The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-20
LIFE FOR LIF5.
The Brutal Negro, Sam Stsenburgh,
Hanged at Fonda, N. Y.
A BAD NIGGER."
He Confesses Murders, Burglaries
and lrcendiaries.
KILLING ARMY OFFICERS !?
Robert McEvoy Pays the Extreme
Penalty at Aiken, S. G.
His Crime, Sentence, Escape, Re-
capture and Death.
His Crime, Sentence, Escape, Re-
capture and Death.
[pY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. !

icy TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
FONDA, N. Y, April 10, 1878.
Samuel Steonburgh, the most brutal negro ever
known in these parts, was hanged here to-day. He
dled like most Of his class calling upon God and Tor
giving tho worla. The sheriff expected there We ud
be trouble. and called for two companies Of mtis,
but when tho twelve thousand curious specIa-
tors arrived It apparent his Tears were exaggcr
ated. Tho morning bright, the sun shining
pleasantly. and the crowd intent enjoy
ing delightful air than seeking 10 cheat tho sheriff
OF MS fees
oSE sTEESBuRGH's CRIMES.
Tho special CRIME for which Sam" has forfeited his
lie Of brutal character, and the chain
circumstant,al evidence which convicted him was
s,rong aud convincing. On Saturday, the 17th day
Of November last Jacob s. Parker, farmer, resld.
ing at Mineve, N. Y. went TO Amsterdam to do
some trading, ha wing in his possession check Tor
500, which he had received for the sale OF horse
This check he had cashed at one Of tho banks In that
village, and ater making come purchases he started
with friend to shave time;' and after visiting
the saloons which shckiy iniess tina beaut-
ul and thriving village spent part Of the day Ia
low den N the east end Of the town. He became in
toxicated
"sAM" MEETS FARMER
In the evening no won't into Dorn's saloon, on
"Bottie Row." where ne met Sam Stocnburgh. That
meeting sealed tho unfortunate mans iatc for Sam,
the sequel shows, seeing his money he made up his
mind 10 "ketcn on" 70 him, which he did, and he
let 60 his hold until his poor drunken victim
lay crushed and dead. Parker was not missed until
some boys discovered hts body about TOUR o'clock
Sunday afternoon, in the bushes in ravine, on the
farm OF George Ross just cast OF the village ON the
head oil the poor victim was found hugo boulder
weighing over sixty pounds The head was crushed
beyond human ssmbance.
ARREST AND CONVICTION OF TIE NEGRO.
Suspicion at rested upon Sam, as he the
las, person seen with Parker, and being Of . disrepu-
table character no was placed under arrest Quile
largo sum Of money was found on him "a very
usual thing for him) and knife, and his clothes
and the money stains OF blood He could give
no creditabe account OF himself after no was last
seen with Parker, and the Coroner's jury held HIM.
Al the February session Of court Justice Lam
don he was tired, convicted Of the CRIME aud
senlsnced 10 DO hanged to-day. HIS counsel made
strenuous efforts new trial and his
neck upon the plea Of new and important testimony,
4 vioLxxr cuLrxir.
Alter tho sentence had been passed upon him no
beca mo very violent 10 prison time threat
ened The lie Of his keeper. The sheriff then placed
hun in a close cell aud heavily ironed him. Unln
about Two weeks ago he strongly protested mis- inno-
cence the crime oil winch ne Was convicted aud
became hienIy indignant when an official cnanccd 10
hint al u confession, invariably saying, 'why should
/ say killed JAKE Parker, whom aidn'tl" Finally,
when he saw no hope Tor new triai and that Il
inevitable he must swing, became apparent that tue
miserable DESTROYS of unbosoming himself,
and 'tne pumps wsro put 10 him" quietly Sut nrmly
by detectives
WOULD TELL ONLY FOR PAY
On wednesday, April IL, he told keeper that he
swas goiu' 10 tell Inc oucr,n suihin' tnat niyhs
Here AGAIN, alter no had agreed 10 couisss, was ms
greed Tor money shown. Before he would utter
word sheriff fonda AID ex-County Clerk Burcn were
compelled 10 pay him sum OF money, whicn he at
once wilicd TO little srl SUSIE tine only person
whom he showed any sneclionj, ana then he revealed
TO has asonishcd anu norriou listeners tnis story OF
his shameful career
rag CONFESSION.
