The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-19
SAM sTEENBERGH's LAST DAT.
The Negro 10 he Hanged this Morning In
Montgomery County.

FONDA, n Y. April 1s.-Sam Steenbergh,
the negro who is to be hanged here tomorrow
for the murder of Jacob s. Parker. Is very black
and powerful. He is nearly feet high. formed
like an athlete. and weighs about 1856 pounds.
Physically. no is almost perfect. Almost all OF
the time since he was old enough TO drink
whiskey he has been drunk, and seldom has he
been drunk without doing some evil thing his
accomplishments running all the way from
petty thieving 10 murder. bull neck. great
lower jaw. lips OF remarkable thickness, even
for so iull-blooded negro as he. low forehead.
and lurking eyes that always seek the ground.
are the danger signals nature has hung out on
him. He had four brothers and as many sis
ters and very had MS some If the other boys WERE
he was the worst OF all. H. WAS in the peniten-
larry eighteen times before he was 33 years old
De ms perpetrated at least n dozen murders.
When incurcerated here he was fastened by a
heavy short chain attached 70 shackle on his
right ankle in stone cell four feet wide and
seven feet long When he was sentenced TO
death in February last, It was thought that with
The constant guard to be from that time Kept on
movement, so he was put in cell ten by twelve
In area and his chain WAS heightened TO seven
feet His appetite failed and the physlcl4ns
allowed him some whiskey daily, Some OF his
friends smugeled more 10 him. Warden Z. \.
Kill him. One morning he attacked the War
den with heavy stool but was overawed pya
revolver. Then he threatened to kill another
him in the small cell with the short chain to
trammel him and 20 keep fastened the ponder
his bis child his Intimate fri~nd. Mr.. A. T. Burch,
end occasionally clergyman entered MS cage.
Mhcnevera KEEPER uia SO; ne Ktpl avsilhn'
Steenbergh has said TO the Warden, don't
intend you shall live quite as long as do" aud
other attempt to kill the Warden. 1t is expected
that when the hour comes to take him out OF his
little cell for execution he will make desperate
TeSlStAQCe. HIS doing SO Will nNltll wholly
upon his mood at the moment. Since yesterday
he has been in a state of great nervous excite
ment. Carpenters have been Mt work erecting
hiRh fence TO enclose a yard back OF the jail
aud putting up tho galows Every sound
came at one time furious. Last night his moods
AlternHted. AT one moment he laughed sang.
and snapped his fingers MS though Jubilantly
indifferent. moment aiterward he raved.
threatened and delivered oaths. His religious
procyties have been rather vague, until yes,
terday the Methodist cergymen, Dienendorf
and Livingstone the Dutch Reformed, froth-
ingham and Jones, and the Roman Catholic,
Father Lowery all visited him and had hopes Of
him. He leaned To- the Dutch Reformed until
yesterday. but to-day the Rev, Father Lowrry
captured and baptized him. The Young Men s
Christian Association Of this place held prayer
mret,ngsAt the gail several times and thought
thry would save Sans soul. but now they have
given him up. Last sunday morning ne called
the Warden 10 his cell. stood smOki medita-
lively IA litla and remarked. God only knows
where I'll be next sunday. I've been very
bad niger. | ought TO have died thirty yenrs
ago Then he asked for all the Information
thiu coulu De gwen MN hpoul the manner OF
CONDUCTING an execution, how tho gallows was
rugged. and whether the unpleasantness would
be over soon,
The only being for whom Sam hns evinced
any affection has been hls daughter Susie, who
IL not IL years old. With her mother. she Wis
tied him this morning, and had 10 wait in the
Marden's parlor long time while his friend
Burch was with him. The woman was calm,
but the child sobbcd Historically, broke into
Wild ordinations OF grief, moaned puntively;
Oh, dear me. on dear, my poor father; my
poor father" Admitted to his cell she sprang
into his arms, and, clinging about his neck,
wcpt. She Is allowed 10 be with hun much of
the time. Ha dos not wish 70 see any Of his
other relatives. HIS brother Glenn called at the
!ul this afternoon. "T"ll dat Niger 10 20
way" ,auI sam; ." don't want to see him. H.
only wants money from me-. OATS all he
Wants; :" ana Cirm WIS not admitted.