New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-16
FACE TO FACE WITH DEATH.
cox TO BE HANGED TO-DAY.

VISITS OF CONoOLAilcN ihN"
TAKING HIS MEASURE "-EREcnNe THE GAL
Iows-IuR CONDEMNED MAN AeIrAiED BY
The BLOWS OF THE HAMMER.
"Neyer did a condemned man pass the last night
except one before his hanging SO quietly, sleep 80
easily and seem in every way entirely resigned
TO his terrible fate as did Chastne Cox last nlgh',
said Warden Finn to a TRIBUNE reporter yesterday
morning. While the warden was speaking UoA si'
In has accustomed easy chair, near the "ihuo" u.
the end Of the southern corridor. tanning hnseii
with large palnl-leaf fan. being as usnai
in his shirtsleeves. black trousers ana io"
cut loose shoes, and white SIX panu-
kercbef tied carelessly about his neck IN place OF
COLLAR. The lines in his face seem deeper each day.
his eyes are heavy and weary. aud during part oil
the forenosn me a handkerchief about his head
MS If II PANIED him. although he made no complaint
of headache IL is said that there Is Indian as well
rs negro blood in his VEINS and that this may &C
count for the cool stocal way III which be conducts
himself and receives bad news, and which is so much
admired by the tber prisoners aud by the Keepers
On Wednesday evening Cox sat by the window
uptll nearly midnight his head resting on his hand.
flaming himself gently. aud apparently IN deep
thought. He is not restricted IN his movements,
but is allowed TO enter aud leave his CELL aud walk
about the corridor up to the gate at the end at his
pleasure; but while he in his cell, the door must
Just outside where he the entire interior OF
the cell aud every movement of the occupant for
the first two or three hours after goag To bed We'd
pesday night he was very restless and uneasy
then he fell off into a sound sleep, and did not wake
ND until O'Clock yesterday morning lie dressed
and came on, of ais cell dull aud gloomy. but soon
rallied aud ate his breakfast, consisting OF 1ried
eggs dry toast and coffee, with good
appetite. Then he greeted pleasantly Deputy
Sherins De Courcy and Lanigan. who were the
death watch from 6 a. III. until p. M, and turned
with a sm,:e toward Deputy Warden Finley when
the sharp rap of "a hammer struck his ear. lmlne-
diately bis jaw fell, his face tarned ashy pale and
be sank down III his chair, trembling all over rs If
he had received "A heavy blow.
The sound was caused by the first stroke Of the
pallet used in putting up the gallows on
which he Is TO be hanged. COXs cell
on the inside of the prison wall IS
directly opposite the galows the courtyard, and
not ten feet from it, and every sound of the ham
mer and saw could he distinctly beard in the cell.
1t took over hours to finish the work and IT was
terrible the poor fellows nerves; but he
braced himself up. and after the first fifteen or
twenty minutes he seemed to pay no further atten-
tion TO II.
Balbo was even moro frightened than Cox, and
sat covering down and trembling on a chair IN the
middle of hts cell as # ne had the ague. He has
hardly been near Cox for the past two or three
DAYS and spends most OF his time pacing up and
down the marble floor of the corridor at his de-
votous.
Cox's letters were read 10 him b. JOHNNY
White one of the Manhattan Bank burglars. with
whom h has been on very friendly terms for some
time. One letter was from his sistcr-in-law, Polly
Cox of Midlothian. Va. with whom his mo her lives
She says he is constantly IN their thoughts and
their love goes out TO HIM. She has lost two
children during the past year and has new baby,
which VIII not be chrstened until after the Novem-
Der election as she wishes to it after the next
President. She hopes by the ilme he receives her
letter he VIII be free and concludes with many good
wishes for his future happiness.
After hearing this letter read, Cox sat for long
time apparently in deep thought, his chin as usual
resting on his hand; then with deep sigh hc arose
and said 10 Sheriff Lanigan; oh, was thinking
of my dear old home way down IN Virginia"
The postal cards were also read TO him. One was
from Mrs. Williams, spirtuaist. who urged him
TO keep up MS spirits and have no fears beyond the
grave One in iady's handwriting was as follows:
To the Ciiy Prison: VII You to whom his mole nav
come give 10 the Condemned man Wal Nou JON
your to mine that he may ind mercy Please
dc not neglect let IT reach Cox soon as posi-
wv anu - -''P FRIEND.
A few other similar communications were read.
but Cox paid very little attention 10 them. and
after the reading gave 90 Johnny" Hope his
sleeve-but,ons and stud. as memento OF theH
friendship.
During the morning, Under-Sherih Stevens came
in for few minutes to superntcnd the erection OF
the gaows in the courtyard. He also en-
tered the iail but Cox would have DO converse
ton with HIM. Commissioners Hess and Thomas
S. Brennan also came III for a while. Cox had IT.
tie talk with Commissioner Brennan He SAID that
he had no hopes this earth, but hoped for mercy
from the Father above. While he was talking witt
the Comm. ssiOner a short, stout man, with dirty
shirt and not ~ possessing couDtenance, entered
the Jail. and leaning over the gate, took a long
look. which was 50 earnest that it at
tracted C0x's attention. The man was lsaacs, the
hangman "tsking his measure" Some one told
Cox who he was aud he trcmbled visihly. but
seemed unable to take his eyes from the hangman
for several seconds Then he turned his back TO
him, and did not until Isaacs went ont.
An hour or so later some plumhcrs who were re.
pairing a pipe in tue prison had occasion TO use
hammer. but at every blow Cox started and
trembled violently that Deputy Sheriff DE
Courcy was obliged to stop them, and tell them t.
finish their work to-day.
Fathers Duranguet and Aniclatus called during
the day and prayed and talked with the condemned
man. He seemed very glad TO see the two priests
and listened with deep attention to every WORD
they said. After them came Father Kress, with
whom Cox sat for q long time. As the clergy man
was passing out of the prison. he stopped Ions
enough 10 say to the reporter that he believed
Cox was sincerely repentant man. and that, al
though lie made no boast of having made his peace
with God, lac believed he had prayed fervently and
with his whole heart, and that his prayers had beer
heard.
The Rev. I. T. Franklin pastor of the African
lis H.,
with Cox lie SAID that the poor man was truly
sorry for his SINS and repened the evil he had done
He was resigned to his fate and had no hopes ever
ponld fat mt deia ant La