The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-26
THE SCAFFOLD.
James Murphy Executed Yesterday
at Dayton, Ohio.
A MURDER AT A WEDDING PARTY.
Confession of the Crime and the Warning
of the Condemned.


DAYTON, August IS, 1874
James Murphy was executed hero this afternoon
August 81. 1876.
Every effort made for rcprieve but IL was OF
no avail A final attempt made yesterday, tho
members of the Darke County Bar in the sane judicial
district telegraphng to Governor Hayes saying they
believed the prisoner entitled to delay OF sixty days
The Governor replied that he could do nothing in the
absence OF request from Judge Elliot and the pros
ecutor; but they declined to interfere Yesterday
afternoon his father brother and two sis ters gathered
around him IN group, and with his little
sister on his knee, he converscd with thcm for the
last time on earth Their parting most touching
After the family left no sent for the Sheriff, TO whom
he signided desire make confession OF the crime.
He also expressed q desire to his attorneys, and
upon their appearance he gave TO them an account Of
the murder In his confession he said
81 have killed Colonel Dawson; wbiskcy and bad
company have been the ruinaton of me and the
Of all my bad luck.'
At ten O'Clock A. NJ. the Rev. Father Murphy,
pastor of st. Joseph's Catholic church, received the
confession OF the peniient, which is requisite 10
the celebration of the During tho mass holy
communion administered and the reverend father
addressed the condemned At the conclusion of the
mass Murphy retired and two sisters of charity ro-
manned with the prisoner until noon
THE EXECUTION.
Tho city Of Dayton revealed to-day in its fourth
cution. There about fifty persons present including
members of the pross besides special de-
tail OF twenty-four police and the official attendants
His brother and sisters took final leave OF him lit
tie before O'clock but his father to the
last HIS passvencss retained throughout; his
time passed. with but few words OF conversation,
but he smoked with great vehemence.
At o'clock the father Of the condemned man en-
tered the Jail and attempted to his son. but was
Intercepted by tho Sheriff, who, after quite struggle
with him, forced him away. Precisely at halt-past
o'clock the doomed man, led by the Sheriff. as
cended the platform, with the clergy, and then said:
''Gentemcn-I told a lie in the Court House about
Freedom, saying he was guilty. think am guilty. l
return thanks to tho Sheriff. and forgive all my enc.
mics and ask forgiveness. Any here who has
hard feelings against me, ask their forgiveness This
Is my last request, gentlemen and want all young
10 tako warning from me. IL l had lived /
should shouldn't be here. Drink and bad company
have brought me hero; and ! ask the pardon OF Mrs
Dawson, whom, IN passion. have injured believe
Jesus Christ will save me-"
The Sheriff then read the warrant and shook hands
read be of s
The drop shipped by the Sheriff. when the rope
which was half an inch IN diameter snapped and the
prisoner fell TO the floor At eighteen minutes TO two
O'Clock carried up 10 the sca1old ard reach
ing the trap he asked. 'What you going do with
meS' heavier rope was hastily procured and a
second time the moose adjusted tho cap drawn
over the head and the trap sprung At eight
u'es to two o'clock he fell with a ,hud, re-.
after struggling for perhaps three minutes
ceased and hung limp and apparently dead His neck
composurc TO the very last Dr. Crum ana other
ply sicans two O'Clock pronounced life extinct Tho
and removed il to the shera's ONCE where tho father
OF deceased had been in waiting 1t here delivered
to him at his request was borne to the street and
placed IN the hearse
HISTORY TIE MURDER.
On the evening OF Tuesday August 81, 1875, party
was given by John Niencber in honor of maria go
OF his daughter, Agnes Nencbcr TO Augustus Sheckel-
| hoG. The reception to the bride and groom was
strictly private and followed by ball at the hall
over tho saloon kept by John A. Barlow, on East Filth
street During the progress Of the merrmcnt OF the
evening James Murphy with several OF his comrades
entered the hail as intruders not being invited, and
unacqualntcd with any OF the parties. Colonel William
Dawson, OF the guests was spoken TO In reference
TO the ntrudcrs and by request suggested TO Murphy
and his party that 1t would DC better them to leave.
Some few words passed between them, but Murphy
seemed to have forgotten all about the incident when
about one O'Clock suddenly CALLED memory.
AT ten minutes after one O'Clock the Murphy party,
who at this time were composed OF James
Murphy John p. Kline, George W. Petty,
Charles Freedom and Lewis Myers again were
seen IN the vicinity. At that time Colonel Dawson left
the hall company with friend Lou;s Meyers, and
started IN tho direction of Wedpers Hall to get some
refreshments but finding that place closed, set to
return the hail. and willis proceeding quietly in that
direction, conversng with his friend, they sud-
denly attacked by two men, one Of whom struck at
Meyers dawson fricnd) and The other Murphy
seen to strike at Dawson with dirk about six
inches long, stabbing him to the heart. Oicer
scene said he heard disturbance on tho side.
walk short distance east Of Weidncr's Garden
that no saw Meyers, Dawsons companion, run
away and Murphy give Colonel Dawson push and
then strike him in the right side. Murphy then
struck At the policeman with knife which cut
through tho officers sleeve; they then started and
ran Not a word had passed between the murderer
and the victim at The time tho fatal thrust made;
but as the deed was done Murphy started a
run east with officer Funk in pursuit After hc had
run distance aud had refused to halt shot
fred at HIM by the officer which stumbled him, but
tho darkness, aud for the time successfully
eudcd pursuit He was afterward arrested at the
house OF his parents and taken to the station On the
way he denied cutting Dawson, nut aamte that he
had attempted to stab the officer. and supplemented
tho admission with the remark which showed his
viciousncss, that "If had struck you as intended
TO- you would not have got that shot into mc.n
Meanwhile other officers Of the force, who had boon
summoned by the mdie>, gave their attention TO the
dying man, who had fallen short distance from the
place where he had been so cowardly struck II
that he had tho spot turned into Pearl
street. supporting himself by tho fence until no fell
utterly exhausted in the place whore no shortly
found by the officers who had been summoned to the
scene From the testimony OF Mr. Myers the friend Of
Colonel Dawson, 1t appears that Murphy was lying
In wait for his victim. he stated that men sud-
denly out IRON behind and them
andD hat their objective point Dawson they both
assaulted him with the dreadful consequences already
narrated.
THE MURDERED
Colonel William Dawson was native OF Ohio, OF a
virgnian family. He was leading mechanic and
prominent citizen. Early in the he volunteered
and appointed captain IN The Thirticth
Indiana Volunteers AT Stone River, senior
captain, he commanded companies Of his
regiment the right. and present at tho
capture OF the brave General Which, he having
warned that gallant officer Of his peril and escaping
himself In time to his liberty He, with his rcg
ment, was In many bloody engagements and had many
escapes. and frequently cautioned against
the danger Of exposing himself rccklessly TO the
| nrc OF the enemy. Before the close OF the war
on the helL and aiterward brcvetcd colonel and
commanded brigade. In 1869 he removed to Dayton.
whore he engaged as superintendent OF the plough
| factory oil Mausc Breneman Co., and engaged
at tho time OF his death He left wife aud two chill
| dren. At the time OF the murder his wife with
relatives at Urbana, Ohio. The shock she received
that lilo Ions ttrnc despa rad