particle OF evidence to make 1t re-
liable 1t may be readily seen by the perusal of the
following statements how the story originated and
how the simple circumstances OF Fosters last
hours were twisted and exaggerated into the in
famous story that Foster had attempted to commit
suicide:-
WHAT DIR. MEALS SAYS.
DR.. Neas said, in answer to the reporters ques-
lions LIVERY word OF this story Is true. fester-
day morning was standing outside the prison.
man came running out in GREATNESS haste and
said Doctor, you had better come and see Eos
ter: roster Is SICK. Wcut uto rcotci . Soh, "uu
saw that he was exceedingly pale His eyes were
CLASSY his face was streaming with perspiration,
his pulse was feeble, he was staggering and ap-
peared TO be utterly listless. j asked him what
was the matter with him. He said, Il feel so ner-
vous went out to see the keeper, Mr.. DAILY, and
asked him whether Foster had taken anything.
He told me that Foster had taken poison then
ordered him some strong csfree. These are all the
facts. / can't tell exactly what the poison
was think it was seme narcotic poison
some preparation Of opium or laudanum-l
could not tell exactly what. don't
know how large quantity he took; it
would be impossible FOX ms te Say, There VIII pc
90 investigation OF the matter; there's nothing 70
investigate about think he must have taken the
poison a short time before the execution. The
erect OF the poison to alleviate the tsrtures OF
agony which he must have suffered. He died more
easily than II he had not taken the poison. don't
know who gave him the poison"
WHAT MRS. FOSTER, THE MATRoN OF THE PRISON,
SAYS
Mrs. Foster the matron of the prison, denied in
toto the whole story that Foster had told her he
had taken poison. She said there was not word
OF truth in II. The statement on which the whole
story was based shows it to be an idle hoax.
WHAT KEEPER DAILY SAYS.
Keeper DAILY was reported to nave said that Fcs-
ter had ted him he had taken poison He stated
the reporter that Foster had only SAID nae 9ad
said he had taken dose OF poison, but simply d
1'''' DEPUTY SHERIFF HANBuRY's STATEMENT.
Deputy Sheriff Hamburg said to The HERALD re-
porter that he went on at the Tomss in com.
that time until seven O'Clock the next morning in
his Vile and his sister and brother.in-law parted
from him At the time Foster was suffering from
not give way, however, but bore up like man. At
halfpast twelve. when they brought in supper to
something, but he refused and simply took cupof
tea. At halfpast two he went to bed and was i'm.
ss m e 10 Re bed
him until he went to sleep: From that time for
ward until seven o'clock IN the morning SeepaCner
and IN full view o. Foster. We went into
MS cell every fifteen minutes and saw saw that he
Or nervousness about hin. He was as peaceful as
child. Had he taken poison he wsuld have
not when he went to bed and from that time for
ward until left he did not awake or move.
Deputy Sherir Seebacher bore out in all respects
the statement Of Mr.. Hanbury He was in the lat.
the relatives had their last interview with Foster
he stood close to them and saw and heard every
aaneury RVS statement that Foster slept ali night
WHAT DEPUTY SHERIFF DUNPHY SAYS
beauties hpnurg Snd M
seven O'Clock on Friday morning. He Dunphy),
when he went into the y corridor Si ana
he was perfectly quiet: He CDunphyl did not DIS
past seven he reused himself and got up, and
knelt on the bed 81 his own accord. He was eyi-
Fsstsr sat on the side OF the BED and took on his
old wosllen socks and began cleaning his feet.
clean underlineh: He Ounphy) asked him now
he ielt, and Foster answered. II feel sick and
and gave cup Of very strong coffee to Foster
He drank 1t and then threw 1t up He stood right
iauaanum, nor did he hear Foster say he was
poisoned to Mrs. Foster. This lady did not rush
N se aa nS s.ne
Mrs. Foster mad gone Foster said, These people
seem to know my stomach better IL than ana 40 my
did not want his coffee strong, In spite OF which
they gave it to him SO: The stencil in the cell was
enough anyway to make even strong man vomit
Foster then continued dressing himself, and went
through 1t like q man who was under great mental
and nervous prostration and was still doing his best
to act like man. DR.. Tying then came in and he was
left alone with the condemned man. TINS was tie
, Then Foster was taken out in the corridor and
walked up and down. He was perfectly himself
out sny support s under the arms When the hour
came for the execution he allowed himself TO DC
be- ad
through the door OF the cell. During all the time
DEPUTY sHERIFr DALY's STATEMENT.
mr.. DAILY upheld what Du9pny had said, and only
ADDED 1naf c ne tss ne Sad no 9ss. was %
DAYS OF any account. This very naturally accounted
for the throwing up Of his coffee, which too
strong for his stomach.
WHAT CORONER YOUNG SAYS
ON being INTERCEPTED about the rumored poison
ing Of Foster, Coroner Young said 70 the HERALD
reporter that he did not attach any Importance
whatever to the story. He said that nobody told
him ANYTHING about 1t while he was In the TOmbs,
and that ne lad heard nothing OF the story until
the next day. n anybody in the Tombs knew that
Foster was poisoned why did he or she not say any.
thing ABOUT It to him at the inquest on the body OF
Foster, 50 that he might make post
mortem examinations During the whole
time he was in the Tombs he did not
hear even rumor OF the poisoning. and all this led
him 10 believe that the story was manufactured out
OF whole clonh, and did not possess the least atem
OF ruth Cnunner Yonnr said he could answer lOr