Evening journal., 1892-08-26


corpse-A Speedy TriaI-His Nerve Be
fore Death-A Successful Execution.
LBy Telegraph to the Evening Journall
CAMDEN, n. j., Aug. 26.-At lO.j1 |
this morning James r. Morton was
hanged in the Jail building, this city, by
Sheriff Henry j. West. The murderer
made no speech
At 1898 Father Kelly, dressed in the
vestments ofthe Catholic church, stepped
out of the condemned mans cell.
Morton. handcuffed and in charge of
ex.Uuder Sheriff Porter Immediately fol-
lowed. and back Of them came two of the
death watch. AS they walked the priest
chanted prayer, walking closely beside
the condemned man. AS Morton's eyes
fell upon the scaffold his face denoted
that he fully appreciated his terrible
position. He walked firmly.
A Quick Execution.
As the steps reaching to the scaffold
were reached the two constables assisted
him to the top. Sheriff West and Mr..
Porter quickly adjusted the straps about
his legs and pinioned his arms The
black cap was then drawn over the muir
derers head and the Moose placed about
his neck
Back from the trap door stepped the
priest and Assistant Porter. The sheriff
then stepped down the steps and pulled
the rope. With fearful bang the heavy
trap doors fell. Mortons body shot
downward like a flash. The neck was
broken like a pipe-stem Death was
instantaneous and painless.
Tho sherin Overcome.
The scene that followed the fall of the
trap was one that drew tears to the eyes
of those who witnessed it, The sheriff,
immediately after he had pulled the
rope. turned to walk down the steps
from the scaliold As he took the
first atep his feelings over
came him. His hand covered
his face and with the exclamation, my
God, he staggered down the steps He
would have fallen TO the ground had not
the two constables sprung forward and
caught him, and led him to a seat. As
he sat down his head fell forward and il
was thought for a moment that he had
tainted He quickly recovered and bow
ing his face in his hands wept like q
child
NIorton's Daughters Bid Farewell.
About o'clock last night the three
daughters of Morton called on the con
demned father They remained will
him until nearly midnight and bid thei
father an affecti onate farewell Afte
they had gone and few minutes spen
in devotion Morton threw himself upoi
his hammock, 1t was not a great whil
before he was wrapped in slumber.
The Murderer's stony Nerve.
All through the night he slept well
He arose at 6 o'clock this morning an
looked refreshed. He exhibited stron
nerve from the time he arose and at
o'clock one of the prison officials TOLD
the United Press reporter that he didn'
believe any man was ever nervier thar
was Morton then. He ate heartily o
the breakfast of fish prepared for him.
The crime for which James R Morto
this morning paid the penalty was one q
the most brutal in the history of Camde
county. 1t was the result of the delibel
ate planning of a mind crazed by til
desire for money and in this it was nc
dissimilar to the crime for which I'll
death penalty was last paid in tn
county-the murder of Thomas Arm
strong by John Hunter, who was hangC
fn 1879.
Morton was. until few months befo
his crime a special officer in the low
section of the city, and was looked upC
as an intelligent colored man. He live
at 1142 South Sixth street with ty
daughters, his wife being dead.
Some time in April Mrs. Lydia Al
Wyatt. a 73.year-old colored woman, wi
4 a g., hf- Il oraH ftranf
live at his house She owned proper
which she sold Is May for $500 In il
visits TO the lawyers in arranging Z
sale of property she was accompanied
Morton. who took such great interest
her welfare that ON May 6 she made
will. leaving Morton one-half of h
estate and a Camden lawyer the 9th
half. the two heirs TO act as her exec
tors.
Three DAYS after this. Monday May
the murder occurred. Between 9 and
o'clock on that day Morton met the {
womanias she came down stairs from
room Snatching from her hand a hea
rosewood cane. which her age compel
hertz use in walking, he felled her to {
floor In his confession, made just aft
his arrest. he declared that the {
woman and he had quarreled and that
was in a moment of passion that
struck her. At the post-mortem exar
nation her skull was fonnd to have be
fractured and no less than doz
wounds were found on her body, most
them on the head.
AS soon as the old woman was dc
Morton took 1926 from bag she carr
aud left the house He offered a color
undertaken S15 if he would bury her
once. This aroused suspicion and
was placed under arrest II was IN
developed that Morton on April 20
temptdd to get a Philadelphia medi
student 10 purchase "a live woman 81
iect, 73 years old and fat
Morton's trial took place on June