The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-13
EXECUTION or HIRAM FooKs.

over nvc tnousand people were prescn' " "'nsss Wv
execution.
EXECUTION or HIRAM FOOKS.
[Br TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
BALrInoaE, July IL, 1878.
Hiram Fooks, the negro murderer OF Jack Tyler,
colored boy, Somerset county, was publicly exc
cuted for the cRims tho Almsnouse grounds ABOUT
tour miles from Princess Anne. to-day tho muroor
was a brutal ana wanton act, and docs not seem 70
have been promWed by anything more than vicious
desire TO destroy the HE Of his miserable victim.
The killing occurred In October. 1871 Tyler, who
was about twenty years OF age Ill and hts friends
employed Fooks 10 convey him 70 some relatives
rear Rock Crock in another part Of tho county. Sew
the horribly muated body oil Tyler was
found In the woods In Furmouut district The shock
ing discovery created Intense excitement Suspicion
was NJ once directed againsG Fooks, and several wit
nesses testified before the Coroners jury that they
had Fooks In the act Of maltrcang Tyler while
conveying him In the direction of his home and his
arrest was ordered.
His trial occurred NJ the June term OF the Circuit
Court for Somerset county. 1t was shown that
whom The corpse OF Tyler was found in tho
woods The head severed from the body
and the right was also rudeiy amputated ~ tha
wrist. Tho head, face and body were also horribly
mu,iiated and disfgured. There was no witness 70
the killing, aud the conviction was on. purely circsm
ssantial evidence complete, however that It left
no doubt tho minds OF the jury OF inc pris-
our's guilt. Tho evidence, including the testi-
moA Of a number OF trustworthy colonel persons,
sho that asr Fooks took charge OF Tyler 10 con.
vey han 70 hrs friends he practised upon the hapess
wretc systematic cruetlss OF most atrocsous char
acter hooks was seen to ontcr the woods with
Tver and afterward observed to leave them alone,
and tho Goa pse was found whore they had been
seen togethAr last
PROTESTS OF INsooENoE.
The prisouAr earnestly protested his Innocence,
asserting that when he left Tyler he alive though
weak from diseas and declared his belief that he had
dted natural do~&a. This admission was considered
almost equivalent 10 confession OF guilt, and the
Jury did not hesitateiong before returning their YER
dict OF guilty OF mlrder in the first degree. An
onors was made by acme gcntiemsn to have the
death penalty o0mmun'd 70 imprisonment Tor liic
but the Governor decline< TO interfere The HsRALDs
Correspondent was preseAt when the death warrant
was read 10 Fooks, VINO betrayed no emotion what
ever Alter the reading no was admonished that
TO be resigned, and donled his guilt In Inc most
earnest manner, declaring that when he ieft Tyler
alone in tho wvods, though eAck ana weak, ne had
expressed MS hohty W reacn -"'' noe "''n0S' no.
MAuDLIx APPRECIATION On rETY
FookA however, asserted That he was ready to 60
70 tho scafTod, renarking IN patneAc manner, ''tne
greater the tho greater The cro~n and adding
lost me altogether" He several times expressed q
desire to gentlemen who called TO soc Aim 10 write
oomnlrd with his wishes. They were iucoherens
utterancss addressed to some relaiivcss conveying
Expressions Of farewell protesting MS Innocence S
was ready fall asleep IN tho arms OF Jesus. The
last few OF his lite were spent principally IN
reading tho Bible and preparing himself 70 mesS his
BELIEVED TO he ooNJURER
Fooks was thirty three Of age, OF tho African
tyne and weiencd about hundred and seventy
i've pounds, lie had repulsve countepance, but
when under Tbs influence OF religion presented y
more subdued aspect. He was comparatively cnser-
iui, and appeared resigned 10 his late. In more
recent interview ne claimed that the coioIsd
trinl were "down on him" because they
believed him TO be a ''conjureE" During his i'm
pr,sonment his behavior excellent, aod he gave
The sheriff or other officials trouble from the time
he entered cell until he lott to-day TO ascend the
steps OF the scanod.
Fooks met his fate braveiy. Your correspondent
una him this mornug ironed TO the floor OF hrs CELL
had allowed TO occupy portion OF the cell The con-
demusd IN u wonderfully cheerful frame Of
mind, considering that he had only lew hours TO
i've. lie cooy 1T cigar rendered him by the Wis
itor and response 10 questions said ne was not
satisfied with the sentence Tor the sole reason
he vas 70 suffer death. why" saId he, II
am blind to that boys death. In act dont know
tnat he is dead. He better tho morning lett
him than on the day started with him TO take him
.Whv did you beat him Pr asked the reporter,
"Juss 10 make him go along. II made him smart but
how could q light switch Kill many dad not see
him drinking. but thought he had tho jim-jsms. l
nIy sw,tcned him to keep HIM awake Had been
mean enough to kill him would have been mean
enough to run away. But II they must murder me,
can say am ready TO CO. Al first dreaded death,
but now am prepared TO meet Jesus. shall say on
the scaIold that am Innocent"
The prisoner further said no had always wished to
learn 10 read, but had neglected It until he was
big no was ashamed 10 90 10 school "But tell
he :Ss "hip learned sa, 10 nero one nosa
70 that could read . little book called Peep
OF Day right through. II was given me BY
lady, and IL told me about Jesus." In
answer to question as 10 how Tyler
was killed he SAID, 'JIm Barnes Is tho man
/ suspect. I summoned him witness and he lied
about me, and u he hsd not poor prisoner Fooks
wculd not be here now. guess II any one 10 guilty
RELIGIOUS SERVICES
Revs N. Young. H. A. Monroe and s. p Mar
shall, all coored and J. N. McCsrser, K c. Jones and
J. A. II. OBriep, whito, arrived NJ the cell ut half
past nine NJ and prayed and sang with She prisoner
Fooks took but ht,lo breakfast, saying no guessed
che would not eat much to-day" "He wss in hurry
10 90 be said s.bscaase II ne wero freed no might
20 out on the water and be drowned IN his SINS"
A, half.past eloyen O'Clock sher,n Lawson ana
Deputies L. f. Walker p. Dryden ana 7. Dryden
made their Appearance and S ss,d tho prisoner !.
rage in waiting AZ the jail door. he
removed alter he entered the carriage. drive OF
over three-quarters OF an hour, through a blind
, ing ra'n around wh,cn fully TWO thousand
Ave hundred people were assembled. Tho scanod.
rourh WOOD structure, was surrounded Dy boarding
four fcot nigh. Fooks mado a speech IRON tho
scafod rail, making In substance the same statement
he gave your correspondent this morning. He in-
sisted that barnes was more guilty Than himself,
as he iBarnes) had offered MIN 1ty cents 10 fomove
Tyler from hts place.
LAUNCHED LIFE.
Alter tho speech the prisoner was pnoned, the
black cap adjusted aud the 5horin sprang the trap.
Fooks dropped some lour feet ana died easy, only =
slight struggle now and then being observed as he
swayed 10 and fro. The crowd sorrounjing the scat
fold were orderly After hanging tbs usual time the
body was cut down, placed In coffin ana removed
for burial