The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-30
Hanging Of the COlored Murderer, Ste
phen Hood, in Cleveland.
His Heartless Butchery Of q De-
fenceless Nephew.
SCENES ON THE sCAFFoLD.
A Criminal Unmoved by Prayer or Ap-
preaching Death.

CLEVELAND. April %. 1874
Stephen Hood, colored. was executed in the
County jail here to-day for the murder OF hts
nephew, Greenberry Hood, aged fourteen years
There was scarcely ripple OF excitement over the
matter, every particle OF whatever might have been
regarded as palliative romantic having been re-
moved by the cruel, cold determination of the
criminal to destroy the life Of the poor lad whose
support had fallen upon him. Every effort mad
been used by his counsel to secure Communication
OF the sentence to imprisonment for lite, but the
Governor appears to have regarded the crime In
the same light as the public generally and seeing
that there was not one extenuatlng circumstance.
wisely refused to interfere with the verdict OF the
jury. Since his conviction mis- behavior had been
remarkable only for the GOODNESS and persistency
with which he denied his guilt, and the facr that
the Governor was not likely to prevent the exc
cuton seemed to trouble him but little. He was
neither affected by the prayers OF his spiritual
advisers nor the approach oil the terrible fats that
awaited him. Coarse and uneducated, s:olid and
contemptuous, he met all argument with a dul-
ness almost incredible, and appeared utterly be-
yond the reach OF moral assistance.
HISTORY OF THE MURDER.
At halfpast three O'Clock on the morning OF
July II, 1873, Hood arose. awoke his nephew, Fred
erick Hocd also his wifes adopted son, Greenberry
Hood, whom he was supporting, and instructed
them to 90 to the lately vacated show grounds. on
Superior street, in this city, which p. 7. Barnum
had occupied with his caravans, and see what
they could pick up. The boys arose and Obeyed
his instructions About five O'Clock Hood followed
them to the grounds and told them he was going
after fish, as all his fellow workmen had gone on
on the same occupation. lie then took the
boys, who were respectively fourteen ana
fifteen years Of age, Dy the way Of
Woodland and Wilson avenues to q secluded place
in the woods between Newburg and cleveland,
Railway tracks. Here Hood sat down on log and
produced from his pocket pop bottle filled With
whlskey which ne presented r TO tine BOYS rne
quently murdered one, drank from the bottle, ana
his little companion claims that he was con-
farther and r0' at last stopped Hood then en-
sent Fred, the elder, 70 . saloon which ne said
filled with whiskey. The boy obeyed and was gone
some time. When he returned Greenberry was
missing and Hood w0nld not allow any search 70
to his whereabouts, the man took Fred. with him
to his home on Webster street. Suspicious OF
boy and his aunt, Hoods wiie, and the police
were informed. After inquiries and ques-
that the suspicious OF the boy were correct, or
dered Hoods arrest and with Fred and an Or1cer
went in search Of the missing boy Alter long
land, they at last reached the spot where Hood
had remained while Fred was away after the
whtskey.
FINDING THE DEAD BODY.
The ground mad been lately disturbed and 1t did
OF the boy buried under fifteen twenty inches Of
dirt and with the mound covered with dead leaves
Tne body lay with It's face to the ground, the
right arm twisted around behind, the hair Of the
head and the garments on the body being COM
pletely saturated with blood subsequent exam
nation revealed the fact that death was caused
by blows received upon the mead from some jagged
q rough. wooden club. At the toroner's inquest
Hood made statement averring that while Fred
on ana to ne who m met had Gase
bury. Lane was to take him TO Pittsbure
and take care Of him the story tod y the
heved. and being satisfied on this point the jury
returned verdict that the boy had been killed ~
Hood, on which the Grand Jury indicted him fOY
murder In the first degree.
HIS TRIAL AND CONVICTION.
tried in the Court Of Common Pleas before Judge
Paine. The State was well represented by counsel.
also the prisoner the defenders OF the latter
claiming that none but an insane man would so
openly and heartlessly butcher lonely, defence
less boy in the broad light OF day and
the nelsh CHI the trial lasted i've days
ending with verdict OF wiliul murder, as
hs KIM notice was given for nsw
trial on technical grounds which IN this instance
were to the effect that while the jury were out IN
consultation they had access to law books and had
construed the meaning OF the statutes Tor them
selves, without having had instructions IN .
u
new trial was accordingly argued, but was denied
on the ground that a Juror could not lmpeach MS
own verdict The case was accordingly carried to
the State Supreme Court, and alter q long delay Is
was decided that the facts did not warrant the
granting OF new trial
TIE EXECUTION.
Sherin Smith had been literally besieged by
curious citizens asking 1Or passes to witness the
death scene, out he decided to allow but the ordt-
nary quota, consisting OF physicians, officials ana
reporters VI the press, in addition to few friends,
TO be present. Consequently but very few were
in the jail yard this morning. There was not much
f0rmality indulged In BY the Sheriff, and alter the
pini0nlng in the cell the condemned man looked
the very picture OF tnsenslbllity. When the death
warrant was being read he quietly glanced around
at the faces OF those present and exhibited not the
slightest emotion. The Sheriff said, .Hood, have
simply shook his head and replied, mo,
sir.n The religious services were brief
and affecting Portions OF Scripture we're read,
followed by 1ervent prayer by the minister who
had attended Hood IN prison. The cuprit shook
hands with all those standing on the scaf0ld, and
then retired to the trap, which he quietly tested
by kind OF jump, coming down on the fatal door
with peculiar thud, During the process OF ad-
justing the rope Hood took 9 final survey OF the
scene, and occasionally turned his head 10
obedience to the desire Of the Sheriff, alter the
fashion OF man Delng shaved The fnal farewell
Of the officers being taken the trap was sprung .
few minutes before twelve O'Clock. the body iou
distance Of about six feet, the neck being broken
tnstantaneousy, and was cut down AFTER hanging
This is the nrst execution carried out on
Wednesday in this State Tor several years.