New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-22
THE WAGES OF SIN.
TIP EXECUTION OF WILLIAM FOSTER.


BEFORE daybreak they had gathered there-repul-
ave Mace as il is in the brightest of sunlight for the
as,nal gray walls of the Tombs add TO the gloom OF
tho swampy site and the diapidated buildings when
pain Characteristic of the Five Points Of which II
as only lately the center Let it be added for poor
humantys sake that it was q small group OF ruue'
Qncultured and unchristian men OF the low class 10
which Foster had allied himself. One mgnt u"io''
gness looking askance at them gathered 'neIo yioi
bey were not to be viewed at that hour ana III 'n'
locality save with sidelong and suspicious g"noo' S
If each were determined TO seek roster laino anu
fate tbroue Oh the first passeT-by) that lhey "elo Va
the criminal class, not merely from the uisP"S VI
5ebased curiosity but because of their needy I'M
thriv appearance of craft which makes poverty IT
seIf took puiIty. They Rugged the cold walls and
gathered in the shadows which they seemed to make
sarLer 10 If 70 take warmth and receive comfort
from close association.
A. day spread and revealed even more repulslvely
the gloom and filth and squalor of the Five Points
these scowling, low-browed fellows were joined 10y
less eager but larger groups of equally curious
strangely curious men and women, and oh, shame!
nv Children too of the lower indeed if not criminal
classes Let it be hoped they were low only, not
vicious There must be made distinction OF classes
eyen in this democratic country The higher classes
higher in culture more refined in manner aud deli
cate
who had obtained passes to the place of execution
under the cheap and stale pretext of wishing TO
serve nameless friends. Happily hangings are not
fashionable possibly from their infrequency; and
The few respectable and decent men who voluntarily
attended the. execution, yesterday, were ashamed to
he seen there aud had half apologize explanations
% offer 10 every friend who detected them.
Later the doors of the Tombs were thrown open.
Int guards appeared at the portals and stopped the
crowd which az if the creaking of the hinges was
signal. pressed forward to gain, if not view,
nearer distance of the fascinating tragedy
Back they surged, with scOwls and surly
hooks. but growing holder as the crowd increased,
and making demonstrations of impotence and rage
Indefinite OF purpose, without sympathy for the
nrisoner harborng only hatred for the officers who
ob.tucted thsm, they fell back before the increased
force of police until at length they were half block
or more from the prison door, There they Stood the
came surly and repulsive crowd, while carriages
rolled TO the door, the Deputy Sherifs with their
black maces fled past in line, and the police pla-
toop If guards marched in and surrounded the gal
lows There they stood half an hour
longer and watched the gathering and
frightening of the cue of invited guests"
who carried the black-bordered invitations
of the Sheriff and urged each other forward with
unscemly haste as if fearing to be too late to wit
ness the death thTOes of human being Then half
an hour longer they waited there, until the crowd
which had passed in one by under inspection
surged out in an incOngruOus mass, each OF the
brutes who had seen his fellow die gratifying his
vanity by gathering about him less fortunate fell
lows to whom he detailed the revolving tale. And
even at nightfall, hours after the dreadful scene
was ended and the miserable wretch was cold, they
fingered there listening and waiting to the body
horne away. And some who watched the crowd
Gside who had witnessed the scene within, who
Eudied the countenance of the victim and looked
INTO the faces of the crowd without thought the
tragedy Of the scailod less revolving than the thou
and tragedies of the street.
LAST NIGHT on EARTH.
Apaiuful parting with his wife; long pacing OF
the prison corridor in silence; occasional snatches of
brief conversation with his keepers; dreamy moods
lasting half an hour at a time in which doubtless serl-
Gus and trivial thoughts, TO be uttered chased
each other through his restless, weary mind; then five
hours OF exhausted sumber-such William Fosters
last ught on earth Not terrible, remembering Fa-
Uns; but this was the last night Of man who was not
scoward aud thief well drunkard and murderer
The latter only may die brayely the first class die al
ways as q dog when the outraged law claims them.
Special Deputy sheri1s Hamburg and seebacher went
duty al the prison guard Foster at o'clock
thursday night when the previous published narrative
Of his last days ended They found his wife with him in
bis cell and his two brothers and broherinlaw were
present the corridor Their painful duty required the
Deputies TO be present also at the last hours which wife
and husband spent Ogether and it became necessary
Cor them about o'clock TO intimate Foster that ne
take his last farewell OF his wife and relatives The
tainted at the first word; the man, strengthened
the need Of encouraging her. supported the weak and
ha figure and restored her to consciousness Enough
this Is described in the language OF one OF the
Deputy sherfs-men hardened but not made heartless
wa EaQQegt i
cried over"
Ms Foster again tainted as the farewell sad
and Deputy Hamburg half bore, half led her TO the
coach which stood without the TOmbs, the other rea-
ives almost much overcome, following sadly be-
Ind At the coach the wife, true TO her womanly in
eine aroused sufficiently TO beg the deputy to grant
h husband every possible indulgence, as 1t is his last
hght on earh and then assisted into the coach,
MO whose remotest she sank sobbing and con-
tuSed On his return TO the doomed mans cell, the
oepuy found the husband anxiousy awaiting his re-
nm The eager inquiry OF the eyes supplemented
tRb The question, How does she bear ~ The deputy
answered that had wept bitterly, and repeated her
@s' Womany request TO him. at which Foster turned
sway with grasp Of the deputys hand and his fearless
Sesat last looking soft with sympathy for whose
'orroW was possibly greater than his own.
for three hours afterward he silently in the corri
WI seemingly IN deep thought. possibly counting the
, on the cell doors opposite, but utterng scarcely
n'enee and looking around only seldom. little after
~hight be ate his last supper with the Deputies, and
returned to his seat in the corridor little ivelier
honginR more IN conversation. At u O'Clock he abb
puy rose from his seat and shaking hands with his
Pers and saying goodbye" retired 10 his cell, and
10mng hastily aud neryously, IN bed. In
minutes be was asleep When the deputies
'eo &i7%elock, yesterday morning, by Special Depu-
e D@lS and Dunphy he still sleeping, and did not
"ake antD ~ o'clock.
PREPARATIONS FOB DEATH.
ihen be had less than two hours 10 live for at his