New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-10
A HANGMAN'S BLUNDEK.


WAY AND THE VICTIM FALLS TO The o"0''
RuNGIING PIECE OF BEMP JUSTICE.
- Nocbella the murderer of the Uhiteu
,,.-.haI Iohn stephenson, OF this city. sunereo
-. ia. o,;me on the gallowI yesterday AZ 'no 80
Ct, Ieu in Jersey City, amid scenes Oh noi' .
,.vs, ,ennlsyeness and horror IL was '"o i''
,.a, ever occurred in the county ana was ." ,ro
unfortunate beginning, the moose un' uouira ,bo
roinutes after the cord was cut anu " =, ~
.,,ppsling body to fall violently 10 'no kio ,. -
s.o,no slmost an inyarisble occurrence j" i""
peo"i"o ,no rinbet suffers much more than the
800 90 ,be law requires owing to the s'upui'y
- ohte the taller, or the hangman. Al inc eAeou
49,. ~ the Italian, LusgDani, al hoFfiS'o"n, Az" %
80 time ago. the Sheriff WAS the one 10 uiahhoS So
rs,essness for when the excited almost cra1ou, -
80, was brought under the scaHoIu Win III ' -,
nl accessories Of ceremony and gaping cro"u' snu
va. ,no, was about TO be adjusted. TO the uissu''
:, al the rope would not meet 'ne noo" :,
o,er foot The confused Sheriff rushou 49, ,.I 90
s,,essv about In search of box for the cri'"a' "
nnd on after having almost succeeded IN choAiis '"0
n-,soner by pulling on his neck TO maNo 'no WV e..
nest AT the hanging Of John Real III TINS wy,
Gears ago the black cap was lett up thioue" -,
IA the ators were permitted to looh upon 'no
hor,nle contortions OF the face This tine az u'0ne
hanging, it was me hangman VINO m'o' 'no ,.or ,ts
go and there was almost as much seare"inS Ai'e, -
- ,he, the lob had fualy been done a' '"o.o
D.' ,r GOOD standing-places from which to soc 'n0
sopdemned man de ,
TIVE CRIME AND THE TRIAL
I'm July II Marshal Stephenson are sasor,,on
uon,gomery-st at Jersey City, on onatso u
vessel on which be had been employer
An S'eica'iVn n- into custody was stabbed in the
!" 'aAo a-,.,Iv wounded A Jersey CITY ponce OH
.or Enacted Mechela's arrest soon a''er 'no
md after full examination he was oonnii''0u ~ w
I1,8son County Jail 10 await trial on acnaise VI ~
49, The trial came up in the Hudson County court
au,ins the october and resulted in the conNi''ion
,he defendant of murder in the first degree lie was
,hereupoE sentenced to be hanged Friday Dec D. 1000
Preparations were made by the sherin Ior INC eAo'
,,op and until a few days before the appointed time IL
.s ex,ec,ed that IL would abe fully carried out Inc
a. ombs gallows was borrowed from NeW-iorh anu
.reotad in the Hudson County Jailyard, ana al '"e
pralimnsry details of the execution were hrrahseu N
few DAYS before the appointed time nnmoer Vi "oi
known residents Of Jersey City whose attention nad
been attracted by the reports OF Mecheiias INSANE
conduct while imprisoned, adopted measures 70 nave
his ease investigated, and subsequently sent d
petition to the Governor requesting re ip1
IN THURSDAY Dee L. Gov. Parker met the cOuhsel anu
number of citizens in the Office OF james flenmhe' anu
the question was fairly discussed G0Virsrher con
rented to reprieve Mechea rntll Jan " Inc coulsot
and symp,thizers used all legitimate exertlOs 10 secure
combination of sentence for the doomed HeenS inn
On Dec 30 the Court OF PardOns held specia sessVn'
snd the matter was fully discussed On the morrow Ino
Sre,d decree came the sentence of the law must be
iLfhed." .