was about seven OF ,Ighl years old when loft
Schoharie; hrst ran away from home Tor day,
won't 10 Albany ana got back the same night; lived
with my father anu mother until was teo years oil
age; then away ano went among farmers IN acho
narie county aud weat TO scheoi few days IN each
year Tor three years, learning barely sufficient 70
spell out small words; hung AROUND the county VI
scnoharie on ON, at home; was put out the
several times but nau no desire to LABOR IL
have never recovered IRON u 10 TINS day. Ny mother
was Christian woman, aud tod me how
to be good, and gave me good ADVICE always: but
was SO young then l uid not think mucn OF ~
but now can recall ,he words and tnink and know
u could lead my lie over again her advice would DO
my guiuc; my mother said Was bad 10y; she often
talked me about tho nsequensss vi aisobedencc
ana beins Tad; she sad II Kept GU 1 woula never
live out my days, and sne ioo mo the uutn can
see ~ ali now Ii 4 bad only taken her aavics aud
learned aud repeated That nttic prayer she used
ask ms to say, would NOT now cit IN this cen, anu
the minister sala, be condemned, alter my
aIed, seemed 10 give up everything good aud ired
TO see how smars bad could DO among the rough
Try correct me, u seemed AL the people used
TO cali me smar,; mad my own way and nave mad
u pretty well ever sncc.
SMALL BEGIxSISGs
The nrst Of my crimes that amounted 10 anything
was when was fourteen there was woman named
-, vino used 10 frequent our house; sue nad
another fellow hanging around her WAC MAS larger
older than me, and would nave 10 take BACK
seat when he aroma; his name 1 aon't want
tell now one night followed nim home ana intended
hit him With stick had, but dsre not; watched
him aud wien ne had gons bed era led In Tue
window aud red his paplaloons wual loose change
he had; II was small amount, but WAS big ir me,
M my 1eT' is'' wa. .a oa'fI ,.s, nsn me- 49,
bauy Pentcntiary; 4 was Gghing, stealing
aud going On IN this way TOR long tms;
settled muss By seiiiag Two pgs out VI the pen
belonging to my sister Jane; | lei tbs nogs out and
never Knew wnal became OF Der hogs; 1 did a Daa
wnsn was iourtssn ears OF age, ana 10 was
o,a senenare; you can make rat. ~ oa-ok as you
would have been my fate tb'r,y years aso what am
waiung 10 come man cut me 10 he eye with awnip;
~e quarreiled; never iorsavc MN; ! worked nm
OF the way Know he was never again aliYc;
know - VAS my iau.. he died, ana YOU eau put u
down bad you nke 1 am bad man.
A rEsirEsriARr STUDENT.
The nrst time got drunk, gos very drunk over
settlement Of . case "a whicn my sister was NO
SpuDs ock, tue one atline 70 hang on, got
noored nrs, should pay TOR all Shat was drank alter
ge,t,ng drunk 4 got IN q nisnt, and w All fought;
hit the eye with the end OF whip lash, wbicn
caused tns Ia my ieit eye; they call me cross eyca
siucs that; and 4 can look two ways once; had
then learned TO hght pretty good, and licked my
snd served thirty days N the Penitcniary Tor ~;
did not care Tor Prnitentiary, could got chances
there do things tnat was pleasant 10 me; goa 10
a nght every ume l got drinking, ani
wen. 10 The psni.snt,sry mis- wen. on Tor iocr or
ave years and believe up TO TINS time have been
thrty times In the Peni.entiary: may ve moro. |
USED 10 work outside tnsro l had seen tnsre
much Il seemed they did not care wbetbor ran away
not, but never tried 10 run away from there; !
would as soon be there as any where When lett
Scnoharei Tor good lcit because | got In a ngnt.
bad ngbs u was; six waTrsnts was Issued Tor Ipe
ngbt Was win Two coops, named smoke aud S.outen-
burgn buys and NJ Gurus They tel,cd me afterwards
beat the wheie party. l was then good man,
called the best q iair hight tners IN Scho-
haria 1 ran away and stayed away, gorng on tho
canal and around notcs and bverics year. and came
back 10 HoGs Hotel: they had q ralle Tor turkeys
there that night; my brotner Ciem With me, sud
| never sot well with his company; when We came