The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-04
TRACY'S APPROACHING END.
A Last Interview with Him
in His Cell.
WHY COMPUTATION WAS REFUSED.
His Written Narrative of the Events Lead
" ing to His Crime.
ley TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.

All the preparations TOT the eAecutiou VI hnuie"
Tracy between the hours of twelve and two to-mor-
row are complete. The scaffod has been erected in
the corridor of the JAM and all day long crowds OF
men and women have been entering the building 10
in spect the instruments of death.
THE PRISONERS DAY.
The condemned man received the HERALD cor
resp ondent ut past eight this morning and to
him said that he had prepared long statement.
which his lawyer would permit mo to copy. Tracy
was perfectly calm and spoke without any mani
festation Of grief.
81 am feeling well any man can be ex-
pected to feel under the said he. in
answer to the correspondents sslutation.
..Did you rest well last nights"
"No; did not sleep until nearly morning. In
deed, was hardly asleep before eight o'clock.
always was night owl. and loved darkness bett er
than day light study and mediate in. fear that
was not very companionable sort of fellow"
The correspondent then handed the condemned
man q copy OF the HERALD containing his poem.
He much pleased and read the heading. "The
Poet Murderer" without finching.
"Will you remain until Tomorrow" he asked.
calmly, but with some effort.
YES" was the answer.
He was silent for q moment after which he re-
sumed:-"So you have come all the way from
New York to attend the sad ceremony. They
interested. then. in my. case. even there!
Well. in New York I have . dear old
friend, former tutor of mine. I wonder IL he
thinks OF l have calmly made up my mind to
die, and shall do as well as can in the try
ing moment: make 70 promises. for hn.
should l say what shall or shall not do. had,
OF course. hoped for very different ending from
They dissipated by the disappointments. of
manhood. Mine suddenly ended and for
ever. thank you for this call Goodby.
ELEcTs TO CREMATED.
There seems to be some evidence to show that
when the Board of Pardons first decided against
Tracy he had determined to commit suicide. On
September % he wrote several letters III which he
indicated that he was about to die. and to o
declared should be- disposal Of accordns to
the ancient Roman custom. burned instead
of buried. 1t does not matter. continues he "what
leaves it." He then goes into o scientific discussion
of cremation, and that he has understood that
though it is not generally known He gives specific
coffin shall be purchased. He directs that his body
where will be found large elm tree. which is dry
and will readily burn. The tree is to be cut in two
Wers hen to so the @
together. Tracy described by illustration how
the logs were to be arranged. Then
body covered with dry stuff and the whole to be set
on fre. IF there should be any vestiges OF the
that no living person can know their whereabouts
Any one opposing you will be my enemy"
SPED UPON BY A CELL COMPANION.
So ends this strange letter. which intercepted
by Sheriff Sartwell through the fundamentally Of
Trscy's fellow prisoner, Shaner. There are two
statements written by Tracy. One was prepared
the hands OF his lawyer A second was
written yesterday and given into the possession
of his cell companion, convict named Shafier, q
man who for the past two months has played the
spy upon the wretched young man. whom he could
notify any possibility understand.
now transpires that the Board of Pardons was
largely influenced in its Anal determination not to
life by notes written margins Of newspapers which
delivered by Shaffer to Sheriff Sartwell. These
notes. which 1t was asserted had been conhded by
Tracy to Shafer to be smuggled out. were requests
to certain Of his friends for poison with which to
take his life. The writing was so small as
few % days. S however. some douSs has bse a
cast upon the authorship of these notes, and
it is now openly alleged that shaffer. in hope Of
securing favor with county officers, wrote the
himself have seen the writing Of the two men
side by side. but do not desire to express an opin-
penmon in the country. Traoy.s friends and
Tracy himself utterly disclaim any intent. past or
present. of committing or abetting suicide Father
condemned man this afternoon, stated to me most
emphstically that these stories about Tracy's in
tended suicide were falsehoods. He said Tracy was
now thoroughly penitent and hoped for forgiveness.
TRACY's MEMOIRS.
After oare.ul fe re- OF the TWO statements
print either. because Of their length. Each would
I'LL several columns OF the HERALD. They do not
connded to shaher is much the more
| 9uCClnCt
the wish Of it's author be retained until after
his death; but as learn tonight that friend of
Convict shaffer is hawking it about the hotels at
500. deem it proper to briefly summarize
this statement. which covers sixteen sheets
of legal cap. II begins with review
Of the trial. Afor thanking Judge Williams for his
good intentions in recommending him to mercy.
Tracy declares that the Judge deliberately
tricked and deceived by the District Attorney.
name his prosecutors. Tracy then enters
into long argument to show that h, he
and that the pardoning power was withheld for the
reason. This part OF the statement grieves his
Catholic friends sincerely nee because large majority
Tracy then takes up s. w. Smith. the District At
tornay. and denounccs him in unmeasured terms.
His attacks are not only savage. but would DO Ii.
bellous IL published.
LOVE AND MADNESS.
We then reach the most important part of the
statement in which he tries to supply justification
for his crime He begins by. narrating the Incl
dents OF his wooinR and engagement to Mary Reilly.
bright the earth seemed to them then. till.
by an intercepted letter. Miss Reilly's father
discovered the relations of the two. The violence
Of the old gentleman is depicted and tho threat
is stated to have been made to Tracy that "the
fathers death alone would render their marriage
possible" Then follows reasoning that savors Of
sophistry or madness. How could he put an end
to his own life except by taking miner he asks
Mary. Moro queries are propounded Of the same
irrational nature. The condemned goes on
to say that the madness Of disappointed love grew
upon him day and night. He at last reasoned him.
him, and the strange delusion took possession
of him that whatever he himself might do sane
toned of God. The mild train of reasoning into
which this led him was. he declares. Increased by
intemperance." until on the fatal night as he was
following the object of his love- she and her COM
panion suddenly began to walk faster as though she
knew he was behind and wished to escape him. On
the instant mounted to his brain the demon Of des-
pair. He believed that she about to forsake
him. He mad. He killed her ut the door OF the
bereavcd fathers house. He says OF hor corpse that
the sight OF ii recalled all the blows and III usage
which he declares the father to have inflicted
the poor dead girl l.. ul
He then enters upon q defence of tho young lady,
whose character has never been assaulted The state
merit concludes with an expressed hope to rcoin her
In heaven.
At eight o'clock tonight the family of the con-
demned man. accompanied by four priests, took inal
leave of him. Ho was thon locked up with two in
his cell and will DO allowed to com municate with
any one except his confossors.
-
i BALTIMORE'S BIG BORE
,[DY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
H. BALTIMORE, Nd, Dec. 3, 1872