The Portland daily press., 1873-03-22
THE GALLOWS!
t e-@H tln s-tt'
Execution Of Foster and NIGEL
haney.
.4 .N
1. 1855 t1.la y
Description of the Scenes at the
GaIlOWs.
THE GALLOWS!
FOSTERS LAST HOURS.

| NEW YORK, March 21.-As early as O'Clock
| this morning several hundred people had as.
sembled in front of the city prison. anxiously
awaiting the moment when Foster, the murder
| er OF Ave ID. Putnam, was to be led to the
scaffold; yet not one in twenty had the slight
| est chance OF gaining admission. 3jsss.
Foster aw Oke at seven o'clock this morning
| He partook of a cup of coffee but ate nothing.
He was very pale and his strength fast failing.
He was attended by Rev. DR.. Tying and Rev.
Mr.. SHOEMAKER Chaplain of Sing Sing. de
engaged in devotional exercises until 8 o'clock.
| AT IL minutes past nine he was led out, sup
ported by Sheriff Brennan and Under Sheriff
Stevens. Foster walked unfalteringly to the
scaffOld. His face had hectic fush Arriv-
ing beneath the scaffold Rev. DR. Tying, assist
ed by Rev Mr.. Shoemaker read the 51st
Psalm AS the solemn words were read in
which DR. Tying besought God to 'iopen the eye
of mercy unto this thy servant" the scene was
hushed and impressive in the extreme. Dur
ing the reading of the service Foster stood be-
meath IL 9 scaffold, his head bowed down and
his left hand shading his eyes. Rev. Mr.. Shoon-
maker shook hands with Foster and said, "God
bless thee, my dear friend' At seventeen
minutes past nine o'clock the bolt was drawn
and Fosters body rose into the air. The on
demned man gave one slight struggle only so
slight as to be almost imperceptible. There
s an absence of the usual movement of the
shoulders. There was slight contraction of
the lower limbs and barely perceptible motion
of the hands. After hanging five minutes the
body was lowered about pine inches and a
minute thereafter about foot further. Twelve
minutes after the bolt was drawn the pulse
ceased to beat. Foster had died almost with
out a struggle ,sHsif
1t was evident during the reading of the SER
vice that be was rapidly sinking aud scarcely
able to stand. The physician noticed this and
Rev. Mr.. Shoonm ker had but just shook hands
with Foster and said. Goodbye; God bless
you, my friend" when the fatal ball was drawn.
After being allowed to hang over twenty min
ntes, the body was lowered into a coffin and
conveyed into the deed house Of the Tombs,
whence it will be taken to-day to the residence
of Fosters widow. The interment will prob
ably take place on Monday next.
At twenty minutes before ten O'clock the
crowd of deputy shPriffs and others of the $50
persons who witnessed the execution slowly
made their exit from the scene.
N1cElhaney's Execution.
BOSTON, March 21.-Iames McElhaney, who
murdered his wife some six months SINCE ex-
plated his crime on the scaffold at the Suffolk
Jail in this city this forenoon. He was hung
at twelve minutes past eleven, and in twenty
MINUTES life was pronounced extinct. There
were about 400 spectators present, and all pre-
served a respectful silence and dceorum that
was almost painful during the execution of the
law. The condemned made no remarks upon
the scaffold, but before leaving his cell he in
dulged in religious devotions in company with
Rev. Mr.. Upham, his spiritual adviser, and
Father Cook, the chaplain of the Jail. He
took his last leave of his father and mother last
night and signed. will bequeathing all his
property, about $4,000, to his onl, child. He
walked firmly to the scaffold and behaved with
extraordinary fortitude. ~ CO a
The body of McElhaney was delivered to his
parents this afternoon, who removed it to East
Cambridge, where funeral services will be SOL
emnized tomorrow at 20 clock, from Mr.. Rays
church. 1t is stated on authority of McElha-
ney's spiritual advisers, that the members of
his wife family refused to allow him to see his
little child named Nellie Emma, who is only
two years DID,. A letter seconding an oft ex-
pre-: sed wishson the part of the condemned
man to see his child was sent by Sheriff Clark
to the family, but without effect