The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1894-08-01
WALLACE BURT HANGED.

| Wallace Burt, the half-breed murderer
Of Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel Rightley, Of
Newtown, was hanged 10 the County Jail
at Doylestown last Thursday morning at
HOS o'clock. All the morning Burt was
closeted with his spiritual advisers, Rev.
L. G. Sheip, of the Reformed Church,
and Rev. w. Hays Moore, OF the Pres
byterian Church.
The gallows on which the Molly Ma
guires suffered the same penalty in Car
bon county WAS erected 10 the northwest
corner of the Jail in room 20 by 40 feet
square. Josiah Sander, the hangman Of
Carbon county. came down and superin.
blended the execution of Burt. The jury,
which Sheriff Alor 70 Nicholas had selected,
was as fo.ljws: Joseph S. Ely, Newtown /;
John M. Purdy, Doylcstown Alien II.
Heist, Do, lestown; Howard Pnrsell, NJ.
d., Bristol; John G. Corcoran, Bridge
ton John s. johnson, NJ. d.. Riegles-
vile Mahon ". Nauger, Kintnersville !;
John Nicholas, Lahsska; Edward East
burn, Chufchville j. johnson Beans,
Warminster, and John r Comfy, Lang
horne.
This was the first hanging in Bucks
county since 1857, when Teufel was ex-
ecuted for the murder of man along the
Delaware Canal. The execution of Nina,
the murderer OF Chapman, in tlfe thirties,
was public, and was witnessed by not
less than 10, 900 people.
At 1885 Burt was given warning by
the Sheriff that he would be needed in
five minutes. Promptly at IL o'clock
Deputy Sheriff William Kelly proceeded
TO Burt's cell, and one minute later be
was led forward clad in black suit, with
out shoes, aud together the men assembled
the galows with a firm st,p. The doc
tors had been as embed 10 tha northwest
corner of the room just behind the gal
lows, aud the Sheriffs and ex-Sheriif
were collected on the southern side. Burt
surveyed them all with placid counte-
nance while the rope was being adjusted,
aud as his eyes wandered about the room
| If m which lac was sprung into eternity,
/ there was no sign OF nervousness at all.
| He was firm and sto.id. Rev. Messrs.
| Moore and Shelp each offered prayers for
the condemned man, thanking God for
| His merciful forgiving power, and pray
ing that He might exercise His saving
| power 10 the case q the murderer.
Following this, Sheriff Nicholas asked
Burt II he had anything 10 say. lie re
piled, saying that he was glad to go, and
although he was sorry for the terrible
crime, be hoped it would prove warn
ing to many others. He expressed his
gratitude to God for His forgiving power
and his power TO save even the uttermost
Burt spoke 10 negro dialect, but his En-
Rlish was fairly good and entirely intelli-
pjble and with considerable force.
At last he thanked Sheriff Nicholas for
the kindness displayed, and espying j.
Johnson Beans in the group OF ex-Sher'
ifs. he thanked him for his kindness, and
remarking that he had wanted to see him
before, but as this was his last chance,
he inquired into the health OF his family,
and then requested Sheriff Nicholas To
send a portrait Of Burt TO Mr.. Beans.
AT 1.0S the drop fell DIR. Howard
Pursell held the pulse and called off thu
beats. There was a slight twitching O.
the body now aud then, but II was du'
only 10 the setting OF the muscles and &C
ton of tho nerves. At 11.l6 DIR. Pur
sell reported the action very weak, and a
II. % he announced no beat. Death wa
due to breaking OF the neck.
The crime for which Wallace Burt suf
fered the death penalty was one OF th'
most coldblooded on record. He delib
erately walked into the house OF Samue
Rightley, an octogenarian farmer, resid
ing about Two miles from Newtown, Sat
urday night, September 23d, 1858, ant
with an old Ratchet which Mr.. Rightlel
used about the farm, literally hacked Il
death Mr.. and Mrs. Rightley while thel
were asleep In bed. The occupants o
the house possessed but small share o
this worlds goods, although they owne'
the farm. Mr.. and Mrs. Rightley wer
highly respected people In the commun
ity, and as they did not possess wealth
is difficult to ascribe motive for th
deed, and as the self confessed murdere
refused to talk on that subject 1t will
probably never be known.