Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1879-01-11
From Yesterdays Late Edition.)
HUNTER TIE MURDERER.
'rhe Doomed Man In Camden, IN. -
Jat!-1Its Attempted kuicidc--A
Reported COOGessiaO-n u u r
Hung AT 1928, A NJ.


Numbers Of people visited the Cam
den courthouse on Wednesday at
trrno0n 10 take II look at the scaiiold
upon which Benz. Hunter was hung
to-day, hut none were admitted. The
machine was tested yesterday afternoon,
and worked satistac orr y. Hunters
wife and family. accompanied by Rev.
DR.. kunkelman, visited the condemned
man Tor the last time yesterday after
noon, and remained with hiri until
dark. The parting was extremely
solemn, leaving Hunter crushed and
apparently nearly hsart-broken, weep.
ing like child. He deeply realized
his situation.
On Monday, in fit of dependency,
he attempted to sever an artery in one
Of his legs by cutting it with finger
nail INJECTING wound that blrd 80
proiusrly as TO nec"ssitate the services
of the prison physician. Since then he
has been handcuifed and an extra
watch kept over him. A detail Of the
militia were in readiness in cas-. the
police FIRE. proved insufficient to keep
back the crowd. Two hundred and fifty
passes were Issued to members Of
the press and others to witness the exc
Cutiou.
1t is currently reported and generally
believed that Hunter has made con-
fession, and what is said to be the sub
stance OF it is reported in the morning
papers.
The incentive to the crime was mon
ey, which he needed partly for his own
purposes and partly to satisfy the wants
Of an abandoned woman on Sixteenth
street, with whom he had c0hablted.
Up to within few days OF the arrest of
Graham, Hunter denied his guilt most
rnphatically. Then he was told that
man was about to hr taken into GUS
tody who knew all about the murder.
At this the culprit laughed and said:
Never lie will be off to South
An erica before they can reach him.
The parties in interest in the case
then asked Hunter for money SO aa to
send Graham out Of the country, but
he refused, and per,istently informed
them that Graham would never be
caught, because he would not be su1
p-cted. Then it happened that the
hired assassin was captured ,luinedi1t"-
ly a change came over Hunter. lie
paced his cell reStl"ssly and endravor-
ed 20 devise means to secure his re-
lease, but without avail.
lie became very v-ng"tul agalngt
Itiraham, and mad, partial con
lrsSiOu to one Of tlr. watchuen en-
pl0yed to keep an eye on him. This
vas communicated TO sheriff Calhoun,
and that official will keep ii for the
purpose OF aiding IN the conviction OF
| Graham.
! Great stress has been laid upon the
fact that Graham exhibited II ready
willingness to undertake the job to muir
der Armstrong. There was nothing
strange in this, for the relations Of the
men were very close, and this was not
| the first case in which the two men
were engaged in su.h villainous pur-
! jtSfN. 'ITdllHlll " its "fll u" il' VI VIE
and, fearing tina. Hunter would reveal
| bis cImes, he was ready to do his bid
ding, 10 matter what it might be.
Not so many years ago, benjamin
| Hunter was on bad terms with his
brothers. business partner. On" night
til. latter was found in his Office, bleed
ing and insensibIe. lie had been Sc
vrrrly beaten by some unknown party.
Graham has the full credit Of commit
ting this deed, at the instisation OF the
man who was hanged to-day. In
I-rd. the young man was the mere cats
paw Of the murderer, and he had exc
cutrd so many terrible deeds that Hun
ter did not fear to take him i'll as a
partner to this last crime, which may
cost them both their lives.
A dispatch from Camden states that
| BENJAMIN Hunter was executed this
| forenoon at ! .2J O'Clock.