The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-03-18
FORD AND MURPHY.
TRY TO ESCAPE THE GALLONS
by Suicide,

BY SUICIDE.
New ORLEANS, March l2-Ford and Murphy
were hanged here to-day, at l2:5l. At 1870 this
morning, when the keepers made an effort to
| arouse the prisoners, they could rot wake them
up After an examination hy physicians, they
| concluded that the men had taken belladonua. AT
$3.50 Murphy had rallied, but Ford was still uncon-
| FCOus.
! panied by several subordinate officers, pro.
ccedcd To the cell where the bodies of the doomed
men lay still, apparently lifele7s, under a physi-
| clan care Their fOsms were carefully lifted from
| their rrcumbcnt position and borne in the arms of
the agitatcd deputies to the -Cauld amid profound
| silence. The chastity bodies we're carried up the
| steps OF the plank platform, and held In an erect
| position while the fatal nOuscs were drawn over
] and around their ncCks No signs OF life were Oh
! scrvabo in either Of the men. When the last sad
| rites had been performed, and when the trap was
| sprung BY an unseen hand, and the bodies were
launched into eternity, hush fell upon the little
| group Of unwilling spectators.
The trap was sprung at l2:5l, p. m,
ANOTHER ACCOUNT
At 1870 a. n.'scryice was held in the chapel by
members OF Of the st. Vincent de Paul society,
! At2 O'Clock the men became unusually calm so
much that they seemed hardly to realize the fact
! that fearful doom was awaiting them. At 2:30
! n. m. Ford said he was tired and Murphy went 10
! the cell accompanied by deputy shcriiis and Ie-
! pOrtrrs They then baHc goodnight and were left
alone. The men appeared to be sleeping sOundly
| at Z a, M, when efforts TO arouse Ford were I'M.
ayaing. but MURPHY was aroused, and when asked
! how he felt, replied, "Nery bad. tremor passed
over him, and he again sank into unconscious,
ness. Two pieces Of paper were found
| in the cell which had evidently contained
bcllndOnna. In view of the fact that the men had
attempted suicide, Rev. Father O'Callahan, in ac-
COrdanCe with the rules of the Catholic church, re-
| fused to administer the last sacI amcnt to them.
The preparations for the hanging began at II 20 p.
| IN. when the yard and corridors were cleared of
! prisoners. Both men were lying on their cots,
| Murphy was in the same scmconsciols state, and
| although his eyes wandered in all directions, he
! could not understand what was going on. Only
did he return to his senses, and then he held
| out his hand and endeavOred to shake hands with
| him. This was only for a moment, for he once
more lost consciousness, notwithstanding the fact
| that the emetics administered to him caused him
| To vOmit the poison, which was of g,eensh hue.
| At II b, the arms and legs of the men were pin
ioncd while they were still in Il recumbent
| position
six witnesses we're sworn in by Sheriff Butter
and the death warrant was read to the senseless
men. They were carried to the scailuld at 2:i5
p. N. Finding that the men were unable to sit in
their chairs the ropes were heightened somewhat
in order 10 reach them as they lay in haltreCum
bent position on the gallOws. The rain last night
caused the ropes to stretch SO bad that when the
trap fell Murphy feet touched the pavement, and
Fords almost touched it. 1t only took few mo-
mcnts for the cNcCutOncr, rObed in his black dom
inc and wire mask, to adjust the rope and black
cap before he returned 10 his cell followed almost
instantly by sharp swish of the axe IL IT cut the
rope. Then the bodies of John Murphy and Pat
Ford shot through the air to come up with sud
den jerk. The drop was about eight feet. The
bodies were allowed to hang twenty minutes and
we've cut down at 20 =. m.
| The same july which witnessed the hanging re-
! viewed the bodies and assisted Coroner Jones.
They gave verdict of death by hanging, which
disOCated the ncCks of both men. The bodies Will
be taken charge of by the Ford family
sheriff Butler, in an interview, stated he had
taken every precautiOn to avoid what had hap
pened. lie had taken precautions not only against
the admission of lpT-OUE. but also urliuSt l.
tempt AT rescue. When the last death warrant was
received he had, without giving the condemned
men any reason for the act removed everything
from their cell. This was done for fear that poi
son, or some other means of taking life might be
sccreted there. lie also refused to allow any
cigars or any other luXnries to be sent them by
persons outside, lie said a rigid investigation
would be made as TO how the poison was conveyed
TO the men,
THE CRIME.
The crime for which Ford and Murphy were
hanged Is without parallel in the history of New
Orleans. The central figure was Judge Thomas j.
Ford, late recorder of the city of New Orleans,
now serving out twenty years sentence in the
penitentlary for the part he played in the murder.
He was a shrewd politician and recognized as the
boss of the Fourth ward. He became engaged
in quarrel with Capt Murphy, also politician
and superintendent of the wOrkhouse, and abusing
eN-COngrcssman Ellis. Murphy was brought be
fore Ford, charged with some violation of the law,
and Ford denounced him IA hoodlum city oil
the judge declined Murphy then posted lin
throughout the city as coward, liar,
aud thief, and proclaimed it SO
often that the Judge finally had him indicted
for criminal libel Murphy claimed, up to the day
of his d~lth, flat he had in his possession ample
evidence to Prove that Ford was thief and EN-
bezzlcr and never had an opportunity to produce
this, for on the very day of his trial the charge
of criminal libel, he was murdered in cold blood.
done in broad day, in Il populous section of the
city, in the very face of hundreds of law abiding
citizens and the murdercrs walked away unknown.
Indignation knew no bounds and the law pounCcd
upon Judge Fold, his brother, Pat Ford his cousin,
Officer John Murphy, and officers Buckley, Caul
field, Favetto and Bader-hye officers of Judge
Furd's Court-as the murderars and after a long
trial Pat Ford and John Murphy were sentenced to
he hung, and Judge Ford, his clerk Caulfed and
Officer Buckley sent TO the prnitcntiary at hard
labor for twenty years. Judge Ford then came for
ward, and although dnring the trial he proved an
al'bi he now publicly stated he was alone guilty of
the murder of Murphy, and his brother, Pat Ford,
was innocent. The popular verdict, however, was
at comes too late, and rs Pat Ford was among
the party of assassins he was equally guilty of the
murder.
This murder of Captain Murphy, Ivy judge of
the court of record aided by all the officers of the
court, fer which two men have been hanged and
three others are now serving out twenty years
sentence at hard labor, finds no parallel.