Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-05-08
HANGING A MANIAC.
PEeiS,sl Scenes Of the Executions.

Joseph Waltz, who was hung at Cats
kill, N. Y, on Friday, for the murder
Of Joseph Holcher, IL scissors grinder,
and who, only on the day preceding
his execution, mashed in the skull OF
the keeper placed in the cell to watch
him, was undoubtedly a maniac, Il ma
mac, however, whom it would have
been dangerous to allow at large, and
who would have been an unsafe inmate
even for an insane asylum. In his
confession of the murder of Holcher
he states that his victim came to the
house of his (Waltz's) father to pass
the night. The evening was spent in
pleasant conversation, and after all had
gone to bed, young Waltz, as his con-
fession states, was seized with an IN
comfortable impulse, which he took
for the prompting of al evil spirit to
kill the German. He opened his Tes-
lament to read, but soon laid it down
and ''resisted the spirit until it over
came HIM. He then went out of doors
and got a hatchet and crept softly into
the guests room. Another struggle
OF conscience against the murderous I'M
pulse took place, but it was too feeble
and he killed the old man in his sleep.
He says IN subsequent confession,
81 struck very hard, but I seemed to
have no strength" He then buried
the corpse, and broke the scissors
grinders poor apparatus to pieces and
| buried and hid the fragments. He
committed SO many follies as to attract
suspicion to himself, and after he was
arrested he took the officers to the
place where the body was buried, and
made voluntary confession of the
crime. He felt no remorse for what he
had done and no fear as to his own
fate. His family were too poor to en-
ploy able counsel to defend him, and
he was convicted. His execution was
delayed for some time, and Gent Dix
made some effort to gain information
as to his mental condition. He was
satisfied that Waltz was not so insane
as to be morally Irresponsible, and
| therefore refused to interfere with the
execution of his sentence. On Thurs
day, Waltz gave another terrible proof
0f his hOmlcidal madness. He had
been violent all day, and some time be-
fore had threatened the life of his
| keeper, Charles Ernest. But the lat
ter did not believe in his insanity
and did not fear his violence. His conf
dence proved his ruin, for about two
o'clock, "a he was lying on a lounge in
the cell, Waltz attacked him with an
iron bar he had torn from the floor and
crushed his skull i'll several places. He
| possessed himself of the victims re-
volver and keys, but made no effort to
escape. Having gratltied his murder
Gus impulse, he sat down on the floor
III the corner, growing and muttering
| like q wild beast. He made no resists
ance to the Jaller. who came i'll and
chained him, with tardy decision and
! sagaclty. Ernest was general fayorite
III the village, and there was q momen-
tary attempt to lynch his slayer, but
the Sheriff succeeded in preventing it.
Up to The moment of the execution.
the conduct of the doomed man did
not differ from What it had been since
he was first arrested. He muttered, or
rather growled, and most of the time
/ he was crOuched silently in a corner.
He stared vacautly at his keepers, and
would answernO questions. A 9o'cIock
! his mother was led into his cell. 1t
! was thought that she might bring him
! to consciousness of his position, but
| those who held this belief were disap-
pointed. For few minutes after she
entered he continued gazing at the
wall. Ills expression was then that of
an utter idiot, and lacked even the
slightest CLEAN of intelligence. Sad
denly, and without relaxing his gaze
at the wall, he gave q fierce, hoarse
howl, sprang to his feet and seized his
, mother by the hand in threatening
manner. The officers had anticipated
mischief, and Constable Whitcomh,
who was watching the prisoners move
ments, forced him to loose his hold on
nft Nj LII.
tired, gricf-slricken at her sons sad
condition.
The most pitiful scene of the day,
however, was the visit of Waltz's SIS.
ter 10 his cell. She pleaded with him
long and with deep religious ferycr,
beseeching him to acknowledge his
crime and III prayer seek the forgive
ness OF the Almighty; but it was of no
avail. He either could not or would
not hear her, and the girl, weeping
bitterly and with nerves SO unstrung
that she could hardly walk. was com
PEELED to go away without having ac-
cOmpllshed her mission. At ten O'Clock
Father Driscou. a Roman Catholic
priest, entered the prisoners cell, fol
lowed By the latter'a friends. The
priest read the burial service of the
Church, but did not administer sacra-
ment, as he did not believe Waltz was
IN fit state of mind to receive it,
When the funeral service was over, the
prisoners arms were stoutly pin
ioned, and tie procession was
formed for the march to the
scatfold, which was erected in the
northeast corner OF the upper floor of
the jail. Father Driscolt led the way:
then came Sheriff Coonley with Waltz, |
and Constable Witcomb aud the Jury |
who had pronounced the verdict on |
the doomed man brought up the rear. |
The moose was at once adjusted on the |
prisoners neck. After the usual pre-
llmlnary ceremonies of heading the
death warrant, and prayer by Father
Drlscoll, the prisoner was asked if he
had anything to say. There was no
response. A shudder of horror at this
instant seemed to pass through the
frames of all present, for, as some
said, they felt that they were about to
see a lrnatic hanged. But at the
thong hit OF the keeper, Charles Ernest,
who lay unconscious in an adjoining
room from Injuries received at Waltzs
hands, the feeling of sympathy which
had been momentarily excited spent
itself. The black cap was then pulled
over the face of the doomed man. who
gave not the slightest Indication of
of the proceedings, and
then, at lo:l6 the fatal cord vas pulled.
At the recoil of the body, the moose
slipped round to the back of the head. /
Apparently, there was little suffering. {
tor after two or three conVulsiye con s
fractions Of the fingers, the whole s
frame hung motionless.
In fourteen minutes the body was {
cut down. Just before this was done.
Anselm Waltz, the father of Joseph t
Who was present, said, with deep emo l
ion, pointing at the dangling remains s
If his son, Can anybody who looked {
lpon that body say he was not insane ? !
Shortly after the body of Waltz had f
'een cut down, six physicians entered
us cell and proceeded to hold a post
nortem examination. They found the
eek broken. They then trepanned f.
is skull, and on examining the brain :,
4 ~