The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-07


day In rloting and drinking. At Jour O'Clock this af-
ternoon every hotel IN the town was a scene OF dis
wheeled about the streets in wheelbarrows who
were too drunk to navigate in any other way. The
better class OF citizens were deeply mortified, anu
expressed their doubts OF the ''mora lesson" TO be
derived from the execution which had not yet
taken much hold upon the populace-at least as 10
be apparent In their actions.
McCotter Also Hanged at Cambridge for
the Murder Of His Father-in-Law.
CAMBRIDGE, Dorchester County Md..l
Feb. 6, 1874.
The execution OF william H. McCotter took
place here to-day. The crime of which he was
convicted was the murder Of his father-in-law,
Robert Insley, last september. McCotter a
young man Of twenty-five years OF age and resi-
dent OF this county. His trial took place at the
term OF the court held here last November. The
evidence was entirely circumstantia, but
SO conclusive in its nature 10 leave
little doubt Of his guilt in the minds
OF those who were present at the trial. McCotter,
in 1872, married a daughter OF Robert Insey. She
was young girl OF but seventeen years OF age.
They did not live very happily together, in conse-
quence of which she often left her husbands house
and went to that OF her parents. No obstacle,
however. was thrown in the way OF McCotter pre-
venting him from seeing his wife whenever he
called at the house OF his father-ln-law Tor that
purpose, which he frequently did. These con-
Uttered him against his father-iD-law, whom he
blamed as the cause, and he had been heard to
HE WOULD KILL INsLRY
II he kept on interfering in his family matters On
Saturday, the 9th OF September, 1879, Insey, at
daybreak left his house and went oystering to
point not very far distant. He did not return
in the evening, and his wife. becoming very anx-
Ous about him, had his neighbors next morning
start out in search OF him. They found his dead
body short distance from the path which
hhse, would have had to take returning from
bruised, several OF his ribs were broken,
and his skull fractured at the back Of the head.
the wounds were such as could be made by heavy
stick or cart ,stanchion. The probability was
the bruises on his face were caused by falling
The blows on the ribs might have proved fatal in
short tms but that on the skull would have
tracks of cart wheels near the body, and
these corresgonded to the peculiar wheels
OF winch was nat and the other round. 1t was this
evidence OF the cart wheels. and the threats ofMc
search, as 1t transpired afterwards, for the pur-
pose OF avertlng suspicion against HIMSELF
and with a reckless careessness almost
led the party to the spot where the body OF
the poor victim was found. He was the first to
touch it and assisted in lifting 1t into the vehicle
in which 1t was carried home.
McCOtter was an uneducated man but exhibited
after his conviction, good deal OF low cunning and
gent men OF THIS community interested in his behalf
Rev. S. s. Baker and the prisoners counsel with
other prominent n citizens got up petitions in his
convicted HIM, asking lor executive clemency;
but Governor Whyte, in response to these
he entered upon the discharge of his duties as
Chief Magistrate OF the State OF Maryland that he
would never interpOse mis- authority to stay the
execution OF criminals sentenced by due process
oflaw, except under extraordinary circumstances,
such as grave doubts of the guilt OF the person,
which would Lead to establish Innocence Several
strange statements were made by
MCoTTER AFTER HIS SENTENCE
He said that on the afternoon OF the Saturday
on which lnsley was last seen alive, the wife OF the
murdered man came to his tMcCotter's house, and
night before at their house, and then, with assist
ance, Lad removed the body to the place where
it was found Last sunday McCotter sent
counsel, and confessed to him that he had
hid in the bushes waiting for his fathern-aw
Insey and had killed him at the time and in the
manner proved on the trial. Governor Whyte
heard OF this confession of the prisoner, and in
Once, who made final appeal to him on
Monday for mercy, that there could be no
& de e s
mands OF the law would not be interfered with.
On "Wednesday McCotter made another confession
to the editor Of the Cambridge Ne,rS, and on
Thursday to the clergy attending him, ali OF these
varying somewhat, though in the latter two
especially Claiming that the killing was in self
defense.
was brought from Easton and was erected back
of the JAIL AT his own request McCotter was
taken by the Sheriff to look at 1t, the day before
the execution, and with a recklessness which was
shocking insisted upon going upon the scaffold
to rehearse the drama to be performed on the lOl-
lowing morning He went upon the scatlold,
placing himself on the trap door, under the drop.
and with q laugh said, Don't pull away the drop
now"
NARROW ESCAPE OF HERALD REPORTER.
The HERALD reporter who attended the execu-
ton at Cambridge had to drive to that place from
Seaiord, distance OF thirty.five miles. When APP
preaching Seaford, on his RETURN crossing the
railroad within a mile and a half Of the town. his
vehicle was ran into by passenger train, his two
horses killed, and himself and driver escaping only
-,