The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-01-12
Haugman's Day.

The year 1882 has made good beginning for
the punishment of crime. Two murderers
Joseph Michael Kotovsky and Charles Ellis, the
latter colored, were hanged at St. Louis, Mar
tin Kinkowski at Jersey City, A. Phelps at Mar
shall, Mo-, and Terrence Archille and Sterling
Ben ut New Orleans. Kotowsky, hanged at st.
Louis, was found guilty of the murder of Au-
gusta Simons, his sweetheart, on the 10th of Oc-
tober, 1878 cause, jealousy. His companion on
the gallows, Ellis, was convicted of the murder
of roustabout named Sanders, May 9, 1880,
while playing "craps." Ellis neck was broken
by the fall, but Kotovsky was slowly strangled,
and could be distinctly heard gritting his teeth
and breathing hard. Kinkowski, hanged at
Jersey City, was found guilty, on circumstan-
tial evidence, of the murder Of Nina Mueller
He had deserted his wife and she her husband,
and ON the Sd of May the two were married at
Gutenberg On. j. by Rev. DIR. Waybon. On
the afternoon of that same day, she was
found murdered in the woods ad
joining Guttenburg. Kinkowsk protested
bis innocence up to the last moment, and begged
for an another hour of life. At the last mo-
ment, when the black cap had been drawn over
his head and his arms and legs pinioned, he
threw back his head and in q loud voice ex-
claimed: "In the name Of the Father and
the Son and Of the Holy Ghost, am innocent
Of this thing. Father. forgive me and those
who brought this disgrace upon the State of
New Jersey" When the trigger was sprung,
the doomed man was jerked about eight feet
into the air, breaking his neck instantly. Per-
haps the most effective scene occurred at the
execution of Phelps, at Marshall, Missouri.
Phelps had been in the employ of q wealthy
IA Al in Qal;
it seems that he and the daughter of Keyton
had fallen madly in love with each other
Keyton firmly opposed an alliance be-
tween the two, and as consequence there
were frequent quarrels. On the night Of April
%, last, while they were engaged in feeding the
stock, Phelps struck Keyton down with an ak,
killing him dead, and then took from bis pocket
800 in money. He was subsequently arrested,
tried, convicted, and sentenced to death.
Among those present to witness the execution
was Miss Keyton, who wept bitterly. The
condemned man made brief speech, in which
he asked Ito be forgiven, warned all young
men to beware Of his fate, and said he recog-
nized his sweetheart in the crowd, at which the
young girl cried hysterically, and Phelps him
self was greatly moved. The Sheriff sprung the
bolt at 1910 p. M, and the wretched man was
| dead in eight minutes. Great sympathy was
manifested by the crowd for Phelps, and there
were shouts Of "Don't hang him." He was a
| fne-looking young man of twenty three years,
and was doubtlessly impelled to commit the
bloody deed by his love for Keyton's daughter,
| At Now Orleans Terrence Achille and Sterling
Ben, both colored, were hanged for the murder
of Mr.. ID. Larmand, q wealthy man, last Au-
gust. Larmand had so, 900 on his person, and
1t was to como into possession Of this that they
killed him. At Elmira, N. Y, Joseph Abbott
was hanged for the killing Of fellow prisoner
in the New York State Reformatory, named
George Reed, last April.