St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-03-20
HANGED AT LAST,

Hangman by Taking Poison - The Gu
. prits Launched Into Eternity While in
Semi Comatose Condition Resume {
the Crime.
CINCINNATI, March PA specia
, dispatch from New Orleans states tina
John Murphy, and Pat Ford, sentences
to pay the extreme penalty of the law a
that city to-day, took large doses of bella
donna this morning, and were found in
precarious condition. They were uncon
scious, and had to be carried to the scat
fold. They were hanged at 81 p. III.
After the mems limbs had been pin
Toned and they were placed in chairs eacl
was lifted by two strong men and the pro
cession to the scaffold began. They car.
ried Murphy in the lead, took him on the
gallows, removed the chairs and lay him
in 4 half-sitting posture, his back and
head leaning against the wsl!. He looked
ghasly, and the falling lSsl-drops wet
his face. Then they laid Pat Ford beside
him. He WAS speeches., helpless and
without motion
The door back of the galloWs opened
with harsh sound, and tall figure robed
in a black domino and wire mask stepped
out. It was the cXccutioncr. When he
stepped on the platform Ford opened his
eyes for one moment and caught q glimpse
of the dangling rope above him.
With movements rapid and exert black
caps were drawn over their faces, the
! moose adjusted and the man in black dis
appeared. One word &c., and the two
bodies shot into space. No time had
been lost, and the law stood indicated.
Ford, being heavy man, went down
almost perpendicularly and came up
with sudden thud. The jerk on the
rope peeled the skin off the left side Of
his neck He pressed his hands to-
gether, shrugged his shoulders, several
times, heaved his chest, stretched out
his limbs, and ceased to move
Murphy swung out ut an angle, whirled
back toward the wall, twirled around,
extended his limbs, and the ball of his
foot rested on the pavement of the Jail
yard. Then he drew himself up, shook
his frame, and touched the ground
once more, convulsive twitch passed
over his body, he drew up again, and
then grew still.
At l:l5 p. m, after the expiration of
twenty-five minutes, they were pro-
nounccd dead by medical experts and cut
down. The necks of both men had been
completely dislocatcd.
There is no cicW to the manner by
which the men secured the poison.
Sheriff Butler had feared such an attempt
would be made, and visitors were care
fully searched and watched He believes
they must have procured it some time
ago.
During the execution and for some !
time prior, crowd of from two to five |
thousand people were gathered around !
the Jail, and when the bodies We're
brought out by the undertakers, fully five
thousand people followed them to their
homes. There was no unusual excite
ment in the city during the day, but
crowds gathered around the bulletin
boards. and eagerly bought extras to
learn the latest news.
The crime for which these two men
paid the penalty to-day has become the
most celebrated in Louisiana criminal
history 1t has involved most of the
politicians and several gentlemen of the
cloth, and bids fair to become political
locuC III VIC HCAb QUITE ClHlDdlSH.
Judge Thomas j.. Ford was second
recorder OF the city, and man of con-
influence, and at the then ensu-
ing city election would have been
candidate for Mayor.
A. ii. Murphy was an amateur pugiiiSt
and held minor position under the city
government. He was quarelsome
fellow, and had been before the court
dozen times for disturbing the peace, but
had scores of friends among this particu-
ar class.
When Murphy appeared before Ford's
court, the latter gave him the full extent
II the law and Endorsed on the COM
that Murphy was q notorious
loodlum and beat. Murphy challenged
Ford to duel, and this failing, entered
'uit for criminal libel. Ford did not Wish
his suit to come to a trial, fearing his
political advancement would be endan-
.ered, and employed his cousin, John
Murphy, to aSsassinate "Cap' Murphy,
'ut for some reason the plot failed
Murphy's suit was postponed till De-
ember 2, 1884, and the day before the
rial while he was working gang of con-
lets on the Claiborne canal Ford and a
orce OF friends appeared upon the scene
nd opened fire upon him. A regular
attic ensued, some of Murphy's friends
omins to the rescue. Murphy was killed
urng the fight.
In the first trial of the case the jury dis
greed. In the second trial the jury found
hat Pat Ford and John Murphy were
ailty of murder, and that Judge Ford,
aulfield and Buckley were guilty of man {
laughter. The former We're sentenced to i
cath and the latter to twenty years i'm &
risonment. The condemned were twice S
epricved, but the Governor finally set to- t
ay for their execution. i
Public opinion is much divided, some
that Judge Ford is the muir e
erer, and consider it outrageous that his {
lOlS should suffer the penalty of death | c