Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-01-20
A Crime Of Forty Years Ago.

The details of the murder OF Samuel
Adams by John Colt in 1871, on the cor
ner of Chambers street and Broadway.
New York, and the excitement caused
thereby, which continued during the
trial and eliminated with Colts suicide
on the day appointed for his execution,
are fresh in many minds. Colt, who
was q brother of Col Samuel Colt, of
revolver fame, was a man OF varied tai
ents and promiscuous undertakings. In
1871 he was engaged in preparing a
treatise on bookkeeping, and had an
office in the building above referred to,
over the apartments subsequently, occu-
pied by Delmonico. Adams was a col
lector of rents, and had SO Professionally
annoyed Colt, who was III arrears, that
the latter was unable to restrain his
temper whenever Adams made his an
pearance. On the fatal day Colt was
boxing up some books when Adams came
on his oft-repeated errand. The collector
refused to leave until the tenants arrear-
ages were paid. Words waxed warm,
and Colts blood boiled, until, in the
frenzy of the moment, he struck Adams
with Ratchet he had been using. The
blow was fatal one, and Adams dropped
to the floor dead man. The consum-
mate GOODNESS with which Colt boxed up
the remains of his victim and shipped
them to q convenient vessel was only
equaled by his remarkable presence Of
mind when his terrible crime was discoy-
cred and brought home to him. Great
efforts, legal and otherwise, were
made to save Colt from the gallows.
Much public sympathy was enlisted in
his behalf. The murderer was of fine
personal appearance. He had an ex-
tended acquaintance Ill the best society
of New York, and he was reported to
have been engaged to very progresses
ing young lady of excellent family con-
nections. He lacked no money or legal
advice in the defense Of his case. but.
after repeated efforts to secure O new
trial, he was convicted and sentenced to
be hanged on the 18th of November.
1912. Even after sentence had been
pronounced the friends of the con-
demned man did not abandon their hope
OF saving him from the gallows. The
most startling scheme was one which
two young doctors, who took rooms at
the then notorious Shakespeare Hotel.
were identified. The police discovered,
that one Of the employees in the Tombs
had been, or was to have been, bribed
to cut down the body while it was yet
warm, that life was to have been re-
stored by the use of galyanic battery.
and another body substituted for that OF
the resuscitated murderer. Even the
discovery of this scheme, which the doc
tors ayerred was only to have benefited
science, could not dissuade some people
from the idea that Colt had escaped
rom the Tombs. That he escaped the
gallows is too well known. He was up
early on the day appointed for his death
and conversed freely with his brother
and the late DIR. Anthem. He spoke
calmly of his approaching fate, and bade
his visitors an affectionate farewell.
Sheriff Hart had made careful prepa-
rations for the execution. The gallows
IN the Jail-yard had been carefully tested,
and all was in readiness before the APP
pointed hour. A few moments before
10 a. m, the officers went to Colts cell.
and found their preparations had been in
vain. The man whose escape from the
gallows had been 30 strenuously fought
for had accomplished it with his own
hand. He was found dead on the floor
of his cell, the blade of knife hurried
deep in his heart. How Colt obtained
possession of the knife is a mystery to
this day. The news of his suicide spread
like wildfre and the excitement was in
tense and universal. In the Special Ses-
sions room, at that time occupied by the
firemen, a stove was upset and a slight
fire added greatly to the excitement OF
the hour. This circumstance gave rise
to a story that while the tumuIt was at
its height another body was in some way
exchanged for that of Colt, and that the
attempted scheme of resusciation had
been really accomplished. The fallacv
Of the story was completely established
by subsequent events. The young lady
TO whom he was engaged was constantly
Swallowed by private detectives for some
time after the suicide, and these officers
convinced themselves and al others that
Celt was indeed dead.--Meso York
Times.