The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-04-10
The Execution of Foster.

On the 21st of March William Foster
expiated the crime of murder on the scat
fold. The following is the New York
HeraLd'S account of the circumstances at
tending the execution:
The Rev. DR.. Tying, in a clear voice,
then commenced to read the Episcopal
service for the condemned, and the tall,
spare, young minister gave the responses.
AS the awful self-acsusing words were re-
cited the doomed man bowed his head still
more. At the end of two minutes his
weakness visibly increased. His limbs
trembled as if with palsy, and faint but
agonized groan escaped from his lips. His
left hand still nervously rubbed over his
eyes, and his body began to sway to and
fro more painfully still. In gazing on his
agOgy the words of the service became an
intolerab'c monotone. The strong frame
of the man, bro en- with unutterable de-
spair, as it swayed like reed in the wind
and trembled in every nerve, excluded
all things else from the mind that could
appreciate the unspeakable misery rolled
into these fast-ebbing moments of his life.
For five minutes the reading continued,
and Fosters weakness had so increased
that Sheriff Brennan whispered sharply to
DR.. Tying, sits too long.1 The reverend
gentleman indeed brought the service to
a sudden termination, and, turning quick
ly to Foster, graspcd his right hand and
hurried away, overcome with emotion,
followed by his assistants.
He who has stood by gallows tree can
alone tell the nature of the moment that
follows when, the clergymen gone, the
imminence of death seiZes one with en-
thralling awe. The seconds to the on
locker seem whole minutes; but o the
condemned, whatare they? Sheriff Bren-
nan went through the hand-grasping for
mality. All was done us cxpeditiouSly as
possible to shorten the misery-that is,
to shorten the life, for life then was mis-
cry almost too deep to bear. The black
cap was pulled over the face. A tremor
ran through the miserable creatures tot
tering clay. The executioner, nimble-
| fingered, dark-eyed, stout-built, med UNI
sized young man, stepped forward in
stantly and linked the moose to the rope
that dangled from the beam. A glance
| showed that it still hung slack. One Sec
ond's pause in perfect silence, handker.
chief waved, the sharp sound of a falling
axe, and at eighteen minutes past nine
Fosters body fairly leaped into the air
The legs were ,ierked up to the body con
vulsiyely, and opening wide as they re-
click. The left hand was also thrown up
ward, but fell Immediately by his side
In the first half minute following there
were five distinct nervous writhing mo-
tions of the trunk. After these there
was no sign of struggle. The cervica
vertcbrG were evidently dislocated by the
shock. After hanging five minutes the
| body was lowered that the doctors might
examine for signs of life. At twenty
even minutes past nine a faint trill was
felt in the pulse. At thirty minutes pas
nine pulsation ceased at the wrist. Al
thirty-three minutes past nine the hear
had ceased beating, and justice had exact
ed the full penalty for the murder of Ave
ry ID. Putnam. Such were the physicians
reports as they stood taking turns in list
ening at the breast of the thing of clay
But the crowd were wild with excitement
After the first shock the line of polic'
moved closer to the scafFold and the throns
behind pressed close upon them. Neck
were cranei to catch glimpse of tn
sight of shame.