New-York tribune., 1874-07-18

/ CAsE-CONFllCIING hEfohlS A' 49,
PAPERs-sTATEMENTs OF THE SHERIFF. con-
STABLE AND CITY MARSHAL AND OTHER cirl-
ZENs.
! To tie Editor Of Tke Tribune.
SIR When | read your first publications,
week or two ago. concerning the execution at Morrs-
town in May 1873, I nearly three hundred miles
from my papers. well as closely engaged upon an
agreeable task Naturally reluctant TO leave my WORK
and travel long distance in the hot days OF july
did reafrm a general way the staements OF "y
| article in HdrperS Magazine for July.
Since that time have visited Morristown, and gone
over the ground OF this dispute more. nave had
verbal or written communication with many eye-Wlt
nesses the execution. have stood upon neasureu
and contaminated the object has passed into his
tory as a " soap box" II may be inspected by the
curious the garret OF the courthouse at Morrso"n
where IL reposes along with the gallows and the rope
in readiness the next person who may be Obliged 10
SATISFY Justice by ignominous death / rely on your
Justice to allow space IN THE TRIBUNE to present AZ
briefly a. can substance OF the information that
have gathered. II il other good end, 1t VIII
At least be a curious OF the different impression
| made by the same spectacle upon different minds
once asked distinguished Judge. well known 70 you
chief lesson he had learned from his thiry
/ years service the bench. His answer was Inc
difficulty Of ascertanng truth from human testimony
The charge against OF the reporters was tha''
being excited bv drink and at the Sheriff because
he would not comply with unreasonable demands they
threatened give him fits" IN their reports OF tne
execution and that they did actually ialsfy their re-
ports accordingly.
First Of all here are OF the erroneous reports:
'The knot had been arranged in most bunglng man
ner and shifted "A position beneath the emu Oi ne
| dying man. His legs drawn up as II ID
An officer knocked the soap box from under the CON
Wet and his body sprdug up III the ar Iie a4Ili I
made a motion II 10 grasp the rope. For seven ana
half minutes dld the wretch suffer the horrors of a.
phyxia for the knot had shipped under tue cnn"-IN'
AN inexcusable blunder marred the significance Of
the knot which sheriff advised in whispers sew
eral times TO adjust, slipped almost under chm,
and the wretched man began those rePnislVe S'ru--e'
winch shocking TO Ded1id'-.N !. IrDuae. -.
"At the last moment the rope was found 700 short hort
and a box having been brought aud -tOnd on euu, Tue
/ cuprf leaped upon IT, L. zdbc IA Daily journal.
"He died hard owing 10 tne bunglng manner OF con-
ductng the execution Newark Daliy Advertiser,
The knot mad ueen arranged III the most ouuSlihs
manner. HIS iegs we're drawn ~ "s Il III agony -
These specimens VIII suffice. II my article in Hdper's
Magazine, pronounced all such statements false.
declared they bore resemblance TO the tuth mat
there was soap box used, and no other eXtemp0z5d
addition TO The apparatus the execution was con-
dncted in the most orderly. deliberate ana humane man
ner strIeest conformity with the pre-arransed
pan ana that death Of the prisoner wac exception
ally easy ana painless.
Irepeat these assertions now and If the following
testimony in support Of them. Fist, summon the
press itself for several Of the reports IN the newspapers
were substantially correct.
'He died very easy, ana with the except on o' rev
nervous tcAes in The 4lck and arms lie showed 10
sign OF sunerng-lN. Y Herald. .,. .-r,,t,.
to ana nd arc iro t4eTe r eSsy g 10 S!y FyeSD Nm
Aud died quite Easy. - Associated Press.
Il feared his struggles would pe terrible. but
+" III, death must nave been very easy, a. me BODY
merely twIrcAed ana moved slightly several Lines.'-
NJ G,ppened 10 he present when poor Lasgnam
swung OF aud how any could be put % death on
fI.I -. tQ d
;he Sheriff. cannot conceive. ~ ne @ uleu
quickly aud with little apparent suffering
I ii laid, July 8, lo'4.
have before other reports IN the same strain.
