The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-07-26
THE GALLOWS.
The Desperate Murderers of Two
Women Hanged In New
Jersey.
Their Crimes for Cowardly Brutal
ity Scarcely Equaled In Amer
lean Criminal History.

JERSEY CITY, July 1S.-Henry Conrad
Ebert was hanged in the county Jail this
morning. When the trap was sprung the
knot slipped around under the jaw and
disarranged the cap, so that Ebert's face
was exposed to view as he slowly strangled
to death.
When the body was cut down, it was
turned over to his brother, and this after
noon was cremated.
The crime for which Ebert was hanged
was one peculiarly atrocious. In 1888,
Ebert was married to Mrs. Diel, who was
widow. She had one child, Elsa, whose
father had left her about $1,000. Imme-
diately after their marriage Ebert began
to abuse his wife shamefully, because she
would not let him have her little girls
money He fancied that if he had Mrs.
Ebert declared a lunetic, he could, in that
way, secure the money. He was partially
successful in this plan, as he secured his
wife's confinement in Blackwell's island
esylum, but she was discharged before he
had completed the work of robbing his
step-chlld. On Sunday, November 81,
people living in the vicinity of Eberts
home heard two shots fred in rapid sue
cesslon. A few minutes later Ebert was
seen in his yard. He was holding on to a
fence and cropping his way to the front
door. He was covered with the blood
that flowed from wound in his left tenn
pie. He was removed to the city hospi-
tai and soon became unconscious. When
he recovered his right eye had been ex-
tracted from its socket. He professed to
remember nothing about the shooting.
Policeman Ho pkins, who summoned
the ambulance to convey Ebert to the
hospital, had broken open the door TO
enter the house. Mrs. Ebert was found
itting upon lounge in the front room.
She had been shot in the left side of the
head and killed instantly. From the ap-
pearance of the room iJ was evident Ebert
had locked the door as he eEtered. He
probably told his wife about mythical
burglars. The unfortunate woman sat
down upon the lounge, expecting her hus-
band to light the lamp.
AS she removed her hat and wrap she
turned her head aside. The next instant
Ebert killed her. He then turned the re-
volver to his own head. The weapon fell
at his murdered wifes feet. Ebert stag
gered out of the back door, which fastened
with spring lock. He was trying to re-
enter the house when he was discovered
Eight days later the coroner's jury rem
dered verdict charging Ebert with the
murder. He was indicted, placed on trial
May 6, last, and convicted
HANGED IN JAIL.
FREEHOLD, N. j., July 49, Richard
Kearney was hanged in the county jail
this morning.
The crime for which he was executed
ives the murder of Mrs. Margaret Purcell,
bousekeeper of the family of the late
Daniel R. Lyddy, of Elberop. Mrs. Pur
Cell was left in charge of their cottage
when the Lyddys returned to New York
last fall. Kearney was employed by the
family as coachman. Tuesday morning
February IA, Kearney, while engaged in
helping Mrs. Purcell put away some meat
in the cellar, made an assault upon her
She repulsed his advances, when Kearney
assaulted her in the most brutal manner
He knocked her down and kicked her
about the head and abdomen.
Hearing a roise the brute went up
stairs. Mrs. Purcell followed him. Kear-
ney caught her in his arms, and threw her
down the celler stairs. When she crept
halfway up the stairs he followed her, and
threw her over the side of the stairs upon
the cellar floor, breaking her right leg in
two places. Kearney then tried to choke
her to death and left her for dead on the
cellar floor. The woman was in a fright
full condition when found. She was taken
to st. yincent's hospital, in New York,
where she died March II.