, 1886-03-13
JUSTICE SATISFIED.
Two Murderers Condemned to
be Hanged
Attempt to Cheat the Gallows
by Taking Poison.
Carried to the Scaffold in a
Lifeless Condition.
Henring two Dead Mon.

TWO DGdu men.
New ORLEANS, March l2.-At 1880
this morning, when the keepers went to
call Ford aud Murphy, who were to be
hanged to-day for the murder of CAPT.
Murphy, committed here Dec. /, 1884, he
could not arouse them, Physicians were
hastily summoned who pronounced the
men under the influence OF belladona.
Every effort was made to restore them to
consciousness, aud at 10 o'clock Murphy
had rallied a little, but Ford was still IN
conscious. The crime for which Ford and
Murphy were to be hanged Is without
a parallel in the history of New Orleans.
The high position ofthe accused and those
associated with them, the boldness and
audacity of the crime itself and the social,
political and financial influences brought
to bear to retar ! and divert Justice, made
the trial a duel between the state on one
hand, and the defendants on the other.
The central figure in the tragedy was
Judge Thomas | Ford, late record,r Of
the city of New Orleans, and now serving
out a twenty years sentence in the peni-
Tertiary for the part he played in the
murder. Ford, the condemned man, is a
brother of the judge. and Murphy was an
officer in Judge Ford's court. The trial
showed that Judge Ford, his brother and
five officers of his court, were implicated
in the murder.
BATON ROUGE, La, March l2-The
governor this morning received a telegram
from Sheriff Butler, OF Orleans parish,
saying that Ford and Murphy attempted
suicide this morning by swallowing poi
son. They are in a stupor and in a coma
tose condition. The doctors believe the
attempt a failure, but canh1t say how long
it may take to restore them to conscious
ness. Should they not revive before the
hour fixed. shall ! execute the warrants
Notwithstanding The governor replied;
Yes, go on with the execution. Garry
out the warrants.
New ORLEANS. March l2.-At l2:40
o'clock Sheriff Butler, accompanied by
several subordinate officials, proceeded to
the cell of the condemned, where the
bodies of the doomed men still lay, appa-
rently %lifeless. under a physicians care.
The bodies were carefully lifted from their
recumbcnt positions and borne in the
arms of the agitated deputies to the scat
fold. Amid profound silence the ghastly
bodies were carried up the steps to the
plank of the horrible platform and held
in erect positions while the fatal nooses
were drawn over and around their necks,
No sign of life was observable 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
launched into eternity, a hush fell upon
the little group of unwilling spectators.
At 1890 a. M. service was held in the
chapel by the members of the St Vincent
De Paul Society. At > o'alock the men
became unusually calm, so much so that
they seemed hardly able to realize the fact
that a fearful doom was awaiting them.
At 2.30 a. m. Ford said he was tired and
he and Murphy went to their cells, accom-
panied By the deputy sheriifs and report
ers, They entered the cells, babe all good
night and were left alone. The men APP
peared to be sleeping soundlya at 1870 a IN
when efforts to arouse them revealed their
condition. They were lying on their
backs. Ford was breathing very loudly,
while Murphy appeared to be sleeping
calmly. Efforts to arouse Ford were una
%vailinr, but Murphy was aroused, and
when asked how he felt replied, VERY
bad" A noinor passed over him and
he again sank into unconsciousness.
Two pieces of paper were found in the
cells which had evidently contained bella
donna. In view Of the fact that the CON
demnod men had intended suicide, Rev.
Father O'Callahan, in accordance with
the rule Of the Catholic church, refused
to administer the last sacrament to them.
Preparations for the hanging began at
1903 p. M. when the yard and corridor
were cleared of prisoners. Both men
were lying in their cots; Murphy was in
the same s%cmi.conscious state, ard,
although his eyes wandered in al direc
tons, he could not understand what was
going on. Only once did he return to his
senses. and then he held out his hand to
Ford and endeavored to shake hands with
him. This was only for an instant, for he
once more lost consciousness, notwith
standing tie fact hat en- C les were admin
istcrcd whiah caused him to vomit, which
was of a grecnish hue. At 1886 the
arms and legs Of the men were pinioncl,
while they were still in a recumbent pos
ton. Six WITNESSES were sworn in by
Sheriff Bu,ler and the death warrant
read to the scnseless men. They weiC
carried TO the scaiTold at l2.45 p m.
Finding that the men were unable to si
in the chairs, the ropes were heightened
somewhat so as to reach them as they lay
in a half rccumbent position On the gal
lows. The rain last night caused tn
ropes to stretch so that when the drol
Tell Murphy feet touched the pavement
and Enrl'q f4at almost touched IA |