The New York herald., 1877-02-16


there patiently awaited events The crowd
was mostly composed OF very old men ana ana
got up fight among themselves in order
to relieve the meno!cny OF the One OF these
qunrrcs threatened TO be quite Serious and only tne
cry '.Cop. cop 70 able to queIl It, Young girls
hung on the gates and fences the eighborhood aud
laughed me ouc ,aush which speaks the vhonn' hena
ing with piece OF twinc. Thus the time was spent
until the sheriff appeared and passing through the
crowd entered the jail The processon- procession
u really was--was formed at the Court House. milo
distant rom tho prison, and IL marched through
with Sheriff Harrison and Deputy sheriff Davis
at It's head II WIS composed Of deputies ana poit-
ryng long poles not unlike those with which tho
negro society OF Pole Bearers in Mississippi arm
themselves as badge of authority, and the latter
were distngushabe by the big cigars they held be-
tween their teeth As the procession ncared The jail
the crowd separated TO allow pass IN and then
began serious work Of the morning. OF which this
outward display was only an indication
AwAiTISG TnK EXECUTION.
Charles Oschwad hanged in the corridor on the
ground floor OF the Jail THIS corridor is spacious
hall, bounded by side wall OF the Jail on the south
side and the north side by tiers OF cells. In No 3,
en- the lower tier near the southern end tho con-
demned man was confined: He could have pcered
through the grating of the cell and ut the other end
the beam and dangling rope OF the gaows preparation
has stranguation, at any time since their erection
TO look toward The implement sci Tor his execution.
Fortunately for his feelings, there were other
things engage his thoughts Ryan's illness
during the night the efforts that being made TO
exiort confession from HIM, the fuss OF nervous
preparation and the and anlcss hustle that were
reflected on the OF every official of the Sheril's
Office who encountered the gaze Of the condemned
have served to provoke spirit OF resistance that
found relief in sort OF herosm which remained with.
to the last. Between ten O'Clock IN tho morning
and O'Clock in the afternoon the death warrant
saId the men must die. Ryan was already beyond the
Jurisdiction of Jersey courts. lie was dead. SO to
Oschwaid alone must their attention be directed, and
Oschwald was no coward. He every attempt to
cxtori confession from him with the most vigorous
proesation OF his innocence OF the murder OF Officer
brock.
The news OF Ryan's death was the first that engaged
Uschwad's waking moments yesterday morning, and
doubt II cahc AS relie even though as shock 10
hlin. Tor since Ryans illness had become serious he
:aared that there would be n terrible scene ut the
scanold, through which, however he knew he himself
could pass. Relieved Of the burden OF his appalled,
confedcratc's presence he have felt more thun
ecimincd to meet denantIy the fate that
awaited him. Much he needed all MS nerve. No weak
man pass firmly through the ordeal reserved for
any ieion doomed TO suffer death in Newark
yorite hour for execution in Newark. Tradition
has set the fingers OF the dial at this hour, anJ
the condemned may not hope for many minutes
grace the reaiter. Beware the approach oil eleven,
therefore, Jersey murdcrersl II Is an hour pregnant
with spirits that tho hangman must release, an hour
fatal to those the Jersey murder law condemns And
the Jersey murder law must DO unusually scvere--in-
deed, is very harsh by comparison with tho law OF
other Satcs-ese IL would not have SO hstcd the
lives OF Ryan and Oschwald But their now
beyond the pardonlng power. There was not 10 be
entertained from any Jersey Official the iaintcst hope
Tor relief, and II hope not Jersey 1t certainly
not outside OF it-lor even Jersey Is sovereign
STATE, having full power TO lead its own ldocrs to the
gher Appeals to the Governor, the Court OF Par
dous the Icgislature-all had Jailed, and hope must
therefore be abandoned here. Hope for the hereafter
Allen OF the Baptist Church, was the clergy man who
sought 10 guide tho spiritual thoughts Of "Charey'
ce aa wh him. wh tho Struggling ees Of
curious spectators grated on the sanded floor OF
the prison corridor without, through which nc
to walk TO his gnominious death. Only
a fral network curtain behind grated cell
shut the the corridor from the victim
within Shortly after ten O'Clock the Sheriff aud hts
posse arrived the jail and tho sightSeers who
