Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-01-04
ELDER EXECUTED.
He Was Hanged for the Murder of
His Father.
A LETTER TO THE PUBLIC.
He Wrote IL the Night Before His Death,
and In 1t Said That He Was Pre-
pared to Die-Hoped His Fate
Would Warn Others.

MAYS LANDING, n. j., Jan robert
Elder has been hanged here for the murder
of his father
Elder spent his last night on earth prepar-
ing to meet his doom. At 10 p. IN. he was
visited by his 14-year-old brother, Thomas
Elder, and his sister, Maggie Mccullough.
He received them cordially and had a talk
with them which lasted for nearly half an
hour. He expressed to them his sorrow for
what he had done but said that he was pre-
pared to die
At midnight Elder sat down to the little
table in his cell and wrote his last letter,
which he put in his pocket Then he sat in
the corridor and smoked cigars until o'clock,
when he was induced by the death watch TO
enter his cell and go to bed.
Previous to retiring he spent some time in
prayer with the Revs John Z. Peters and
Allen H. Brown, both Presbyterian minis
ters Elder promised Sheriff johnson that
he would be up at o'clock in the morning,
and made an appointment with the minis
ters to meet him in his cell at that hour.
He tossed about his cot during the night,
and apparently did not sleep we'll
Elder was up at 6 o'clock and began pre-
pairing his toilet. He carefully arranged his
new back suit, but wore no collar or Eie.
He also carefully brushed his hair Sheriff
johnson was one of his first visitors When
the sheriff asked him how he felt, and what
he would have for breakfast, he replied:
II feel pretty good, but do not think that
/ can eat much of anything
His breakfast, which was subsequently
brought to him, consisted of coffee and toast
He asked the sheriff not to pinion his arms
until he arrived at the gallows, and his re-
quest was granted
The condemned man gave the sheriff the
following letter, which he wished to be made
public:
II do not claim to be entirely innocent of
my crime, but do claim to be innocent of
any intention of murder, and God knows that
l am feeling that he knows that / am
know that | shall be forgiven, for God has
promised to all who will come to him and re-
pent that he will abundantly pardon all
their sins / wish to publicly thank the
many friends who have shown their friend
ship ito me in my great trouble
From those of whom / expected friend
ship have received none. l mean some of
my relatives l do not wonder that my petit
tion to the court of pardons is not granted
when my own relatives did not sign it. for
have not heard of a person by the name of
Elder who signed the petition.
hoiu no Haru IeeIinSS aBalnsI any one Ior
what might have seemed like an injustice to
me. l am at peace with the world hope, as
/ know am with my God. The happiest
moment of my life would be if / thought
could make one poor soul feel as happy as
do on this day of my life My loss will be
somebody's gain, and hope as any young
man who may have done as l have done will
take warning from my punishment. ] am
ready and willing to die Good-by
ROBERT ELDER, JR,
Atlantic Co. JAIL
The crime for which Elder paid the death
penalty was the killing of his father, William
John Elder, on Saturday, Aug. A last when