The New York herald., 1877-09-11
'CURLEY EXECUTED.
Sad End of a Lad Nineteen
Years Old.
WHITLEY AVENGED.
MISS
Scenes in the Norlstown Jail and at
the ScaffoId.
NoRgIsrowy. Pa, Sept. 10, 1877.

NoRgIsrowS, Pa, Sept. 10, 1871
Thomas Francis Curey aged nineteen years, the
young lad who murdered Miss whtby, the sister OF
the farmer for whom he worked, executed here
to-day The case is an interesting one, not
only from tho youth OF the criminal. but
from the fact that the murder was entirely
without provocation, resulting only, 1t would
appear from inhuman thirst for blood, and also be-
cause the evidence tho trial was altogether crcum
stantia no having seen the crime committed, and
tho prisoner being convicted by singular chain OF
circumstances The story Of the crime and the
accused was told in to-day's HERALD. The prisoner
has recently shown signs Of desire to commit suicide
Friday asked Tor sharp knife to cut his nails
This percmptorIy refused OF course, aud he has
been closely watched night and day
mrs LAST NIGHT on EARTH.
Curley's spiritual advisors OF late havo been the
Rev. Fathers Monahan and Garvey, OF Norristown and
Kuel, OF Lapsdalc. They permitted to be with
him last evening until ten o'clock When they
Quilted the prisoners cell and bid him good
night he in cheerful and resigned condition, and
exchanged iarowe salutatious In pleasant tonc At
one O'Clock he lay down on bis pallet and went to
sleep Immediately He slept soundy for the first time
of late and awoke at lve this morning refreshed and
calm. He ate light breakfast, and IN reply to qucs
ton from the Warden of the jail said he felt we'll aud
strong and thought ho could die like man.
PREPARING FOR DEATH
Fathers Monahan, Garvcy and Kuei were early in
attendance They shut into his cell alone with
nim and what passed In the brief time during which
they were TO prepare the prisoner for ter
r,ble death will forever remain unknown to
tho world among the secrets Of the confess
siona which cannot be disclosed II II believed,
however, that tho condemned lad at the last moment
made confession OF his orimc lor the first time since
his imprisonment The holy fathers did not deny
this; but all thoy would say In relation to what the
doomed declared that he fully rcpensd Of his
s seemed hr
! dened and brutal as he at first He never saw
dying man moro ready TO accept tho consultations OF
On Saturday Curley had his photograph taken, and
Mr. Brunner his COUNSEL was leaving his cell this
morning after paying his last visit Curley handed him
| note, which was as follows--
Mould be ysry m1sSn UfsTs to you
M !. T. HARLEY
Joardan also If you pT1iis'M pToMAs F. cuRLEy Nois.own
September 9th. 1877.
Shortly before O'Clock the representatives of the
press and officials admitted to the jail corridor,
lower end of WHICH the gallows had been erected
within fifteen !cet OF tho door Of Curlcy's cell, the
outer door of which was partly opcn SO that the pris
oner have heard the shufHng feet and realized
! that he had but few minutes more OF life. Every
other cell door wss tightly closed, but the inmates
could hear what was taking place. and upon three OF
them at least tho effect must have been painful In
tho extreme These three are Basius Passorus.
Robert Sutton ana Heinrich Wahlen, three murdererS
whose doom will probably be to die in the same
wrotched manner as the poor boy executed yester.
cell like a Gagged hyena with hasty and nervous steps,
Sutton tho negro burglar, who killed farmers wife
at Blue Bell was unmoved, and Pastorius was
THE LAST SCENE.
sheriff John I.indermsn and warden Joseph G. Boyer,
and consisting Of the sher'f's Jury and invited
odolh mnm a
and the priests surrounding the condemned,
slowly emerged aud walked at oneo 70 the scaflod
Curey calm, walked firmly and without hesitation
up scaold steps. But he Kept his eyes downward
the cruca. in his hands as though drsadins the
drossed IN black, and was cot handcuGoi Tho
Sheriff stood preparing the moose with slight
and steadncss Of the cnlprt. Father Monaghan then
kneeling beside the condemned the remaining priests
| conducted tho mortuary services OF tho Caiho.
lie Church Az fourteen minutes past ten the priests
oinx, gave Il into tho hands OF the priest and sub.
| mtcd himself TO his executioner, raising his chin
SO that the rope could be liked The tender hearted
Sherln, In ntung the noose tremoled little, and
Cnrley quietly put his hand up and oosened the cord
which was being drawn TOO tight DR.. c. n.
Houpt, prison physician, inspected the knot while
the prisoners hands were Eandcullcd behind him.
The ShoriT took up tho white cap and then, all beng
in readiness, Curley was asked II no had anything 10
saw For the first time the youthful murderer glanced
urrcdy and searchingy at the iaces oil the crowd be-
low and in front Of him. II was an appealing, slightly
alarmed expression, as II no were eagerly looking
for iricnd Then, a clear voice that trembed just
enough to bo perceptble, ho said, "Wel gentlemen,
bid ycz all goodby." This all. Tho white cap
was drawn over his face the Sheriff left the scaffold
and the criminal was alone.
|
| The full meaning Of this word was never so sadly
| Illustrated as At that wul moment Not relative
or single friend vi tho accused all that assem-
barc OF upturned iaces There no one to bid him
roodby or who manifested tho least interest sympa-
thy IN his for his body after death
The two side props taken from under the trap,
lexving only the In tho middle with the hinge in
H. The sheriff took hold Of the rope attached TO II,
| turned his back x and pulled The support closed up
like jackknifc, the trap fell inward and the body
dropped. THIS at fifteen minutes past
ton IL swung rapidly around, the legs and
arms moving a little with convulsive motion, then
in a few seconds stopped, and the body hung motion
less The knot had slipped to the back OF tue
neck, but the man, nevertheless, died quietly,
| and in ten minutes the attending physicians pro-
nounccd the pulsations over and lie extinct. The
man died much than usual where drop Rallows
| Is used.
Al twenty minutes TO eleven O'Clock tho body was
! cut down. when 1t found that death had been
caused by shock aud sranguation. The mock was not
broken The body taken charge OF BY the priests
and buried Immediately In the Catholic Cemetery,
| aiter the usual formally OF coroners inquest
Sheriff Lnderman and Warden Boyer had never be.
torc assisted at execution this being tho third
hanging in Montgomery county since l7Ss. The sheriff
discretion and delays htcnes occurred In the sad
programme
rAnar cuOOTING AEERAY