companed them streamcd into the little Office at the
southern end OF the passage where the gaows Stood
through tho big gate INTO that passage and back
and forth front OF the condemned cell Then for
peu, ly an hour there was an amless drifting blank
faced coarse hammered ana equally aimloss and
unnecessary movement through the crowd Of about
dozen crude officials with long black stalls tipped with
WHITE Through the hall little knots OF gosslpers with
lean and earnest faces gathered and dis
cussed the anticipated spectacle, pointing sig-
cell of Oschwad, inside which the clergyman prayed
earnestly outside which stood, cold and impassivc,
two stalwart officers OF the law From buzz TO whis-
per aud fell the conversation Of the changing
groups whose form and station varied even as their
voices rose ana fell. Light wreaths OF cigar smoke
circIed in the atmosphere above the heads OF the
moving throng. On little shelf at the eastern end OF
the hall, ledge running along the southern side
and the passage ranging along the front of tho Sec
cells Oh the northern side, were crowded lines
cxpectant spectators From the Railways at either
end OF the corridor the keepers and gray
attendants OF the Jail One rope only dangled from
the beam OF the gallows, prepared and erected
for the taxing OF two lives. Directly underneath this
roie was chaked cross upon one line OF which must
rest tho cuprts heels AT the southern end OF the
scanoid semtransparent screen stood. conceang the
sprng which released tho weights prepared TO lit the
culprit from the floor and hold him suspended until
his LIE had ebbcd away. AS the hour OF eleven ap-
cell glances OF expectancy mingled with shadow Of
imjatencc Tor eleven II should be remembered, was
the traditional hour vi doom.
IN THE DOOMED MANS CELL.
While the expecant crowd without were awaiting
the Shers orders TO have the prisoner brought forth
there in progress active preparations within the
cell, by the unfortunate victim, to meet his end.
Colonel johnson. the warden Of the jail presuming
the familiarity OF his official acquaintance. soughtto
obtain confession from Oschwald at the last moment.
Charley," no said he entered his cell to bid him
goodby 'n very little while you will 60 before your
God and you have account for all your deeds;
now, let me beg OF you not TO go before Him with
me what you know about this murder"
'.Colonel, am innocent" Oschwald said in answer;
''beiore God know nothing Of this thing
Before his DEATH aud just as he was about To breathe
his last. Ryan had uilary answered like appeal
Not much attention was paid to his denial Tor he
had the unfortunate reputation OF the experienced
ci imlna But now that he acad, and that death
unav oidable stared the other in the face, II was
| portance might have been obtained from him before
beng led to the hangman, but as the black cap was
| being adjusted his words were:-
~ die an innocent man. "
With these assurances Colonel johnson retired, bid.
| ding sad, nnai farewell TO the prisoner
SCENE.
Presently there was a lu in the conversation of tho
waiting crowd, the sheriff appeared in front Of Osch
wald cell and In a moment the culprt stepped forth
ready tho scafold, the black cap resting on the
back OF his head and his arms pinoned tightly at the
| elbows. He black vest and trowsers, neat
white shirt low shoes and white socks His coat
not on. The heels OF his shoes were tied together by
string about foot long, so that IN walking
| from his cell the gallows he was Obliged
TO take very short steps. On either
side marched deputy, and behind Two clergy
men-Rev Mr. Allen, and Rev. Mr. Weed, the jail chap
lain Before reached the scall0ld matter fact
carpenter emerged from behind tho screen where tho
| drop Tell, and matter -of-iact but nervous deputies
cleared the space under the beam. He stood firmly on
| tho chaKed Inc under tho dangling rope with tho
| fatal moose about his neck, shook hands with the
clergy man. SAID to Colonel Davis, the chief Deputy
Sheriff. who had charge OF him.
| sColonel, do 1t we'll"
In less than minute after his arrival at the scanod
| his struggle had commenced. The Sheriff passed be-
| hind the screen and made a downward motion with a
| fan he held In his hand. There click OF the
| yielding of spring Some one had stepped on the
board releasing tho weights, which fell into the cellar
aud erked Oschwald into the air. Ii evident that
the Jerk was sufficient dislocae his neck he
| must die slowly by strangulation His hands and