Nechea was probably as hardened a man "a was ever
Out TO DEATH and his life In prison Is record OF the
vest profanity and of the most filthy insults offered 10
his keepers and visitors Though not large ne was OK
treey powerful and desperate and seems TO nave oe
.,red notnng more than revenge for his confinement
and conviction by adding Keeper or two 10 nus St oi
victims. These gentlemen, so lar from thnhihe MN
deficient IN intellect reghrueu MN Hs va y, h utS
olr ard and
him out of the way, as he was an OBJECT oI
anxiety to them FROM the Gay OF ms h Si1
months ago until the end Upon hrst entering Tue lai
he masked himself III religious preIenslOns, spehulhg
much Of hs Tune In prayer Inc meme domasnor s
tered. The Bible was thrown out OF the winCo~, ana
where ms keepers had heard words Of pOus supplica
ZION and hope they listened To the most frightfu
oaths The day previous to that on which ns nrst sen
tence to be carried out.Dec s last-he received
the news of the repreve by Gov Parker with curses
bestowed impartay upon the bearer and the Governor
that was diihcut 10 comprehend the man nature
dreadful extent and only very few were allowed 10
gaze upon the human animal VINO chaled anu worried
snd fought handcufed behind iron bars and bolts
MORAL INFLUENCE OF A HANGING.
Every court house car from the ferry brought load
OF sight seers the streets alive with people. and
against fences and in windows adjacent they crowded
forward perfectly how useless was their effort
and how completely hidden was the tragedy OF the
Icafod. Tue city that vicinity bore regular hoh
day appearance Companies and f OF the 4th Reg-
N j, NJ,
with red bsyones. and those who obtained entrance
Ioto the iayard did under the seyerest scrutiny
1be silyard, twenty minutes before the condemned
man was TO be led out, scene OF boisteroue
daughter aud heartless merriment not seen in the
New.YOrk prison. AT such moments the average
the person recognizes, and there an air
of oppression ever present and unmistaka0le In It's
character Acquaintance almost always meet at such
places with unusually hearty shake OF the hanh ana
cordial How are you" or surprised " You mere y
evening that morning; and this seeming or real
cOrdiaty carried TO the extent of delight without any
Of the press allowed the exclusive use OF
tn roof over single story almost dlrec sa
thief better of the officials kindly remarked
THE DEATH WARRANT READ.
II was few minutes after 10 o'clock when Sheriff
Reinhsrdt, accompanied by Under Sheriff Corwin and
number Of deputies, assembled TO the corridor where
-Aechela confined. They called bim. He walked
to them aud the deputies surrounded him. They lifted
his coat for him. He had been in his shirt sleeves, and
he, docie a child, extended his arms. and allowed
them 70 put 1t his back. The Sheriff then drew forth
the death warrant and proceeded read it TO the prs
.oner He turned TO 20 away, but was recalled by a
touch on the shoulder Keep your hands of me-" he
Sheriff proceeded with t tHe readnS %eeRe with
ms eyes part Of the time on the floor and part
air Of forced to hear what did not interest him
ne however. relieved the mOnotony Of the proceeding
o frequent pus at his cigar After the Sheriff had con
GUIDED the reading Of the paper, he asked Jacob
Meches, what have you further to ssyP' Mechella
without removing the cigar from his mouth replied :
What the Iigot TO say" The Sheriff directed the
SmSer to proceed and Mechelas arms were pinioned
Senino MS back. The black cap next placed upon
.s mead ana he was led out between long Mes OF uni
turned armed men toward the place of execution.
THE DOUBLE EXECUTION.
Az iU~ TIE masses outside peerng at the Jail walls
saws sudden commotion among those seated on the
roo' directly 10 front OF the gaows and they knew
~ss the signal OF the coming tragedy The criminal ap
peaed to those in the yard marching soemnly
Under Sheriff CronaD and Constable wass and behind
SheiIn helnhardt then the Rev Messrs Rice and
nedstfom who had been with him all the morning
.nen came the body Of deputies The peculiar sepsa-
lions OF all may be imagined when Mechella, with
.ne !eariuiooking cap on the back OF his head,
cioar IN