Tie reports III me Graphie which had three gentlemen
present and reporter the report N me
n T. World IN some Others OF the New-Jersey papers
and IN The Boston Herald generally correct. You
WILL observe that these two OF reports differ totally
ana irreconcllaby. There not merely those s-At
variations which always occur IL reports the most non
estlv intended but the contradictions are nat the man
eIlner died very easily, or in extreme anguish the e4
4cuuon was conducted with skill and proprety, or u
WAS haeous scene Of cruel Dunglng. The press Dong
thus wtR itself resort to other Witnesses
Tine precise and wellwrtten statement o! DR.. f. Z.
Barker Morrisown, one OF the phy scidns IN "ihea
attendance AT the execution VINO wrote without scic
taon or suggestion from or from any one You nave
already published aud il tc~hes strongly on the side
Of those who maintain that the execution vas "ei-
managed and the death esy. He declares that no part
Of the apparatus was extemporzed bat that the arcle
-tved by some OF the reporters soap-OoX- was pro
yded beforehand recIfy the possible snrlHA4HE OF
the rope In case the night aud morning were damp IS
article may remark here, was not soJp-Dox' nor
coal-box 'a- the sheriff himself thought ~ nor IhueeH
box az all; but large, massive drawer made by the
warden for another purpose but perfectly adapted 70
the use for which selected II j. two ana AaI
feet long two feet wide. nine inches ngi, somewhat
heavy being made OF boards an inch thick ana aAJIS
I a solid platform upon which two men can stand
ln
dpcted the execution testiles writing to the correct
mess of nv account OF II Hdrpers 4IgG-tHe' save
| some little discrepancies he also prOnounces the
narrative in the card OF Mr. Niles IN great measure
entirely false" He says II did not attach the rope
nor attempt TO DO So as had for that purpose
did not have rope in my hands after put II Oh Tue
prisoner III the cell until after the execution; then
assisted in taking him down and placing him III Ais
coffin His death almost instantaneous ana ne ueu
t,ort n strugglep The sheriff further declares that
three or four the reporters came INTO HiS once tr
enin efOre aud req ue-ted him 10 hang the prisoner
~ 10 O'Clock" (nstead OF II az AhhOuucsV' $500 81 80,
they could leave at the II Oe4ocA tIsII 4ie A ,,
tf he ana not intend 10 hang the prisoner lOi lheI
scconn daOn," aud that MS a" orders were gwen 70
80 n mas these words: II tninE the execution was
cUducted properly-uO noise or confusion OF any cou
| ver..,ti0u among the people. There were 10 Proplo
croyiin the platform except two or three rtporers
inof, reouested 10 step back they had plenty oi
rnntr assigned them. perfectly cdlm "ds SUI
ursed ms self did not get eAeittd. n. ..-
Tle Sherid cOrrccts On TWO points My ufst fhlot
INN WIS mat TINS ieuaud made on the morning
Of ne execution, ANA that mere Numerous cOhPtIil
mn tlr-e or tour we're present on the occasion W
orIgiual informant TINS point eNldentY coIon -
ms Gene win Others that occurred Ou tle dhy Ol Ac
I execution Will only remark furiher rcslcct4HE ~
sheriff who may be regarded, perhaps az az Itelesto
party in case, that be If grhiIehdn Di a,i
vears established respectdbty, whose "ofd Ho oHo
I VINO knows MN could question.
assisted The -IeIU AT
/ and 10 wnom many Of the minor aTrlngements were
c1utded was Mr.. J0nn NJ Moore. Besides describing 70
me In conversation the nIuutcs details OF the tfAhsc
fion he has favored with "A statement IN wHfih6 10
save YJur valuable space snail copy OnY the mJsL M
! burI originals Of TINS