The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-08-27
GOTHAM ) JACK KETCH.
A Man Who Has Executed Twenty NIur
derers

derers
New York Cor Troy Times
The executioner who served at Balbo's
hanging is considered the most success.
ful OF his profession in existence. He
has been more than quarter of a cen
fury in the business, and is very proud
OF his skill. He may claim, indeed, that
no failure or difficulty has occurred in
any case that came under his hands
This man is deplty sheriff George w.
Isaacs. II is said that the name is as
sumed IN order to protect the family
! from notoriety, but do not believe the
| statement. He was deputy Isaacs before
he became the hangman, and the last
mentioned service came to him IN direct
connection with his official duty. He
did it so we'll that he was employed on
the next painful occasion, and in this
manner he has been retained until the
present day. Isaac's first execution in
deed gave him 4 reputation. Two river
| pirates (Howlet and Saul were to suffer,
and the case was one of great import
| ance. The prisoners were well known
| desperadoes, and had, while attempting
to rob a vessel at midnight, murdered
the Waterman. They had also been po-
litical DULLES, and at the scene of eXecu-
| ton shook hands with Tom Hyer, Bill
| Poole and other old associates.
Beginning with Howlet and Saul in
| 1853, Isaacs has assisted in executing the
| following murderers: James l. Hoar
John Dorsey, James Rodgers, James
| Stephens, John Crummins, Nathaniel
Gordon, William Hawkins, Johns Rey
nolds, Bernard Fricry, George Wagner
Jerry O'Brien, John Real, John Thomas
William Foster, Michael Nixon, John
Dolan, and recently Cox and Balbo. Al
of these suffered in the Tombs except
Gordon, who was taken 10 Bedloe's Is
land, as his crime was punished under
Federal law. Issacs has also been calico
to Superintend executions in othel
places, and one of his most important
jobs was the Otero murderers. He ha.
told me some of the facts connected with
these painful scenes, each of which il
deeply impressed on his memory. Hi
fee Is from $50 to $3.50, which may seen
large, but when the sheriff receives 81,
500 the chief functionary may claim
handsome fee. He adopts the methoC
practiced by Marwood, the famous Lon
don hangmau, of placing the knot undo
the chin instead of at the ear, since, Ga
he claims) it is more effective, produC
ing death by instantaneous sHangula
ton.
1saacs always interviews the prisone
; in time TO estimate height and weight
and provides "A rope of corresponding
: strength. His fayorite material is Ita
ian hemp, and the cord (Which is usua
. ly halfinch) is saturated in a chemica
fluid prepared by himself. 1t is the
slushed so as to be as pliable as sill
/ thread. These facts show how closel
: Isaacs has applied himself to his fearfr
trade No Jew has ever suffered til
9 death penalty, but Isaacs once had gre;
I expectation of hanging RubensteiI
= The latter, however, died in his cell
= few days before the day fixed for eXecu
ton. The Jews are not combative c
murderous, and the crimes which ma
be laid to their charge are chiefly ft
the sake of gain. Isaacs told me tn;
the most reckless men he ever saw III
der such circumstances were the Spa
:, iards Condos and Pellicion, who mu
> dered Otero in order to obtain his mo
, ey. One of them exclaimed as he a
preached gallows: ME no care
James Rodgers was the youngest persC
n he ever hung. his age being only Gig
y teen. He murdered man whom
2 had never seen before in street Draw
S Among the most Thoroughly depravC
e cases that came under his hand were IL
It wife murderer, VIM. Z. Foster, the CT
hook murderer, and the above mentio
ed river thieves, Howlet and Saul.