Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-12-10
A Murderer Hanged.

A Murderer Hanged.
In the autumn, a fiend in human
| form, named Howard Sullivan, col
ored man. overlook Miss Watson
while she was on a lonely road on
her way from town to her country
home in New jersey, and murdered
her for lust and money. He was
hung on the second inst, at Salem.
Y. J., and when about to be swung
of, he asked all who hoped to meet
him in heaven to raise their hands
Nearly every man presertraised their
hands. He declared that rs was
about to fall into the arms OF Jesus.
1t is Just such miserable spectacles
as that, that gives a ghastly glory to
an execution in the mind Of bad peo
pie If they are taught that after a
thieving and murierous career they
can be prayed into the arms OF Jesus
and be eternally happy, what use is
there in pursuing a correct life ? If
life in the service Ct tine Devil is to
be changed for life il glory merely
by shout or two for Jesus, the evil
desires might as well be indulged,
for if detection comes, and human
society inficts punishment, an eter-
nal state Of happiness awaits the vii
lain in the other world. That is
about the way the thieves and muir
derers argue, and that is about
tie result Of the teaching ofa certain
class of theologians. Such preachers
do society q grea5 deal OF harm. and
they DO great injury TO 4 certain
ciass Of people by making them feel
secure of eternal happiness regard
less Of what they DO. Out upon such
preaching and such preachers that
teach that tha human fiend who turks
By the roadside and springs out upon
an innocent girl and violates her par-
son and robs her OF her money isa lit
subject for heaven. II the murderer
can get into heaven good for him,
but IN the name of the commonest
decency let as be spared the in1iction
OF set of Theological teachers that
attend upon the murderer and work
him up to public expression that ne
is certain to so straight to heaven
from the gallows.
The North American of December
3, 1884, gives an account OF the exc
cution of Sullivan as follows:
SALEM, \. J.. Dec. EARLY this
morning one unacquaintel with the
events which were to transpirs in this
generally quiet little town would
have supposed that it was s fair day
or gala occasion of similar nature.
Every country road leading to the
place was dotted with Coming wa
gons and pedestrians, while the IT,
coming railroad trains brought many
other anxious, curious persons, who
in common with those coming in
other ways FASTENED to the c.ntre OF
the town and gathered around the
Court House. The street was soon
crowded. Roughly clad farmers and
laborers jostled against men who bore
the appearance of merchants and
men of leisure, against half grown
boys and even little children. The
centre of attraction to all was thslit
tie roughly-built board shed in
which Howard Sullivan was to be
hanged.
In the jail adjacent to which the
scaffOld WAS to be erected, Sullivan
sat in his room. He had gone to bed
at midnight, after spending several
hours IL devotional exercises and
singing negro melodies. .'Cal me
about seven o'clock hessid. During
the night he awakened and ate half
mince pie, which was furnished to
him, but with this exception he slept
as soundly as though he had never
been branded with the mark of Cain.
and was not on the threshold of death.
1t was few minutes after seven when
be YVES awakened by the warden.
His breakfast of buckwhsat cakes and
sausage which was brought to nim
few moments later from the table of
ex Sheriff Coles. was the first meal of
which he had eaten heartily. He did
not refuse this, but merely said he
would eat later.
Early in the morning several re-
porters and others were admitted TO
'ee him. He talked with perfect calm
hess, and after time ate 8 portion