Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1878-06-27


HANGING OF CosTLEy.--Not being pres
ent oursclf we take the following account
of the execution of Costley in the Jail yard
Frederick, on Friday last, from the Balti-
more Gazette: Edward II. Costley alias
Dorsey, the murderer, expiated his terrible
crime of the fourth of April, 1877, shortly
before II o'clock this morning in the yard
of tbs Frederick county Jail in that city
The execution was conducted very quietly
and the scene wNs marked by the absence
OF cxcitement and disorder. The day
Opc,,cd murlsy srd cloudy, and about an
hour before the execution rain began to
fall and continued for several hours. Con.
slant acccssions to the morbid curiosity
seekers were made until ten o'clock, when
aevcre shower caused some to dispersc,
while others remained in the drenChing
rain to witness the death scene. COlo1lC1
Fred Nelson, Costlev's counsel, aM Rev.
Father Cache, his spiritual adviser, reached
the iail about O. 80 O'Clock The s.ttcr had
been with tire condemned man during the
whole of the night administering the con-
solutions Of religion. At o'clock Costlcy
who was comparatively calm, brcaktastcd
heartily on broilcd ham, bccfstcak, bread
and butter and coffee, and after concluding
the meal rcclincd on Ills pallet, intenlly pc.
rusing prayer book.
About twenty minutes before / O'Clock
Sheriff Richardson, attended by deputies
Charles Il. Darncr, Captain Walter Saun
dcrs, J. s. 3. lIartsock and James f. Staul
together with Colonel Nelson, entered
Cos,ey's CELL where the condemned Grim
| in1l was receiving the consultations OF re-
ligion. His arms were then pinioncd, and
at his request, the white cap was drawn
over lis hcs,l Before placing the cap
Sheriff Richardson asked him if he desired
to say anything CoStlcy replied in the
negative and only requested that there he
Us little delay AS possible in carrying out
the laws edict. At lO:45 all except the
sheriff and deputy Darncr left the cell and
proceeded along the corridor 60 the iron
staircase thence to the ground floor of the
| ial below. A moment later . shutting
sound was heard overhead as the prisoner
| approached the strcnsc led by the officials
'ruc sheriff proceeded Costley whom he
guided down the narrow stairs, while the
deputy assisted from the rear Costlcy OK
IihilcA no signs of fear or nervousness, but
moved with firm step, He was clad in q
suit of black, with a black frock coat.
At The foot of the staircase the process
son was formed consisting of DIR, Bruce
Thomas the Jail physician and Rev Faith
| or Cache in the lead, followed by the dcpu.
tics, the prisoner and officers attending
him bringing up the rear. The sheriff
raised an umbrella over Costlcy's head,
shcltcring him from the rain as they
passed from the prison into the yard. The
intervening distance of about twenty yards
was lravcrscd through mud ankle deep
very quickly, and at l0;iJ the condemned
man stepped upon the platform of the scat
told About $50 persons were collected in
the yard, and the execution took place 10
the midst of u r3in which fell in torrents
accompanied by occasional flashes of light
nng and deep pcals of thunder.
There was no unnecessary delay on the
scafold. While the manaclcs were being
secured to Costlcy's ankles and the fatal
moose was being adjusted 10y Deputy Oar
ncr, the priest WHISPERED words of conso
lation to the prisoner. AT q signal from
the sheriff Father Cache withdrew to ono
side ..f the platform and the fvrnc" sprang
the drop at 10:50 toStlry's body fell four
feet. His form hung m0lionlcss for three
or four minutes, when single slight move
mcnt Of the legs was noticed, hut there
was no other evidence of suffering or con.
seriousness.
After hanging twenty minutes Dr.
Thomas pronounced CostIcy dead. 1t was
found that the neck had been dislocatcd
and death was painless. The corpse was
allowed to hang seven minutes longer, and
ut II 1S it was cut down and placed in "A
plain stained cpllin. A few moments later
light furniture wagon passed out of the
Jail yard. In it was u long box covered by
blanket. The box was Costlcy's coffin,
and upon it were sea, cd several of the shcr
ifs officers. The vehicle was driven rap
idly to the Catholic cemetery, where the
corpse was buried.
None of Costlcys relatives were present
! at the execution. The following letter WAS
received by Sheriff Richardson from Cost.
! ley's mother just before the hanging
FLORENCE, Mass, June 49, Mr.. VIZ
| liam Richardsn-Sir: Mr. Nelson wrote
TO me saying he would do with Inc body as
| wished. Please deliver it to Daniel Cost,
ley, of Liberty. 1t is not because | have
forgotten him that dil' not write |
thought he would be enough disturbed or
I would have written. | have prayed for
him long and earnestly.
Respectfully, Mrs. G. A. DonsEy
The hanging was humancly conducted
The preparations were perfect, and it is
doubtful whether any execution has been
carried ont in this state at which there
were less dcmoralizlng surroundings.