Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-12-10
ESCAPED THE GALLONS.
MURDERER ECKERT TOOK HIS LIFE
ON TUESDAY MORNING.

Swallowed a Dose of morphine Short
limo Before the Hour Set for His Exc
cution-How the Poison Was Obtained
Is Not Yet known
With dose of opium or morphine,
which he took in his cell at the county
prison at Wilkesbarre at o'clock Tues
day morning, Abram Eckert, the thrice
respited murderer, who was to be hang
ed shortly after 10 o'clock a. M, that day,
cheated the gallows. He died at IL 3s,
but little later than he would have been
dispatched but for the suicide.
There are many theories as to how
Eckert came in possession of the poison.
The most plausible theory is that some
one of his relatives gave it to him on
Monday night at the farewell supper
given in Warden Boland's private Of
fee. This could easily have been done
during the excitement incident to the
parting between the condemned man and
his relatives.
Warden Boland, however, claims that
Eckert was specially watched all the
evening, and that it was impossible for
anything to pass between him and any
of the guests. Another theory is that
one of the prisoners gave Eckert the
poison some time ago, and that he had it
secreted in his bed.
Despite the reports circulated that the
condemned man had given no intention
of suicide, it is known that he spoke
with a fellow-prisoner named Burke
some months ago ON the subject. Eek
ert asked Burke one day whether he
thought it was sin to commit suicide
Burke replied that he though it was
Eckert then hung his head, and said:
''Well | don't know about that. | have
been reading the bible for months, and
| can find nothing there which con
demnS suicide
All that is thus far known of Eek
crt's suicide is thus narrated: At mid
night the condcmed man retired from
the watchman's room to his cell, where
he was soon apparently asleep. At
O'Clock in the morning they heard him
breathing heavily. The death watch
realized that something was wrong, and
made an effort to arouse him. Failing,
they sent to the prison physicians, DIR.
Lenahan and DR.. Long, They found
him unconscious from some poison, and
worked upon him steadily for hours: but
all known appliances failed to resusci-
tate him.
On Monday night before he went to
sleep Warden james Boland, as last
measure of precaution, went to Eckert's
cell to search him.
The supposition now is that he had
succeeded in keeping this poison for
long time past, ready to use if any of
the three resptes he had been granted
failed to arrive, He even expected to
be respited this, the fourth time, and
waited until the very last moment be-
fore he took the poison.
There was large crowd of spectators
at the jail, many of whom endeavored
to induce Sheriff Martin to hang Eckelt
in his collapsed condition. They were
friends of Fred Bttenbender, the muir
dercd man, and others who are morbidly
inclined and desired to see the hanging
despite tho consequent narrowing fea-
lures. Humane considerations, how
ever, prevailed.
Coroner Mckee has had an autopsy
performed, and Eckerts vscera will be
analyzcd to determine what poison he
took. In the meantime the inquest has
been adjourned.
Eckert's son called at the prison Tues
day afternoon for the remains of his
father and took them to his home in
Nantcoke, from where his funeral will
take place. Young Eckert said Il
never for moment thought my father
wanted to die in that way"
Where the poison came from will in
all probability remain mystery forever.
The crime for which Eckert was to
have hanged was tho fatal shooting at
Nanticoke on July 6, 1895, of School
Director Frederick Bittenbender, who
had reprimanded Eckert, a school iani-
tor, for neglecting his duties at an i'm
portant time.