Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-17


manner.
Ats O'Clock sharp this morning he
arose and after cheerily greeting the
watch dressed himself He ate a hearty
breakfast with apparent relish. Chap
lain Wilkinson went TO the prison early
and be was with Almy 20 the end, but
the condemned man paid no attention
10 the chaOiain's remarks. Az lOo'cl0ck
sharp the warden with the death watch
as witnesses formally delivered Almy TO
the sheriff The latter Informed Amy
that be might say anything he wished
before going TO the scafOld.
AlGy said be had nothing to say.
Meanwhile the witnesses assembled IN
fun view Of the gallOws. Upwards OF
$50 persons were present. AT lO133
O'Clock the death march was taken no
aud IN half a minute the scaffold was
reached. The officers quickly strapped
Almy's arms at the elbows and then
pinioned bis legs.
Amy said: "May speak"
The Sheriff shook his head. Almy
even then appeared TO want TO speak
but the cap was hastily put over his
face and ne said nothing Sheriff Hurl-
but, after the cap was fixed placed the
haDgman's knot under the left ear and
atlO:l6 o'clock touched the spring. The
drop fell heavily and Almy's body
WENT THROUGH THE TRAP.
To the horror Of the spectators his
feet struck the door below. His knees
bending under him. The rope was evil
IDENTIFY too long as it did not stretch
any. The body bent to the right and
slightly forward. Inside OF minute
officers on the platform Of the scatfold
swung the rope and pulled the body up
several feet.
Another feature Of the execution that
caused the witnesses to shudder was
the position Of the rope and the knot.
The former pulled over the left ear
while the knot was fully one foot above
the neck. IL was evident the con-
demned man Strangled TO death aud the
execution was not a success in its de-
tails. But one or two tremors, or twitch-
Ing motions, could be seen and then an
entire absence OF struggling. AT l0:30
Almy was pronounced dead. The doors
were then opened and the spectators
filed by the gsllows and left the prison.
STORY or ALMY's LIFE.
Few events in the criminal history OF
New England have created the intensi-
" Of interest which has been manifest
ed in the murder OF Christie Warden
aud the developments that followed.
The Identification Of Almy as Abbott
showed him 20 be one of the most re-
markable murderers ever known.
OF LkNast fifteen years, be spent ten
lMAirious prisons, aud yet he was not
years of age until January, 1s92.
Abbott was born ia January, 1857, az
Salem, Mass. and three days after his
birth the mOthet died.
When ten years old he was sent TO
the district school, but he had not been
there long before the scholars began 70
miss small articles, and they were final
ly traced 20 Abbott. In the fall Of
1874, when Abbott was II years old, be
was arrested for entering house and
stealing lot of silver watches and gold
pins. For this be was sentenced TO four
years Imprisonment. The father. over
come by shame and dependency, COM
mitted suicide by hanging himself In
bis barn at salem. Tie left his sons
share ei the estate In trust.
abbott whilo Ia prison took an inter-
est in religious exercises, and left the
prison July @, 1878, quite q different
man from what he was when he entered
IT, On his discharge from Concord he
was OF age, and came into possession Of
the property left by his father, about
$1,000, ont he spent 10 all In one year.
Abbott soon turned 70 his old com
panions aud directed the depredations
Of large gang Of
BURGLARS AND HlCEwAYMEN.
During the year Of 1850 he created 3
reign OF terror in North Thetford, and
the neigh boring towns, houses and
stores being entered. Suspicion pointed
so strongly to Abbott that be suddenly
disappeared. lie was afterwGrd located
on the ThetforG mountain, where he
had fortified and furnished a cave at on
almost inaccessible point. A posse was
organized and proceeded 20 his hiding
place. He resisted capture until badly
wounded and was brought TO the village
on q stretcher, the physicians pronouDc-
ing him almost paralyzed.
He was tried for burglary, and on
June %, 1851, sentenced 20 IS years In
the state prison at Windsor, Vt. In
the evening OF September 80, 1857, he
escaped.
On July Il, 1880, Abbott. or Almy,
as he was then known, applied for
work az the farm OF Andrew Warden,
OF Hanover. Here be met Christie
: Warden, The story of his unsuccess-
gul attempts 10 win her regard and her
Yfirm, yet kind declinatiOn 10 accept q
man who could tell nothing Of his ante
cedents, is familiar. On the first of
April, 1891, Almy's time expired, and
he was not re-engaged. The family
who had become alarmed at his violent
temper were glad 70 have him 20, but
tried 10 send him away in good humor.
After leaving Mr., Warden'S house,
Ahny returned TO Salem, but on June
IA, 1891, he was hiding in Andrew War
den'S barn.
The shocking story Of Almy's last
crime has burnt itself into the hearts
Of every household IN New England. A
pure, innOcent and
NOBLE YOUNG WOMAN
was seized from her mothers arms and
murdered with ferOcity such as the
juneles Of India cannot rival, About
$50 o'clock on the evening OF July II,
Mrs. Warden, accompanied by her two
daughters and friend, was slowly
making her way homeward along a de-
serted road. Suddenly there appeared
the figure OF man, and as he stood
rtbere in the roadway and faced them a
mil OF terror stole over their hearts.
He said: Mrs. Warden, you and Fam
nv NAV move on with safety. l sha
not harm you unless you interfere v