The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-21
THE DEATH PENALTY.
Beighley and Heidenblut
Hanged.
Confession Of the Greensboro
Murder by Beighley.
A REMARKABLE PROPHECY
EXECUTION OF BEIGHLEY.

EXECUTION OF BEIGHLEY.
GREENsBURG, Pa, JAM 20, 1875.
On Sunday night, November 80, 1875 occurred
tragedy within the quiet aud over sober pre-
cinct Of Franklin township. westmoreland county,
which caused the peaceaDle and honest yeomanry
OF the place to Int mp their hands in absolute hor.
ror at the very announcement, and their nesh TO
creep upon the recital OF the details. On this par
tlcuar November night, Joseph Kerr, sixty-ave
| years Of age feeble and gray headed, and shoe
maker by trade was In MS shop making prepara-
lions for resuming work on the morning tOlow-
| ing the ordained day OF rest. Kerr was an hon.
est, Industrious and Woodworking old fellow
despite OF his years, and who by his
Industry and close application to business
had accumulated sun1c1ent Of this worlds goods to
enable him to live IN real comfort, anyway, as he
looked upon It, with his careful. abstemious ways,
both as regards diet and apparel. In the winter
time he worked at shoemaking, and IN the proper
season cultivated the iarn on which he lived. Els
shOp-a snail, unpretentious wooden affair-was
situated some eight or ten rods from the dwelling
house, where his family, consisting OF eight or
nine children, resided. Kerr preferred to sleep
alone, and for this purpose had bed placed IN an
upper room Of the shop, TO which he retired with
regularity IN keeping with tue custom OF larm-
ers generally. To assist him In his farm laoors he
had employed In the summer time Samuel Beigh-
ley, q distant relative; but, as tae season
for help was now over, Kerr called
Beighley to him one day and informed
hun that as he had no more work 1t would be 1T
and proper Tor him to seek other employment and
thereupon the assistant was paid or in full and
soon after be took his departure and put up at the
house OF David Stout, which was situated mile
or SO from the residence OF the Kerrs.
HOW THE MURDER WAS DISCOVERED.
The FIRST intimatlon the family had OF the crime
was between nine and ten O'Clock that sunday
night, alter the arrival home OF John Kerr, son
OF the murdered man. John was returning home
from nelghboring farmers house, and while
passing the shop observed bright light in the
window. 1t struck MIN at the time as being
strange, sinasmuch as usually his father was
aoed and last asleep at that hour. He
went to the door, Knocked lightly at
first, but on receiving no response gave
the knob vigorous shake. the noise there
from sounding IN the stiffness OF the night. NO
one came; no one responded, and there was
naugnt to indicate the presence OF a human being
within. The young man now became thoroughly
alarmed and with hurried footsteps wendell his
way home. aroused the family, and, procuring O
lantern, retraced his steps in tine direction OF the
shop. The door was still fastened the inside,
but, on investigation, he discovered that during
his absence the window nearest the ground mad
would indicate that person somewhat clumsy in
his movements hao made hts exit in this way
from the house. Handing the lantern to a
younger brother, he crept through the open
window, and, proceeding up the stairs leading
to the second story, was appalled, to behold
the mangled and llfeless body Of his father
near che bed and near by great pile of unhusKed
corn. The poor old mans skull was crushed with
ragged black oak bludgeon, and his throat was
cut with his own shoe knife. THIS room did not
present the appearance Of scutiie having taken
! place. LOT II was neat ana tidy. The presumption
! then was that the muroerer lay concealed, watch
Ing the entrance to the house OF his victim Then,
stairs. Knocked him down with MIS- CLUB, and cue E
his throat with knife as deliberately as butcher
coat DYED crimson with tn Oe the Sood
OF The murdered man, and sticking out
stained with blood The coat ana Comforter we're
without the least effort lden titled those belong
Ing TO samuel Beghley, and search was immedl-
before stated, was at the house OF Mr.. Stout and
thlther the griefstr1cken members OF the family
and neignbOrs. aroused by the screams and lamen.
tauons OF the offspring OF the victim, repaired.
Belgnley was found In bed apparently In q pro.
the intrusion. Notwithstanding au examination OF
| his clothes and OF the premises was decided upon,
and ghastly evidence OF bis late hanoiworK and
near BY the bed was found old MIR. Kerr's coat,
| which, Ike the boots was bespatrered with blood.
THE MURDRKER cOFEssEs HIS CRIME
Young Kerr Ihereupon charged Beighley with
the %a MS 40 aer sna the latter
the truth oil the charge. A rope was put around
bis meek and Judge Lynch launched his sentence
and begged 80 plteously Tor his lie that it was
spared. He tnen admitted his guilt.
| BEIGHLEY, THE MURDERER.
Ing passed his twsn'y:arst OlfsSasy He s ssonsy
buut, with powerful shoulders and thick limbs ICr
and Ss sns
| with. BeRhley5 life from the time he w2a
the height Of ms iather's knee mas been vaga.
ter, lazy. indOlent and Of tnievins propensltiss.
He did odd Jobs Of work wnen he was IN the nu.
asd 70 ss p aS
glad when this necessity OF an approach to toll
4 REMARKABLE PROPHECY FULFILLED.
Singular, yet 1t Is true. tnat though there have
been at least q quarter OF . hundred murders COM
tho extreme penalty. In this connection il may
its fulnment, made on the scanold on
eoSnS ws s Joseph Evans IN vino the
tine murder OF Snn csssr BY striking MIN over
day OF December, in the year 1929. Evans was
tried at the February term, 1880, Of the Court OF
oyer aud Termner, and the jury, after being out
one hour, returned verdict OF murder in the first
degree. 1t appears Evans. Clssler and two otner
laborers on the canal and occupied the same
shanty. quarrel arose, and on the trial the wit.
nesses Ball and LinslDlger, swore that Evans
struck Cissler with shovel. from the effect
OF wnicn blow he died. An extraordinary
part Of the trial was the charge OF the
Judge. He explained the law. and commented
| upon the testimony In sucn manner tnat 1t Was
impossible Tor the jury to do otherwise tnan render
verdict OF guilty unless they had disooeyed the
virtual INSTRUCTIONS OF tue Court. The Governor
! designated tuesday, the 10th OF April as the DAY
! upon which Evans should be executed.
Upon the margin OF another world and with all
the horrors OF death before him he asseverated that
| the testimony OF Ball and Linsibiger was false,
ana that tue killing oil Cissler was accidental. He
admitted that ne had lived wicked lie, ana ad-
| vised ali present TO refrain from gambling pro-
fanlty and intemperance, and ascribed his prema-
ture and ignominious death TO his addiction to
these vices. He then In the most solemn manner,
stated that, as he was to be hung for CRIME nlch
he had never committed, no other persons would
be executed IN Westmoreland county Tor period
OF forty years; AMI furthermore, that several wit.