The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-01-10
HANGING OF HUNTER.
His Last Moments, His Attempted Sui
eide and His Confession.
Special to the Star.
HIS ATTEMPTED SUICIDE,

Special to the Star
HIS ATTEMPTED SUICIDE
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 10.-1t has just leaked
out that Benjamin Hunter attempted sui
eide on Sunday. One day last week after
eating dinner he managed to secrete tin
cup, and on Saturday evening, when his
guard was being changed, he tore the YES
sci apart with his fingers. On Sunday
evening, when the day watchman left him,
he lifted one leg of his pants and delib-
erately sawed into the calf OF the
limb. He had almost succeeded in sever
ing a main artery, when he dropped to the
floor from loss of blood. The night watch
man coming in found Hunter spattered
with blood. Running down stairs he gave
the alarm, and County Physician VIM.
Morgan was at once summoned. Flnding
Hunter too weak to resist his efforts, the
Doctor soon had the man placed beyond
reach of danger.
HIS CRIME.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 1O.-Hunter was
hanged for the murder of ]. M. Armstrong
on the 23d of January 1878. The con-
demned had persuaded Armstrong to insure
his life for considerable money and to con-
sign the policies o secure debt for much
less sum which he owed Hunter. 1t was to
hasten the payment of this money that the
murder was committed. He says in his
confession that the wretch Graham, who
was the principal witness against, him. was
hired by him to strike the fatal blow, and
that when Graham's courage failed him,
that he struck the blow.
He will be executed between 10 and 2
o'clock to-day, probably shortly after IL
o'clock, as it is an unpleasant job, and the
Sheriff is naturally anxious to get 1T OIL his
hands.
THE scAFFoLD.
The execution machine, or gallows. Is q
novel affair. 1t is part of the scatfold upon
which Ware was hung. Sheriff Calhoun
desires to make it as private as possible
and therefore has decided to execute Hun
ter in the Courthouse building. On the
first floor there is large corridor. which
extends from west to east and north to
SOUTH 1t Is dark arched apartment, about
twelve feet wide, and at the intersection
there is quite a wide space. At this point
the instrument of death is rigged.
The Sheriff will utilize part of the old
scaffold, and the ropes are suspended in the
Courtroom above, were the weight is also
81 tuated. It's one of the spring-weight sort,
and not of the trap-dOor species, like that
in Moyamensing prison. Holes have been
bored in the ceiling through which the
ropes pass into the rooms above. The exc
cutioner will be situated in the upper room,
and, al given signal, will cut the rope, and
cause Hunter to jump in the air and then
fall. A few strong-minded women have So
licited that they be allowed to witness the
terrible scene, but they did not apply. per-
sonally, to the Sheriff.
ruE ny uryvrroN
CAMDEN, N. j., Jan. 1O-Noon.-Benja
min Hunter was hung at II :25 o'clock this
morning for the murder of John NJ. Arm
strong Hunters statement of what
| led him to kill Armstrong re-
veals him as possessing a greed fol
money to such an insane degree as tC
render him utterly merciless and remorse
less to one whom he REGARDED as coming
between him and his God. So strong was
his passion on this subject that he grew
pale with excitement even in speaking OF it.
HIS CONFESSION.
Hunter says: armstrong owed me
money. / loaned him over S., ,000 and took
an interest in his business, and besides he
and his brother owed me nearly
$4,000 more on other matters. He
never would give me any salts
faction about this money. l used to get al
most crazy thinking about ihis for some Of
this money was my wife's. l couldn't
sleep nights and used to brood
over the lost money night and day
used to get up in the morning in cold
sweat after sleepless night, and l have
got up on cold morning in burning fever
from worrying. Once L went out in my
barn early in the morning to commit sui
eide, and then the idea occurred to me and
stopped to think"
Hunter does not say so in as many words,
but in every likelihood the idea of which
he speaks was the wicked plan TO get back
his money by the dea h of his debtor, after
he had insured his life. He does not say
Just when he formed this diabolical design,
but speaks of it with sort of pride as "a
deep laid plot" and exclaimed at one time
"What damned fool | was not to make
the insurance on his life 100000 instead Of
what did-$26, 900. The companies were
eager to take any risk offered, and 1 nigh
have done it."
Hunters narration of the murder doe.
not differ materially from Graham's, excep
that the accomplice swore that he strucl
Armstrong but one blow, that then hi
heart failed him, and he threw away hi
weapon and ran. Hunter says that Gra
ham struck three blows before he ran away
but virtually admits that it was his Hunt
ers srong arm which dealt the one terri
BILE blow which crushed in the top of Arm
strong's head and made death certain TO
he says: when 1 saw Graham on the boa
told him that had to finish him Arm
strong) because he ran away"
He admits thathe forged the postalca
which purpor,ed to come from Ford Da
Wis, the Camden man, who owed Arm
strong money, and which was trap to in
veigle Armstrong to his death. Hunter
hopes of escape were shattered when h
was told of Graham's arrest and confession
He had paroxysm of anger described a
frightful to see. He cursed his accomplic
with basphemous and filthy oaths. Hun
ter ha ed Graham with a devilish ferocity
and at one time regretted he had not fol
lowed an inclination he had on the nigh
of the murder. After the bloody Grim,
was done, and when crossing the ferry witt
Graham, he had thought of pushing hin
overheard as measure of safety. HI
cursed himself for not having followed thi
impulse
In another place Hunter confesses tina
one of his reasons for hoping for release Of
%l,at ho tnh III hor