The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1873-01-31
Misrellaaeups,
From the N. Y. Tribune, Jan. 24l
SHADOWS OF THE SCAFFOLD,
Fosters Doom Sealed by the Court OF
APPeais--HOW the News Crept Thro'
the TOmbS-

l The city was excited, late yester-
day afternoon, over a rumor, which
subsequently proved to be true, that
the Court of Appeals had affirmed
the decision OF the lower court, which
found William Foster guilty Of mur-
der In the first degree. Ex-District.
Attorney Garvin received the tele-
4 gram which read as follows:
"1O Samuel B. Garvin: In Fosters
e case judgment affirmed, and court
below ordered to carryl judgment
INTO effect. E. o. Perrin, Clerk Court
Of Appeals"
The details Of Fosters crime are
familiar to all newspaper readers,
both in the city and over the coun-
try, attracting, as it did, particular
attention on account OF the glsrin.
brutality which marked il. On
April 26, 1871, Avery d. Putnam
was going downtown with two ladies'
in Broadway -aas-0a- the front
platform, Win Tie driver, stood q
burly, coarse-featured, black Hhis-
kered man, whose general manner
and earriage was that OF sea farine
man. His eyes we're continually
peering in through the open door
with unpleasantly significant glances
directed exclusively to the younger
OF the ladies accompanying Mr.. Put
nam. The latter arose and closed
the front door; the man opened it;
Mr.. Putnam reclosed it with a decis-
i've slam ; the ruffian threw it back
still more noisily, and soon came q |
threat from his lips. At last the
moment came when Mr.. Putnam and |
the two ladies alighted. Foster had |
grasped, in the meantime, the iron
car-hook, hanging on the front DASH
board, and rushed around 10 the back
platform. AS Mr.. Putnam stood
there with his back to Foster the
assassin felled him to the ground by |
q horrible crushing blow on the head. |
Three days later Mr.. Putnam died. |
On May 2, 1871, Foster was indicted
on May 4 he was committed to the
Tombs /; on May 26 he was found
guilty OF murder in the first degree
and sentenced to be Lsnged on July IA
Efforts were made by his counsel
to obtain q stay Of proceedings, and
they finally succeeded. On the argu-
ment before the General Term, the
decision of the Oyer and Terminer
was affirmed, and the car-hook muir
derer was re-sentenced, on Feb. 2l,
1872, to be hanged on March %.
Another stay was obtained, and the
case has been resting quietly in the
hands Of the Court OF Appeals until
yesterday, when the decision was
announced which destroys all bat the
last vestige OF hope for William
Foster-the clemency OF the Gov
ernor.
The chances of the criminal we're
freely discussed yesterday afternoon
around the Courts. In conversation
with several lawyers, the T|i5uss's
representative was informed emphst-
ically, in nearly all cases, that there
was no hope for Foster; that the
entire community would receive the
news OF this decision with satisfaction /;
and that it was precursor Of a
sharper administration OF criminal |
justice in this crime-ridden city.
When Foster viii be eLteneed to
be hanged cannot, Of course, be de-
finitely stated. Its almost certain to |
be the shortest time allowed by the |
law, which is said to be six weeks,
and this throws it beyond the day set
apart for Stokes's execution, Feb.
%, il, indeed, Stokes does not secure
q stay Of proceedings in the meantime.
The tenacity with which condemn
ed murderers cling to belief in their
ultimate escape from the execution
of the law is prOverbial, and it as
never more markedly illustrated than
in this very case, as will be sees
from the surprise with which Foster
received the news Of his doom, and
his subsequent depression.
The intelligence was first conveyed
to the Tombs by 8 reporter of an
afternoon newspaper. In less than
an hour every soul within the prison,
from the petty criminal in the female
department TO the condemned man
himself in "Murderer's Row." was in
possession OF the terrible news. The
prison keepers discussed the decision
with feelings OF pity, and tCli 1t to
prisoner, who passed it to his
neighbor, and thus it travelled from
tier TO tier, from ward 10 ward, until
it reached the ears Of the murderers
in the immediate vicinity Of Fosters
cell, chilling their very blood, for
they could only look upon the de-
cision of the Judges as q forerunner
Of the justice that would be meted
out to them.
Fosters wife WAS conversing quiet
" with him, outside Of the bars OF
his cell-door, 0blivious of the fact
that her husbands last hope Of es-
Gaping the gallows was 30 soon TO be
exlinguished Ste soon left his cell |
and as psssed through the corridors |
and into the main Office the keepers
shrank from her presence, and dared
not inform her OF the awful intelli.
gence A friend called, snd Foster
talked unconcernedly With him for
several moments. He, too, went
away, and still the prisoner did not
dream OF the fatal news soon to be
impaired to him. Finally, q fellow
prisoner summoned Foster, and said
to him; "It's too bad, Billy, but they
have gone against ycu."
The murderer had opened his cell
door boldly and indiferently, but as
he heard the words pronounced he
grasped the iron grating convulsiyely,
turned pale, and as il only half COM
pretending the import OF The sen-
tence, hoarsely ssked: "What do you
mean ?" The man opposite answered
in q whisper: "Tbe Court won't
give you q new trial." Instead of
striking terror to his heart, these
confirming words bal no visible effect
upon the unfortunate man, and he
Immediately regained his usual besr
ing. The color returned 10 his cheek,
aud the cool, Indifferent look came
back 10 his lace But this firmness
could not continue long, and in q
moment, without another word, Fos
ter closed the iron door.
| Friends called TO see him, report
ers besieged the door OF the cell for
hours, but the man within would not
see them. The keepers about tie
prison seemed almost to regret the
decision, and conversed continually
about the news and the man whom It
most concerned.
A SINGULAR RLOPEMENT.
| The Wnahinntnn SLnx Of Safnrdaz