Daily Kennebec journal., 1879-01-14
Strangling a Murderer.

OF benjamin I. ffunteT, NJ Natnucii, new
Jersey, on the 10th. Hunter was condemned
to be hung for the murder of man by the
name Of John NJ. Armstrong.
Several times during the night Hunter part
ed his lips as though they were parchng. and
water was given to him. Sheriff Calhoun 5
son found him tossing on the bed at O'Clock
this morning, and inquired how he passed the
night. 'Oh middling,' said Hunter. These
were his last words. At O'Clock he was
seized with convulsions. 4 tumbler full OF
whiskey had no effect whatever upon him.
but second one quictcd him. A breakfast
of steak, potatoes and coffee was carried into
the cage at 80 but he could not be reused.
John G. Hunter and George Goetz arrived at
9 o'clock. He did not recognize them. AT
10 30 Sheriff Calhoun entered with Rev. ID.
Allen of Philadelphia, and Informed Hunter
that he had but an hour to live. The words
fell on deaf ears. DIR. Allen then bent over
Hunter and in loud voice asked if he desired
religious services. After vainy waiting for
a reply DIR. Allen knelt and prayed. AT
II l5 Sheriff Calhoun with six deputies en-
tered the cage again. Hunter still lay upon
the bed, which he had not once left since he
tossed himself upon it. with his clothing on
yesterday morning The men shook him and
called to him. but to no purpose. 1--WE shall
have to carry him down, | suppose" Sheriff
Calhoun said, and with things already at
hand they bound his ankles and fastened irons
around his wrists. Then they pulled him out
of bed and stood him on his feet, but his head
Topped forward and his knees gave way under
him.
Come Mr.. Hunter, get up and walk dow n
stairs" Sheriff Calhoun shouted in Hunters
ears, but an involuntary lunge forward was
the only response. Then the men picked up
the body. ex-Sheriff Daubmann and Jesse
Dalsey holding it by the shoulders, Michael
Turnkey and Jacob Nesson at the waist and
Michael Natchman and another deputy each
holding a foot. There were two narrow
staircases. each with two sharp turns to de
scend. Sheriff Calhoun led the grim process
sion. John E. Hunter and Mr. Goetz had left
the room when the manacling was
done. and the Rev. DIR. Allen had gone
home. A hush fell over the crowd in the
cross-shaped corridor as Sheriff Calhoun with
uncovered head. appeared at the top of the
lower halfhight of the stairs. Directly be-
hind him came Hunters body. borne feet fore
most. 1t was shabbilv dressed in disordcred
clothes. The procession stopped at the turn
of the stairs for breath. Sheriff Calhoun's
face betrayed his nervousness, and with q
quick motion he beckoned the deputies to
move faster. The corridor. running from
passed. was roped off. leaving passage in
the centre. As the deputies with their freight
reached this passage they lifed Hunters head,
and it fell back face upwards against the arms
of the men at the shoulders. The face was as
colorless and quiet as the face of corpse.
Even the defiant expression which Hunter
came to wear, as though indcibly imprinted,
before the trial ended, had disappeared.
The point where the four branch corridors
meet. a space perhaps six feet square. had
been fenced off. Until within ten minutes of
the appearance of the procession, chair
brought from the courtroom. from which the
corridor is separated at this point only by n
partition, had stood there. 1t was showed
back against the partition, and Deputy Sher-
man unhitched the moose from the south fence
of the inclosure, to which it had been looped
The six deputies tried again to set Hunter on
his feet, but he was limp and without appar-
ent strength. His head fell back on his left
shoulder helplessly and his knees again re-
fused to support him. Four of the men then
by main strength held him erect, and Sheriff
Calhoun drew a white cap over his forehead.
The moose having by this time been properly
adjusted. Sherman slipped it over Hunter
head and drew it tight around his neck, with
the knot behind the left ear. Aninvoluntary
gasp, just audible, escaped Hunter. The
moose was tight enough to keep his head in
position. Ex-Sheriff Daubmann picked up
a hatchet and stepped to the further corner of
the inclosure, behind Hunter. whom four
men were still supporting. When all was in
readiness Sheriff Calhoun exctedly stepped
in front of Hunter and peering into his face
from a distance of about four inches, said
quickly and in a hoarse whisper:
"Have you anything to say? have you
anything to say?"
One of Hunters eyelids twitched for a
second, but closed Immediately. Calhoun
pulled the cap over the mans face till it hid
all but the ends of his gray beard. Then the
Sheriff snapped his fingers at Daubman, there
was the sharp rap of hatchet, a swaying OF
the upper ropes, and at III :25 Hunter was
lifted with a quick but steady movement
about two feet in the air. As his body
stretched out to its full length the feet were
within four or five inches of the floor. There
was rush for the rope to which the weight
was attached. and half dozen pairs of vol
unteer hands hauled Hunter four feet
into the air, where tobacco smoke was
floating in clouds, and held him till
he strangled. A very tall physician
felt of his pulse at the end of the first
minute, and unbuttoned his coat and waist
coat to feel the heart-beats there were sixty
four pulsations. The body was then lowered
by the automatic gallows for the convenience
of the second physician, who was of diminu-
tive stature. While he stood waiting for the
end of the second minute Hunters limbs be-
gan twitchng. This was succeeded by five
abrnpt gasps and violent heavng of the
chest. His head had fallen over on the right
shoulder. Then the body began to swing.
Doctors Andrews, Bell, Bucher, Smith and
Iynde, in turn, felt the pulse and heart, the
Sherff's accommodating friends lowering the