The New York herald., 1877-09-10
THE GALLONS.
Thomas Francis Curley To Be Exe-
cuted To-Day.
4 YOUTHFUL MURDERER.
History Of His Crime and His
Repeated Trials.
INDIFFERENT TO HIS FATE.

PHILADELPHIA, sept. 8. ls1T
Tho Board Of Pardons having refused TO commute
the death sentence Of Thomas Francis Curey he will
be executed on Monday in the jail at Norristown,
Montgomery county, Tor the murder OF Miss Mary Anr
wnitby, committed In May, 1875. The condemned
only nineteen years OF age manifests entire indner
ence to his fate, apparently, and even when he wal
Informed OF the failure of his counsei's application DO
fore the pardonng powers and that he must die h'
did not seem be in the least moved Yesterday h'
exchanged cells with wanen the alleged murderer OF
Hoehno himself awaiting trial. probably TO end IN
similar terrible penalty Tor tho killing OF his iriond At
Glop Station. near the Centennial grounds
cURLEY's CONCEALED WEAPONS
As Curioy left his old cell be surprised b's keepers
with the Information that he mad knife concealed In
It which no might well gvc up, or else 'that
damned fool" (meaning wahlen) "woud discover II
and commit suicide. which Is all damned nonsense,
you know" He then pointed TO n hinge In his closet
door, which being unscrcwed broken razor and
a knife wero found Ho had managed TO take OF
the hinge, cut hollow in the wood, TO conceal the
weapons and the hinge TO its place The prison
officers had suspected for some time that the willy
criminal tampe ring with his cell; but rigid ex-
animation failed to discover anything. They are yet
al a loss to how Curey obtained the knife and
tho razor, nothing permitted to be taken into
his cell and he has been under constant watch
DANGEROUS PRISONER.
Curley has proved himself TO possess the most rc-
markabIe ingenuity at conceang articles in his CELL
and It is marvel that he has not made his escape
spite OF the vigilance Of his jaera One OF his keep
ers while in his cell day happened to take hold OF
corner Of the cupboard and found that piece OF tho
woodwork was loose. II was secured with small
nails, and vigorous pull detached H. socket
found neatly followed out on tho neither side, and
this socket lay now shocmakcrs knife. How this
knife obtained was then and stil Is mystery. as
Curlcy permitted Ia the shoe shops, aud
one was allowed to approach the condemned.
Had Curley permitted Wahlon 10 get hold OF the
weapons which he yesterday delivered to his keepers
the latter might have made successful use of them
either making his escape or by committing suicide,
as he IL in q very desrondent condition.
THE GALLows.
Tho galows upon winch Curiey will DO hanged is tho
properly OF this city, and has been Tor many
years II Is the same upon which were recently ex-
executed Hanlon and Fletcher. 1t was taken to Nor
yesterday AMI Will be erected at the Norris.
town jail to-day.
cuRLEY's CRIME.
The crime for which Curley Is 10 be hanged was the
murder OF ii iss Mary Ann Whitpy the 10Th May,
1915 tho farmhouse OF jacob Wokel, in Upper Prov
idence Township, Montgomery county. Tho victim
was sister in-law OF Mr.. wokel and about tnrlyn
years OF age Al the time OF the tragedy, Mr. and Mrs.
OF Miss whitby The only other person about the
house was hired man, Thomas Francis Curicy, who
had been instructed BY his employer to assist Jona
than Hoyer, neghbor, In planting corn. AT noon
he returned TO Mr.. Wekcl's to iced the stock.
After having worked all tho afternoon he
again home. and then shortly afterward
back 10 ME- hoyer's and informed him that Miss
Whitby had been murdered. The decd was sup
posed to bo The work Of tramp, but Curlcy war
suspected from she hfst. aud arrested lste the
night OF the tragedy. II appears that MISS Whitby
had him have been guilty OF falsehood which
aroused his indignation and led him TO make throats
against her The defence attempted 10 prove that tho
crime had been committed by tramp, but the chain
Of c,rcumstantai evidence strong that 1t
suited In the conviction Of Curicy The murderer is
only twenty years OF age; he Is native Of Homes.
burg, has been working laboror several years.
and OF unpre possessing appearance, with dull anu
heavy look. Curley and sister who has now dsap
AaradW W. N n
Catholic charitable Institution IN this city.
cURLEY's TRIAL
during the trial was daily throngec with the farmers
and residents Of Montgomery county. The trial
ID when the jury returned verdict OF murder
first degree HIS counsel applied for new trial; but
March ii he Was Sentenced to be hanged. On
March % Governor Hartrann issued the death
rant, fixing the execution icr Tuesday May 1876,
and on April tho warrant was read 70 Curley,
who received the news without sny display
OF emotion. On the 3oth OF tho samo month
his counsel took out Of error, which removed
tho case to the Supreme Court and stayed all pro-
ceeaings until the spriug OF the present year when
that body opened new term. During the pcndency
OF the writ Of error on the 5th OF November 1876,
Curey, with tho assistance or prisoner IN the ad-
joining cell, planned escape They proposed cut
tho partition between thor cells, and when together
TO summon the keeper, overpower him, and with tho
DOM They oonhded their secret to a third prisoner,
who ''peached," and their plan was frustrated
On May /, 1877. the Supreme Court, after hearing
argument Tor trial, rendered It's decision rcfus-
ing the application and roairmlng the sentence OF tho
lower Court, and on May Il refused also reargumont
OF the application Tor new trial before itself On the
22d Of the month Governor Hartranft issued tho
second death warrant liking tho execution for August
.. An appeal made to tho Board of Pardons
and Governor Hartranit rospiIed Curley from August
| to September 10-next Nonday-in order that the
Board might fully consider the appeal for mercy but
on last Thursday that body refused TO commute tho
death sentence TO imprisonment for lifc
What purporte,d 70 DO confession Of the con
earnestly denies It's authenticity.