The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-20
SAM STEENBURGI HANGED.
TUO THOUSfND PERSONS 1T 4 PRI-
yIIE STRINGLTNG IN FONDL

Yard, ou the Housetops, nnd In the Neivh-
boring Tree. The Dead Body OF the MUIR
dcrer Exhibited to the Excited Multitude.
FoxDA, April 1o.-Sam Steenbcrgh the
negro nssassin OF Jacob $. Parker. was hanged
hero to-day. In presence oi at least three thou
slnd persons. The occasion has been gala day
tr the greater part of the Mohawk valley
Early this morning trains arriving here were
crowded; tho streets were thronGcd. the bar
rooms were full. and the vicinity of the gallows-
yard was the rendezvous Of Il multitude. The
Fonda House, a large hotel building. stands
north of the galows-yard. and u little west
beyond tho railroad tracks. but in good
range. and afforded on its roof to the
fortunate holders of opera glasses rs dcsi-
rabe locations ms could have been desired
There was II is alleged. some neat little diplo-
macy in connection with this matter. that
seems peculiarly characteristic OF rural in
gcnuty When Ecker was hanged here. seven
years ago the gallows was put ont in the mid
die Of the yard and then fair view Of II could
bo obtained from the cupula of the Johnson
House. rs we'll as the Fonda House. But on this
occasion the landlord ofthc latter is supposedto
have used some mysterious influence which en-
abled him to ret the gallows erected close to the
western wall OF tho Jail and SO shut out the pos
sbilty OF view from the Johnsonian roof
Places on the Fonda House roof 10 view the eX-
ecution were readily taken at 81 each. That
was also the price demanded by the
lucky holders OF other pcrches which
could be used for tho occasion.
At various points near and moderately remote,
but all close enough to be available for specta-
tors, there stand thirty-threo trees. and al
though II was generally known that the hang
ing would not take place until near +. NJ. so
great was the popular eagerness 10 see II that
by A. NJ those tree tops were full OF men and
boys. At an early hour, too. the roof OF
dwelling south Of the yard was occupied by
spectators who gladly paid 81 each for standing
room in that excellent gallery box. There
was very little for all these people
10 look at during the long forenoon
merely the officers and soldiers of Van
dervcer Post. G. A. r.. under command of
Capt. J. Van Antwerp. busying themselves with
keeping moderately clear space about the gal
lows u few deputy sheriffs working about the
fatal machinery OF the gallows to see that II was
In order a number OF reporters. who had been
provided with chairs and tables. near the
gallows and yawningy awaiting events; n con-
stantly augmcnting crowd Of privileged spec
tators. admitted by passes. who. 10 get good
places pushed in among the reporters. or even
bkulked inside the gallows rail.
The gallows upon which Steenbergh was
Charles I Ecker o1 on May 2G ISL in this same ne
uil yard. Since then i has been carried about
the county and used for the hanging Of one
Canton. one ut Malone. and one at Watertown
II is painted black. and at little distance
high and ten feet wide Before use 1t was
e eemp,y and eg g ir2p wh weight $40 10 pound;
was on the ground. and Sam was the picture in
the frame.
night OF life had helped TO demonstrate him
what no proudly claimed to be. q" n bad niggah."
At one moment he wouid profess 10 listen with
great interest to the consolatory words Of Father
Lowery. and would affect some piey In few
minutes more he would he threatening 10 break
somebody's back or cursng the reporters. or
shrleklng aimless profanity i'm n blind. unrea-
soning paroxysm Of rage. Father Lowery al
sang hymns at him. About midnight he de;
grew furious The faithful priest was the
only. person who yeniuTed within his his
his, teeth the radlal artery in his
right wrist. but was prevented. and did not re-
new the endeavor. AT about o'clock he got TO
understand that he would get no whiskey. how
ever outrageous he became. Then he calmed
down and professed to have pious spell. At
o'clock he went TO sleep sitting ia his chair and
with his chin resting upon his breast. After
awhile he rolled oyer upon his bnd and there
he slept until $3.50 this morning. Then Father
Iowery. who had remained IN his cell all night.
hwoke him. and he arose seemingly indifferent
70 his fate. In obedience, to the wishes Of
Father Lrvery he knelt aud prayed but when.
at 10 O'clock. the, Rev, rockingham Dutch
Reformedl who hated 10 let go of him.
came, and Notwithstanding the presence Of
the other practitioners Of the Catholic school
ad IN " then e SAM arose m AMI damnrJ tbe
Rev. Frothingham, and told him to b"gone, the
which he prudently ala. Sam sad that ne Rev;
hcwanted him to stand by him 1.-The end. The
priest then heard his confession. and performed
seemed necessary-not including. however. the
service Of mass. After thgt was over sam
seemed in an unusually kindly mood. said that
he iorgave AL his enemies, and hoped that
those he had injured would forgive him. At
on mat the time ear III sSa Rn he oysd YnS was any s"T
Fonda, and he also wished 10 thank all the OH
GERS Of the Jail for their Kindness 10 him. This
done, he formally cons gned his body. after
death. to the Rev. Father Lowery. that he might
dispose Of it n manner already agreed upon.
Amsterdam have agreed to pay $50 each Tor II
nt interest in ThttliTPEgi SAN 1oS and seting ~
amount from the sale of his confession. consti-
tule the bulk OF Susie's inheritance.
The strongest sustained characteristic in
Steenbergh, during the time of his imprlson-
ment, has been his .avariclous desire 10 get
open Tor the public exhibition OF himself as the
basn CHAMPION airoeious criminal proyidedhe might
nave Ton cents from each visitor who had the
curiosity 70 contemplate him. Then. when
sherin Fonda refused TO sanction that specula-
i've enterprise, he was exceedingly anxious to
sen MS confession. and, according 10 popular
report dld get The sum OF 800 Tor it; Sam dc;
s,ip s9li2peH mo rather az impresslonable sort OF
iAunh. Leaning his head upon his hnnds ho
tI"Nhrd T. Father IOwrry, My times mighty
hnorL The priest reminded him that another
execution occurred on Good Friday, the NOM
nry OF which WIS held sacred by all Christian
feopie. and that the one who suffered then had
put snort time 10 meet the king OF terIors. Sam
sluIled LITTLE, and then said; Oats So.
,hrlst dld die on a Good Friday didn't hep But
ny tines mighty short. Anl If the world
khqwd there's lots OF white folks inst as bad
as am His confessor before administering
70 nm the right Of baptism, read 10 hun and
!n9d MN repeat the iltirh psalm. commencing:
nave mercy on me. q God. according 70 Tiny
great mercy Sam seemed n find 1t consola-
tory, especially when told that il was writ II by
hmurder"r, lie prof"-srd 10 the priest that he
loNed the yellow woman Esther. who was Susie's
mother, lut his affection tor her has only been
acause OF unhhppIness TO him. She is really
ABOUT thlrty-ive years old. but does not
look moro than TWENTY-FIVE. Her life was not
one OF uualoYcd ease and security while living
WIN hlm. Tor both his drunkenness and his
jealousy mnde trouble So she WIS more often
AWAY from him than with him, and he believed
nor conduct when absent WIS not such as should
IeNlVe his appreciation. As he said to Father
ipwerY, love that woman more than do my
NE. and VIII Il she's with me she loves me. but
Nhen she is AWAY she iorgets me-" lie has not
lopk"d upOI her rs Il sale person TO whom he
might lntrLst either his daughter or the little
money which his crimes and death have cna-
n. all Il La