The true northerner., 1879-02-07
THE GALLOWS.


Two muruererb were recently nanReu
at indianapolis at the same time-Wm.
4. Merrick and John Achey. From
local paper we CLEAN the following re-
port Of the execution and the crimes for
which they suffered death:
Achey claimed that his crime was not
premeditated, and closed by saying: |
The people want a hanging, and / am
ready for it." Merrick asserted his in
nocence TO the last. Both men dis
played wonderful GOODNESS, and stepped
to their places on the trap without assist
ance and with no hesitation or tremor |
visible. The arrangements of the |
Sheriff were perfect, and carried out
without the slightest deviation or acci- |
dent. The necks of both men were
broken.
Achey's Crime.-The crime which
John Achey committed was less fend-
ish than that of William Merrick. Geo.
Leggett, well-known gambler of In
dianapolis, and partner by the name OF
Brown engaged in gambling operation
with Achey, in which the latter was
feeced out of large sum of money
which had been left to him by his
mother, who died short time previous
ly. The loss preyed upon Achey's
mind, and he determined upon taking
terrible revenge. On the afternoon of
July 16, 1878, he saw Leggett standing
in saloon on North Illinois street.
Without uttering q word he drew re-
volver, and, aiming at Leggett, fired
twice in succession. One of the balls
struck him below the breast-bone, and
caused his death in twenty minutes.
He was tried and condemned to suffer
death on the gallows. Great efforts
were made to secure a reprieve, and up
to the last moment his friends hoped
for success.
MerTick's Crime. Sept. %, 1878,
two farmers accidentally discovered on
the banks of Eagle creek, two miles west
of Indianapolis, human hand between
the interstices of small log-heap. Upon
removing the logs the farmers were hor-
rifed in finding two partially y-decom-
posed bodies-one of woman and the
other of newborn infant. The rustics
fled, and the police of Indianapolis were
notified. For long time, in spite OF
their utmost endeavors. the mystery re-
mained unsolved. Finally it leaked out
that the wife of William Merrick, who
was quite we'll known as the proprietor
of ivery-stable, had been missing for
some time. The clew was taken up, and
+, Merrick was arrested His early history
was investigated, and it was found that
,, he had, in his early youth, murdered
his rival to the hand of girl he then
, loved. The evidence of his guilt ac'
cumulated fast, and at his trial the
whole story of his damnable guilt was
revealed.
On the day of her disappearance
Mrs Julia Merrick said to one of bel
neighbors: my husband has beer
kind to-day and has invited me to {
carriage ride; do / look nice?" Al
!, early dusk they drove away, the wife
feeling very happy. Later in the even
: : ing they stopped before saloon on In
l diana avenue, and Mr.. Merrick called
3 for O glass of wine for his wife. The
l saloon-keeper saw him pour into the
glass out of paper marked with {
skull and cross-bones q white powder
: mixing il with the wine. Merrick re
turned the empty glass, paid for glass
of whisky for himself and drove of
They went into the country, and sew
: eral teamsters whom they met observed
! ! that the lady was in great distress. A
! farmer living upon La Fayette pike
= heard noises in front of his residence
and, upon going out, found a woman
lying on the ground in great distress
1t was Mrs. Merrick. Her husband told
}; the farmer that she was drunk, ant
1 asked his assistance to lift her into tn,
carriage.
1t appears that she was poisoned witt
strychnine, and that during her convul
sions babe was born. Both died
!, With their bodies in the carriage, tn
! fiend returned to the city and tried t.
dispose of them to the medical colleges
y but without success. He drove abou
the city, stopping frequently at saloon
}. and drinking freely. Finally, he hi
upon the plan of concealment under tn
:, log heap on the banks of Eagle creek
When the case was given to the jur
they remained out only thirty minutes
: when they returned verdict of guilty
y and fixed his punishment at death.