The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-03-22
The Death Penalty in New York.
HANGING OF THE CAR-HOOK
MURDERER.
HIS LAST DAY ON EARTH-PARTING WITH
HIS WIFE-FUTILE EFFORTS TO
FAVE HIM.
Sceues Oh tho SeaG0lsi.

Scenes on the SealfOlA.
New YORK, March 2l.-Foster, the MUIR
derer of Avery D. Putnam, has at last suf-
fered tue extreme penalty Of the law, money,
influential friends, and the ntercession Of the
wife of his victim having been equally IN
ton of his sentence. Alter Governor Dix
communicated to the Rev. DR.. Tying
A POSITIVE REFUSAL TO INTERFERE.
seven Of the jurors united in au affidavit to
the effect that they would not have brought
in a verdict of "murder in the first degree"
had they not been assured that the accompa-
nving recommendation to mercy would i'll.
sure Executive ciemency. But this had no
effect upon the Governor, and he again mott
fled The sheriff that he had no communica-
ton to make i'll regard to Fosters case.
THE LAST FUTILE EFFORT.
Yesterday Il final effort was made 10
save the doomed man. The assistant counsel
for Foster submitted i point at law that the
Governor having respitcd him such action
virtually SIT aside the sentence OF death and
the appointment of the day and hour Of the
execution; consequently it would he in order
to move that the sheriff he served with an
injunction staying the execution until Eos
ter should have been retlkcn before the
court and again sentenced to death by the
Judge before whom he was tried. These
points were carefully considered by the
court and oFcrruled.
IN THE CELL.
Foster passed the day quietly, and re-
manned during the greater part Of the time
a.. Ill I'll ;,>f 1,n of 1Q
final efforts OF his counsel TO prevent, en- Il
legal tcchnicality, the execution OH the NOR
row. and his hopes revived. On receiving
intelligence that the effort had proved vain
he became very detected, hung his head Oh
his breast. and desired that no one would
speak TO him except his wife She had tainted
On recovering she returned to her husband,
and placing her hand in his, sat by him for
hours, but spoke little.
About s. o'clock last evening the final
parting between Foster and his wife took
place. Both were deeply affected. He
kissed her repeatedly, and she chung to him
until, overcome with emotion, she tainted
and was carried away by his brother. The
prison officials were deeply moved by the
scene.
SPIRITUAL CONSOLATION.
Rev DR.. Tying spent upwards of an hour
Yesterday afternoon with Foster, who lis
tened earnestly to his cxhortations. Foster
was also visited during the day by his brother
in-law. his father, and by Father Duranguet,
the Catholic priest, but refused to undergo
the ordeal of parting with his children
whom he has not seen since his arrest. His
family left by to-day's steamer for Europe.
His children, at his own request, have not
been allowed TO see him since his incarcera-
ton.
The Day of Death.
Foster awoke at I O'Clock this morning,
partook of cup Of coffee, but ate nothing.
lie was very pale, and his strength seemed
fast failing. lie was attended by Rev. DR..
Tyng and Rev. DR.. Shoemaker, chaplain
of Sing Sing, and he engaged in devotional
exercises until Q O'Clock.
At eleven minutes past he was led out,
supported by Sheriff Brennan and the un-
der sheriff. Foster
WALKED UNFALTERINGLY TO THE scAFFoLD.
His face had hectic flush. Arrived be-
Meath the scatiold, Rev. DR.. Tying, assisted
bv Rev. Mr.. Schoonmaker, read the fifty.
first psalm and the solemn words were read
in which Rev. Dr.. Tying "besougbt God to
open the eye of mercy unto this Thy servant"
The scene was hilshed and impressive in the
extreme. During the reading of service
Foster stood beneath the scaffold, his head
bowed down and his left hand shading his
eyes. Rev. DR.. Schoonmaker shook hands
with him, and said "God bless thee, my
dear friend"
At seventeen minutes past 0 O'Clock the
bolt was drawn and
THE BODY ROSE INTO THEA
The condemned man gave one slight strug-
gle only--so slight as 10 be almost imperecpti-
bic. There was an absence Of the usual
movement of the shoulders. There was a
Eslght contraction of the lower limbs and o
barely perceptible motion Of the hands.
After hanging five minutes the body was
lowered about nine inches, and minute
thereafter about foot further. Twelve
minutes after the bolt had been drawn the
pulse ceased to beat. Foster had
DIED ALMOST WITHOUT STRUGGLE.
It was evident during the reading of the
services that he was rapidly sinking and
scarcelr able to stand. The physicians 10.
tircd this, aud Rev. DR.. Schoonmaker had
but lust shook hands with Foster and said,
"Good-bye; God bless yon, my friend"
when the fatal bolt was drawn.
After being allowed to hang little over
twenty minutes, the body was lowered into
coffin and conveyed into the dead-holsse OF