Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-03-29
Executions I'm Illinois.

John NJ. Osborne, who murdered Mrs.
Adelia G. Mathews, at Yates City, Ill,
on the 9th of last August, was hanged
in the Jail yard at Knoxville, Ill. The
murder was a brutalone Mr.. Mathews,
the husband of the deceased, went to a
neighboring farm to work on the morn
ing of the day of the murder, leaving
his wife at home and alone. On his
return at shutdown he found the dead
body of his wife in the cellar, with the
throat cut and head crushed. Suspic-
ion fell upon Osborne, and he was tried
and found guilty of the terrible charge.
Several clergymen were with Osborne
all the day and night before the execu-
ton. During the night he was taken
from Galesville to Knoxville, telling
lewd stories all the way to those who
accompanied him. At the jail he ate
hearty breakfast, and was dressed and
shaved. At one o'clock he was taken
to the scaffold in the Jail yard. His
manner was cool and collected. He
smiled even to the moment when he
stood on the fatal drop. His neck was
not broken by the fall, and he died
with the most terrible and agonizing
contortions. The drop fell at ten min
utes past one o'clock, and eight and a
half minutes afterwards life was declared
extinct.
The night before the execution, Os-
borne made confession, which, for
deliberate brutality, is not .equaled. He
said Mrs. Mathews was engaged in get
ting him something to eat. She went
down the cellar for butter and, he says,
1 went down and talked with her a little
while, and as she stopped down, picked
up brick and struck her on the back
of the head, when she started to run,
and caught her by her dress Ipulled
her back and struck her again, when
she fell. 1 then picked up small board
and struck her on the side of the head.
She groaned and 1 thought it was done.
1 then went up stairs, and to make a
false motive l rummaged the drawers
and found the money, and thought /
must take it to prevent the true motive
from being discovered. put part OF
the money in each of the pockets Of my
pants, and then thought l would &c
down and see if she was dead. 1 saw her
eyes looking at me. I went up to her,
and bending over her, said: "Adeha. u
She raised her eyes and looked at me.
I said: edo you know me?" She made
no reply. asked her again, and she
said 81 do" I asked her who 1 was,
and she said I" Mr.. Osborne, and reached
her hand to me, and said, "Why die
you do this?" / dropped her hand and
turned away, and looked at her again {
moment, and felt that I would give
worlds to have her well again. I ther
took my knife and cut her throat. She
never moved or shuddered. l ther
went up stairs and left.
George Driver, who killed his wife
on the morning of the 18th of last No
vember by shooting her with pisto
borrowed from his son, was executed IL
the county Jail of Chicago. His las
night was spent mainly in prayer, hi
attending physician being of the Pres
byterian faith. About noon he express
: ed desire to converse with Rafferty,
another murderer, who is confined il
Jail under sentence of death, and Wit
has been granted supersedeas twice
Driver spoke with him long and earn
estly, advising him to make his peac
: with Heaven. Rafferty, laughed at him
The children of the doomed man actet
unfeelingly throughout they talkeC
and laughed with strangers as if at
levee. Shortly after two o'clock Drive
was taken from the cell where he wa
praying and brought to the scafiold
which he mounted firmly and withou
hesitation. When asked if he had any
, thing to say, he addressed the crow
l stating that whisky had brought him t
T the gallows. He advised all to shu
! liquor as poison that injured the bod
and mind. The drop fellattwenty-fou
minutes past two P. NJ, and in eleve
l minutes he was dead.