Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-03-22
THE HANGING OF FOSTER.
Affecting Scene on Leaving His Wife.
Died Speedily and Without Struggle.
tomorrow.

Died Speedily and without n Struggle.
NEW YORK, March 2O.-Foster passed
the day quietly and remained during the
greater part Of the day in his cell. He
heard early in the day of the final effort
of his counsel to prevent on legal techni-
cality his execution tomorrow and his
hopes revived, but on receiving intelli-
gence that the effort had proved vain, he
became very detected, hung his head on
his breast and desired that no one would
speak to him except his wife. She had
tainted on hearing of the failure of this
last effort, but on recovering, she returned
to her husband and placing her hand in
his sat by him for hours, but spoke but
little. About halfpas seven the final
parting between Foster and his wife took
place. Both were deeply affected. He
kissed her repeatedly and she clung to
him until overcome, with emotion. She
tainted and was carried away by her broth
er Inson. The officials were deeply moved
by the scene. Rev. DR.. Tying spent up
wards of an hour in the afternoon with
Foster, who listened earnestly to his ex-
hortations.
Foster was also visited during the day by
his brother-in-law, his father and by faith
er Duranquell, Catholic priest, but re-
fused to undergo the ordeal of parting
with bis children, whom he has not seen
since his arrest.
NEW YORK, March 21.-Foster was ex-
ec1ted at IL minutes past 9 o'clock this
Foster awoke att O'Clock and partook of
cup of coffee, but ate nothing. He was
very pale and his strength seemed fast
failing. He was attended by Rev. DR..
Tying and Rev. Mr.. Shoemaker, Chaplain
of Sing Sing. He engaged in devotional
exercises up till 9o'clock, and at IL minutes
past he was led out, supported by Sheriff
Brennan and the under Sheriff Foster
walked unfalteringly to the scaffold. His
face had hectic flush. When he arrived
beneath the scaffold Rev. DIR. Tying, assist
ed by Rev. Mr.. Shoemaker, read the 51st
psalm. AS the solemn words were read,
in which the Rev. DIR. Tying besought God
to open the eye of mercy into this, thy
servant, the scene was hushed and inn
pressiye in the extreme. During the
reading of the service Foster stood beneath
the scaffold with his head bowed down and
his left hand shading his eyes. Rev. Dr.
Schoemaker shook hands with Foster and
said, "God bless thee, my dear friend" At
IL minutes past the bolt was drawn and
the body rose into the air. He gave one
slight struggle, but only so slight as to be
almost imperceptible. There was an alb
sence of a usual movement of the shoul-
ders, and slight contraction of the lower
limbs and barely perceptible motion of
the hands. After hanging minutes the
body was lowered about inches, and a
minute thereafter about foot further.
Twelve minutes after the bolt was drawn
his pulse ceased to beat. He had died al
most without struggle.
1t was evident during the reading of the
services that he was rapidly sinking and
scarcely able to stand. The physicians
noticed this and Rev. Mr.. Shoemaker had
Just shook hands with Foster and said,
GOOD bye-God bless you my friend"
when the fatal bolt was drawn. After be-
ing allowed to hang little over 20 min
utes the body was lowered into the coffin
and conveyed into the dead house of the
Toombs, whence it will be taken to-day to
the residence of Fosters widow. Inter-
ment viii probably take place on Monday
next
At 90 minutes before 10 the crowd of
deputy sheriffs and others of one hundred
and fifty persons who had gained admission
to witness the execution slowly made their
exit from the scene.
Shortly after Foster had been cut down
the sexton of DIR. Tyng's church, called at
the Tombs and requested that the body be
allowed to remain there till late in the af-
ternoon, when it would be removed to the
residence OF his wife. None of the unfors
tunate mans friends have called to see hi
Dody, since the execution. He is living i'm
his room in the Tombs, in the undertaker,s
box, waiting to be removed 80