Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1888-02-16
TO THE GALLOWS.
Dunham Receives His Death
Sentence With Composure.

George Dunham has but six weeks
more to live, unless his case is taken
to the Court of Pardons, which is al
together unlikely. Sentence was pro-
nounced upon him Feb. 9th by Judge
Reed and be will die on the scaffold on
Thursday March Goth.
AS early as 730 o'clock Thursday
morning stream of people began
flowing toward the Court House
entrances. All were eager to witness
the last part of the tragedy of the
Handle farm that the public would be
permitted to witness. By 8 o'clock
the Court room was packed and not a
seat was left. The crowd sat motion
less and expectant till Durham was
brought in by Yearicks, his guard, and
Jailer Packer. The prisoner staggered
rather than walked across the floor Hof
the bar inclosure, with his hand thrust
deep into his overcoat pockets and sat
heavily in his chair with Yearicks by
his side, everyone who could see his
face was struck by his appearance
He rolled his eyes till the pupils disap-
peared and left nothing visible but the
white balls. He sat without the slight
est indication that he was cognizant of
what was going on till he was taken
out with the death sentence over his
head. Prosecutor Perry made the
usual motion for the pronouncing Of
the death sentence, and after
seconds silence Judge Reed said in
low, nervous voice: George Nee.
Durham, you have been convicted in
this Court of murder in the first degree.
Have You anything to say why judg-
lnent should not be pronounced upon
your
There was long pause. Every eye
was turned upon the young prisoner.
He sat still, as though oblivious to all
about him. Then, slowly, falteringly,
and with husky voice, Judge Reed
said:
George McC. Dunham, after trial
lasting fivs, days. characterized by the
ability, industry and Judgment of the
counsel for you, as well as counsel
against you, trial in which every
possible circumstance calculated to
throw light upon the cause and man
ner of Barbara Handles death seems
to have been presented, you have
been convicted, by jury who listened
with great attention, intelligence and
patience from the beginning to the
end Of the trial to all the testimony
and the comments of counsel and the
Court upon the testimony, of murder
in the first degree The last duty of
this Court is to pronounce the sentence
which the law has fixed as the punish
ment for the crime of which you have
been convicted.
in performing this duty ] shall
only caution you against the indul-
gence in vain hopes of evading the
sentence of the law. Instead of vast
ing your time in such illusive thought,
turn your mind to preparation for
the solemn change which awaits you.
And now it is the Judgment of the
law, pronounced by this Court, that
you, George Dunham, be returned to
the common Jail of this county, and
there be kept in confinement until
Thursday, the Goth day of March next;
that on that day you be taken to the
place of execution, and there, between
the hours of 10 O'Clock in the forenoon
and o'clock in the afternoon of the
said Thursday, the Goth day of March,
1888, you be hanged by the neck until
youare dead, and may God havemer
on your soul"
Dunham apparently unmoved, was
taken back to his cell. Constable
Yearicks, Dudham's guard, said that
the prisoner seemed quite bright this
morning until it came time to dress for
court Then he began his demonstra-
tions again and was very bad. Shortly
after his return to the Jail Prosecutor
Perry entered the Jail to see him.
You had better own up and tell all
about this, George" said the Prose
cutor
DO you want me to tell lies9" asked
Durham.
mo; that is not necessary. l want
you only to tell the truth. Do you
want to see any Of your folks2'
No; they all went back on me and
! don't want anything to do with
them.n
DO you want to see your wifeY'
II have no wife. If she hadn't gone
back on me so bad I wouldn't have
been here"
Mr. Perry could get nothing more
from the doomed man and left him to
brood over his thoughts. The Prose-
cutor thinks he will surely confess.
The Judges Thursday selected their
jury to attend the hanging according
to the law The jury is: w, T. Jones,
Clarence Eyre. Charles B. Platt, David
L. Devault, Charles Starr, f. A. Camp
bell, G. B. Leonard, J. T. Sick Ter, Dir.
Albert Trenchard, Samuel Mead, DR..
n n II