Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-07-22
CHAsTINE cox HANGED.

The NIulattO Murderer oil NIrs. IhuiI
PRys the Penalty of His Crime on
the ScafTOld-An Account of the
Crime Told by tho CuIprit Himself
That Indignation Meeting.
Associated Press Dispatch.
NEW YORK, Jnly G.-Chastine Cox, the
negro murderer of Mrs. Hull, WAS hanged
here this morning, at S,37 o'clock. He
died in 16 minutes. The arrangements
for the execution were all completed last
night, the Governor having declined to
interfere, Tue gallowa was erected yes
terday in the court yard of the prison. II
is the same old instrument of death upon
which many culprits have met their fate
Cox died without struggle.
At $50 he called for the minister and Rev.
Mr.. Cooke came in. Cox shook hands with
him cordially, After religious exercises the
ctlprit ate heartily of breakfast, after which
prayer was resumed and continued until the
arrival of the sheriff and deputies.
AT O'Clock Cox, wearing the black cap
with the moose dangling from his neck and
his arms pinoned, was taken from his cell to
the gallows. lie walked with firm step and
az the procession neared the gallows he
looked at it with seeming GOODNESS. Taking his
station beneath the cross piece and standing
on the Belgian pavement, he dropped his eyes
and his lips moved in prayer while the moose
dangling from his neck was hooked to the
pendant rope and the black cap was drawn
over his face.
There was only an instant of suspense
when, at S.37 at signal from the Sheriff, the
executioner, hidden behind a board screen,
cut with axe the cord holding the weight and
Cox's body was jerked four feet into the air,
and in settling down displayed contortions in
dicatiye of strangling. minute later he
was still, and in sixteen minutes he was pro-
nounced dead.
The crime for which Chastine Cox is to be
executed was one 30 atrocious in its character
that it should be matter of surprise that
more than thirteen months has been allowed
to intervene between the commission of the
deed and the punishment of the murderer.
The victim was Mrs. Jane l.. De Forest Hull
who was found on the morning of June 18th,
1879, dead in her bed, with her limbs tied to
the bed-post, and many articles of jewelry
stolen. Previous to the murder Cox was
employed in house directly opposite to Mrs
Hulrs residence, and she gave him jobs of
work cleaning the sidewalk and carrying coal
to an upper chamber.
1t was while he was thus at work that he
conceived the idea of robbing Mrs. Hull. He
has persistently declared that he had no
motive but robbery, and that he did not slis-
poet tho lady was dead when he left her.
Nhtl Mus Ill hlGb. nun CnulllDtI blt
awoke, and recognizing the peril she was i'll,
exclaimed, "Whateyer you do don't kill me y
He then placed his left hand over her mouth,
she struggling all the time to release herself.
lie kept his hand over her mouth until she
became quiet, and tying her limbs he lit a
candle and gathered his plunder. Finding
that Mrs. Hull was breathing hard, he poured
cologne over her face and emptied the water
pitcher in trying to restore her to conscious
ness. He then left by the front door, and
never knew that Mrs. Hull was dead till the
next day, when he heard the passengers in a
street car talking about the murder.
The murder, occurring as it did to lady
moving in good society in New York city,
caused intense excitement and the police wert
very active in endeavoring to trace the mur-
derer, but some wiseacre among the officials
started the theory that suspicion attached tc
the husband of the unfortunate lady, and
while they were on this wild-goose chase tho
actual assassin was strutting about in the city
with some of the plunder upon his person
Cox passed Mrs. Hulls residence severa
times the day after the murder and saw the
detectives i'll front of it.
Finally the New York police discovered 6
clue. Upon the person OF u colored girl in
house of ill repute was found a valuable
topaz necklace, which the Inflated lady hat
worn in the presence of royalty during visit
to England The girl confessed that it hat
been a gift to her from Chastine Cox, and hei
description of tho giver was published. He
however, had disappeared from the city, ant
the researches of the police were in vain. A
this juncture Mr.. B. @. Balch, n reporter o.
the Boston H,raid, while walking in thu
streets of that city was struck by the resem
blance OF negro in advance of him to TIN
description given of the murderer. He fol
lowed the man into q colored meeting house
brief absence from the church enabled
Balch to get the assistance of policeman
and the murderer was soon in the grip of tn
law. Cox was taken to New York, and 500
placed upon trial. The evidence that ha'
accumulated against him was SO convincing
that the jury found him guilty of murder il
the first degree. On the 18th of July he wa
sentenced by Judge Cowing to hang Angus
29th. Motions for new trial delayed the exc
cution, but on the 9Th of April, 1880, til
Court of Appeals affirmed the Judgment q
the court below. On tho 10Th of April he wa
sentenced to be hung on the 2Sth OF May, bil
the Governor respited him to July 10th.