Evening journal., 1891-08-07
LAST EDITION
THOH0UGHGOOD HANGS.
The Fiend Sent to Eternity in
an Instant.
ONLY ONE BRIEF STRUGGLE

Huntingdon Swung Into Eternity-He
Protested to the LAST That He Was limo
cent-fhe Proctor-Young GsIIows Used.
History of the Horrible Crime-storY OF
His Capture, Identification, Trial and
ConYiction-The Ends of Justice Served.
Special Despatch to the EVENING JOURNAL.
DOVER, August flames Thorough
good. mulatto, 90 years old, was hanged
in the jail yard here at 1.30 o'clock to
day by Sheriff Cole, for brutally out
raging little Louisa Gertrude Hufhngton,
on Sunday, June 25
All day long Sheriff Cole was besieged
by applicants for tickets, but only al
lowed thirty persons to witness the ex-
ecution.
Mrs. Hufington. mother Of the out
ragged girl, hung about the outside of the
Jail all day.
The death warrant was read at 1876
o'clock, just before the march to the
gallows began in the following order
Sheriff Cole, Rev. L. w. Gibson,
rector of Christ P. E.. Church.
Rev. Mr.. jackson of the colored Baptist
Church. who was his spiritual advisor.
Thoroughbred came next supported by
Warden Bolts and Deputy Cahill
Thoroughbred was very weak. He kept
staggering He said 'Glory to God am
going to the gallows for the last time. He
kept up this cry from the time he left
his cell until be reached the scaffold
steps BE was assisted up the steps.
Rev. Mr.. Gibson reading the service all
the while His legs were pinioned by
Sheriff Cole and Warden Bolts.
The moose was adjusted by Captain
Israel Riding of New Castle. Thorough
good spoke briefly; he said: II am limo
cent of this crime. I am going home to
God do not think that anybody has
any bad feelings toward me; have none
for anybody"
The trap was sprung at 1.30 o'clock.
He shot through, brought up with q
jerk, drew up his legs and all was over
His neck was broken. he died in three
minutes The Jail physician, Payne,
Drs. Reines and Barber, were the at
tending physicians.
Shortly after death the body was cut
down and carried to the Kent County
Almshouse A large number Of people
surrounded the Jail, None Of Thorough
goods relatives have been seen since the
trial
Spent the Night In Praying.
Thoroughbred, who had been braced
up by religious fervor, began to weaken
yesterday morning. This increased un-
til last night, when his protestations OF
innocence, cries for mercy and prayers
could be heard for more than a block
from the jail.
His cries for mercy drew many persons
around the jail yard, but there were very
few expressions of sympathy for the
human fend.
Passed a Restless Night.
Thoroughgood passed restless night.
His slumbers were ftful and even In his
sleeping hours, he turned uneasily on his
bed, as If the demon of imagination was
hanging him in his dreams.
He arose early. His face had pale
and hsggard look, and there was look
of wild and hopeless appeal in his eyes,
When his breakfast was served by
Warden Boggs, he did not eat it with the
relish that characterized the last minutes
of Proctor and Young.
Shortly after the middle Of the fore
noon the sheriff ordered the prisoner to
be prepared for his march to the gallows.
His spiritual advisers were with him.
Sheriff Cole, who is a very kind
hearted man, furnished the condemned
prisoner with a suit Of cheap clothing
and a new muslin shirt and dark tie.
After these preliminaries were con-
cluded the officials again resigned him to
his spiritual advisers. During the
morning several persons we're allowed to
see the prisoner and converse with him.
The suspense was evidently telling upon
the prisoner, and these vistations re-
lieved it to a minor degree.
The instrument OF Death
The Proctor Young scaffold was used
for the execution, and description Of II
is unnecessary. The scaffold was erected
at the east end Of the small yard, with
the trap to the west. In front Of the
trap was ample space for the accom-
modatlon of the doctors, jury, newspaper
men and the small number Of visitors
invited by Sheriff Cole.
The work of erecting the scaffold
began on Tuesday morning at 8 o'clock
1t did not take long to complete this
part of the work At one time during
the course of erection Thoroughgooc
pressed his face to his cell window ane
watched the carpenters at work.
After that was completed force oi
carpenters, under the direction of Con
tractor James Clifton, began carrying on
the provisions of the bill passed by th'
late General Assembly providing that thu
gallows shall be screened.
The rear jail yard is very small snC
was, at the time OF the Proctor Young
hanging, enclosed by a fence ten feel
high. This made the hanging really
public, as the trap was on a level will
the top of the fence.
To obviate THE and the dsgraceful
scenes attending that hanging, this fenci
was made ten feet higher, and a roof was
constructed over it. concealing the exc.
cution from public view as completely as
it would be ia the jail corridor.
Notwithstanding that this was know
a large number Of town and country peo