The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-24
ABSAL0M W. FORD HANGED.
PLOTTING THE ASSISSINATIO or A
W4NDERING DOCTOR.
His Escape from Jail and his Subsequent Cap
ture Amer Being ISndiy Wounded-Brenk-
Ing "a Leg In second Attempt to Escape.

ing "A Leg In "a Second Attempt to Escape.
LAKE CHARLES. La, May 23.-Absalom
W. Ford WIS hanged hero to-day for the MUIR
der OF Dr. Joseph Bazec on Juno TO- 1878. He
escaped from tho jail hero last winter after no
was sentenced. but was recaptured at Hender-
son, TcNns. few weeks ago. after being badly
wounded. lie aiterward broke his wounded
I lex in attempting to escape from the Henderson
/ County Jail, and. consequently. had to DO sup
I ported by tho Sheriff and ha deputies to the
! scaflold. where he was seated in chair.
+ Although suffering intense pain from efforts
! made to use his wounded leg. his features were
! calm and composed. Duringthe reading Of the
/ death warrant and while tho priest in attend-
! anco WIS praying. Ford corposedly smoked
cigar. and gazod Mt the sky and at the crowd Of
! about five hundred spectators. He did not
I show the slightest trcmor. On being asked
/ whether he had anything to say. he replied in
the negative. Tho black cap and moose were
| then adjusted and he WIS assisted to his feet.
lie said in n low. calm voice. God have mercy
on me" aud the next instant the drop fell. His
contortions were violent for five minutes. and
life was declared extinct after twenty minutes
/ His neck was broken by his struggles after the
| drop fell.
Absalom W. Ford. aged between % and 80
years. deliberately murdered Joseph Bazec. n
wandering herb doctor. near the house Of
Washington Ford. Absalom's cousin, in Cal
cosicu Parish. La. on Juno TO- 1878. The in
cdents Of Absalom's career show that he was
man OF desperate character. 1t was a common
report that he had killed several men in Texas.
Washington Ford. farmer. and his daughter
Helen, beautiful girl Of 20 yeas. removed
from Texas about two years ago, md came TO
live on a small place in CHlc1sieu Parish. As
fugitive from lustice ~ bsnlom Ford stayed ut
tho house ~ his cousin. and h. was succdily
captured hy Helens beauty. EnrN lnSt sum;
mrr nc hade niou to Helen ard her father and
started for Texas. soon aft,rwari Dr. Bnz",
strnued into the neighhnrhood and paid several
ysis 70 washington Fords hous". AhsHl9m
Ford returned from TcSns ana went ~ usual N
/ his cousins house, whore he met Or. bli"".
On the evening of juno they quarrrlled ~ tho
house In tho presence OF the Old man and his
I daughter. concerning the latter. and went 10 mn
adjoining field. whore the quarrel was con-
| tiuued. IL il not known what occurred there,
but u was observed that in returning from the
wood they walked abreast. watching carefully
that one should not get behind the other and
thus obtain shooting advantnge-Dr Bazee
having also some Texas eNperiesnce. i. ..,,
~ his friends. HecmRn AMI Frank Mcclure and
Horny, Saucicr, and told them that Dr. Bazec
wanted e. ruin his cousin Helen. and then take
large sum to nm Indian chief II Is INSERTED
/ that the four men then formed n plot TO XIII
Baz'c. That same night the Doctors camp was
watched by tle couspiratorS. uut ne dld not
come ont until morning. Il WAS then agrerd
that lloeman Mcclure should call on Ba2ee and
represent that his sister Madam Pool, who
lived nenr 10y, WINS ei'k and required the Doe
] tors services. TINT Mcclure should return I'M
, mcligiely before lla2ee could saddle his horse.
in order 90 Join Ford when the two should Sc
s croic themselves and fire upon him. NJ Cure
. succeeded IN his errand without exciting the
. | suspicion of the Doctor. who rode to the house.
! lied his horse. and leaving his pistol in the
+. / holster walked toward thr door. Ford. in his
cagcrne~s for his victim : life. neglected 10 give
, / tho signal 70 Mcclure, and fred two churges ~
} | hurkshot into the Doctors body; then bee adj
r | yancrd on him. firing three shots from his re-
, | volver. Heeman Mcclure now Appeared Oh the
-. scene. but their victim was drad. bnth charges
= ] ~ -fl pf 81 YaI
e A few DAYS later Ford. the two McClures and
( Hurry Saucicr were arrested. 4 negro hoy ties;
s Heeman Mcclure were tried together. convicted
q ~ murder. and sentenced To- death; but the
( Governor commuted Mctluro's sentence 20 i'm
= pr sonment for life as the evidence was clear
+ that he did not fire shot. Prank Mcclure and
: Saucier We're acquitted. owing 10 ~ missing Ink
~ IN the circumsihutill evidence connecting them
L with the murder, although subsequent contes.
slqns 9l some ~ the p"tl'es sH9w tnhl MY were
iuNy IN q" Iiot. Ford ana hernnn VI |ur'
were confined iu the lfu M Igke Charles
. Through an ingenious deyiee oi fori's. boy
= wn'n AN alarm OF ir" ~ ihe JAIL WIS caused
\, b. Effected his ESCAPE with the Assistance o
!! Mcclure. who. however WAS unable 20 fol.
10 nA tArce days and then he escaped inc
y TOMS hv swimming rivers and bayous H.
(. next turned up 70 Athens. ndorsou County
p Texas One Sunday he entered church. wear
- inc pistols IN his b.lt and when Just.c 81 NJ
' Peace demanded that be should put POD, pistols
:. out ~ sight De refused A general n;ht nnsucd
' Ford using hif r'YO.Nrrs, and. sprluglnE ON hl,
, horse. nttemrtol 10 ~ 'nne: hut finding hiin-rl
r. / surrounded. De deib rltny reloairl his ui-t1
. crowd. arins hls rey5lvars Tho uo0rIi Nrd IN
N when const1hl" and another man emerge.
u. from bend % the road aud demanded his sur
n one OF ttem. hut. MS he turned. d Dad OF buck
g, sho; cnt red his back and ,g. AMI another sho
a WIS tracked hy the blood thnt flowed from
~ [ ls wounds and captured. The people a.
y urng upon man simply because he carrie,
ID. risi j. ma alter lih"ra'ing him presented hun