Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-04-23
Hung on the Gallows.

CHAABEKsBURG, Pa, april IL
The effort 10 procure reprieve for liez-
ckiah Shstfer on account of bis pros
,ra;e ply steal condition having failed,
Sheriff Gable had the scatfolc for the
execution OF the murderer erected this
morning. For hours large crowd
surrounded the jail, although veiy few
we're admitted TO witness the hanging.
The cuiprit Rested apparently well last
night, and this morning was attended
by Ur. }. A. Crawford a. religious st-
wiser, to whom be protested his inno-
cence Of the murder Of his wife, aud
expressed himself ready TO meet the
inpending death. As be heard the
noise consequent upon the erection OF
the eallows, he remarked that he would
die an innocent man. L. was evident
from his weakness, superiuduced By the
loss of blood on Monday when he at
tempted suicide, that he would have to
be carried 20 the galiows. About FIVE
MINUTES Of twelve Shaifrr was carried
down the STAIRS Of the Jail on blanket
by FIVE men. He was placed in an arm
chair, and while il a sitting posture
his arms wera pininDed b,hind his back
and LIS legs bound with a'out straps
As the RAIN was descending, The face OF
the murderer was shielded with an um-
brella. He went through the ordeal OF
preparation for the galIOws without
fiinchlng. After he had been pinioned
he was asked If be had anything to saw,
and in his answer he did not refer to the
c,ime, but thanked the prison officials
and forgave every body. He was then
carried to stool, upon which he sat,
KEEP; 10 position by two men, who held
him while the rope was being adjusted.
After the culprii's face had been hid
from view by an improvi,ed cap, the
sheriff again asked him If he had any
thing further to say, IN response to
which be shook his head. After the
sheriff had left the scaifold the platform
was dropped and the murderer was ush
cred icto eternity from the chair at six
minutes past twelve o'clock. To all
appearances his was an easy death.
/ To the above dispatch, by way OF
exploration in full, the editor OF the
Harrisburg Telegraph added the follow
Ing in the issue of the Telegraph of the
i7th inst. The history OF tue crime Is
as follows: Sarah Snyder, sister OF
Mrs. Sbaffer, was in the yard outside OF
her fathers house about sunrise on the
morning Of the murder aud in full vie y
of Sbaffer's bouse. She heard scream
aud a dull, heavy sound like that which
would be caused by fall down stairs
in the house of her sister, and at once
started to alarm her father, Before
she succeeded IN getting to the door
which was only few steps distant
Sbaffar eame out OF bis house and walked
toward her. She entered the house BY
the back door, ana few minutes after
ward Shaffer came 10 by the front door
isis" be said, meaning his wife, :" has
fallen down stalrs, and was either deaC
or dying" Investigation showed tha
what he said was nnI. too true. Mrs
Shaffrr was found lying on the kitcher
tiuor, al the iooi OF the stairway, dead
Her face was covered with blood, anc
her bsiI and clothing were completel!
saturated, the carpuscles being airesd,
) dry, which showed that she had beei
dead some time. Everywhere ther'
were evidences Of a deadly struggle
Pools of blood covered the floor at ,b'
foot of the stLirway, and it was after
wards discovered that much of tb
blood had trickled through the floor
A double hll:ed axe, a email pole-aI
and a wooden boot-jack were foun'
standing sgalDst the wall. The axe
we're bloody, handles and all, and tber
we're hairs on the pole Of the small Ok
which exactly corresponded with tn
hair Of the murdered womsu. Tn
boot jack was also cot 'ered with blood
aud clinging to it were large buncncs Q
The dead womau's hair. There was D
blood on the aoor outside the Isndin
where the body was found excep.
: small smesred spot where the head lay
, thus showing that the bleeding hs
, ees.ed before it was placed there. Shil
fer's account cf the event was not i
, harmony with these facts. He and hi
wife slept apart, she occupying bed i
I tbe.lo. above the stairs aud he sleep
ing in 4 room down stairs beside th
kitchen. He said he had risen an
} made the FIRE, after which he stretches
himself on his bed, with his clothes on
E According to his own story he heard
> scream aud noise as of some one fall
ing down stairs, and running at once /
: the stairway he found his wife lyin
senseless on the landing with her fee
up the stairs. He Immediately life
her out, laid her on the floor sud ran :
! give the alarm. In spite OF these sus