The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-08
CHEATED THE MOOSE
Abram |. Eckert Takes Nor
phine on the Morning Set
for His Hanging.
He HAD IT FOR MONTHS
Brutal Urgency Of a Herbid Crowd
for the Execution of the
Dying Man.
He HAD 1T FOR MONTHS

WILKESBARRE, Pa, Dec. 1sss-
The greatest excitement prevailed At the
county prison this morning when II be-
came known that Murderer Abram I.
Eckert had attempted to cheat the gall
lows.
At midnight the condemned man retired
rom the watchman's room to his cell
~nere he was soon apparently asleep. 80
SIX O'Clock this morning they heard HIM
breathing heavily. As the death watch
noticed this they realized at once that
something was wrong and made an effort
to arouse him. Being unable to do so
WORD was sent to the prison physician,
Dr. Lanahan. who with DR.. Charles Long.
hurried to the prison. On their arrival
they found him Unconscious from some
poison and have been working upon him
steadily up to $3.50 O'Clock, but with little
hopes OF saving him. Every effort IS be-
lng made to keep him alive until ten
O'Clock. the hour fixed for the hanging,
AS the last resource the doctors are now
using electric batteries, but the chances
are that the murderer viii not live over
an hour longer. The physicians are Of
the opinion that he took some form OF
opium.
warden Boland is determined that a
Aul investigation be made to learn how.
II possible, ne nad gained possession OF
lhe drug, as the greatest precaution
tbt1 Iae pesn taken TO prevent anything of
AT 94o o'clock the doctors reported
snat tnere is some slight Improvement
n the condemned mans condition. but
him. 80
Sheriff Martin, at 1915 o'clock. inform-
ea reporter of the United Associated
Presses that he could not hang the man
IN his present condition He SAYS there
are symptoms OF his reviving and that
oss,i ne VIII wait until the last moment, three
2 ciock TINS afternoon. If he is alive
tnen the law will have 10 take its course
There was a large crowd of SPECTATORS
at the jail, many of whom endeavored to
lnauce sheriff Martin to hang Eckert in
MS collapsed condition. They were friends
OF Fred Bittenbender, the murdered man.
and others who are morbidly inclined and
desired to see the hanging despite the con-
seqUent narrowing features Humane con-
S.deratlonS however, prevailed and the
Snerln said that he would give the doomed
man all the chance he could TO legally eS-
cape the gallows. Is is supposed that
Eckert had morphine in his cell for many
over him, and it Is hardly possible owing
to the vigorous watch maintained during
the last ten days that anything could have
been smuggled to him by his Wife brother
or children. For the last few weeks he
has been impressing the jail officials with
the conviction that he was fully resigned
and would meet death calmly and bravely
on the scafold, but this dfd not deIract
from their vigilance. Last night before
he went to sleep, Warden James Boland
as a last measure of precaution, went to
his cell to search him. Eckert said to
him that he courted a search; that he was
perfectly resigned and believed in his Re-
deemer.
He had, however. 1t is learned. said to
one or two of his intimate friends that
he would never die on the gallows- The
supposition now is that he succeeded in
keeping this morphine for a long time
past, ready to use if any of the three
Tespites he has been granted failed to
arrive. He even expected to be respited
this. the fourth, time, and waited until
the very last moment, sunrise today, be-
fore he took the poison.
Relays of physicians worked hard all
the morning with galvanic batteries arti-
fetal breathing, fagelation and all other
stimulants possible, with view to rest0r-
ing him If possible. Their efforts were
ineffeotual, however, and at :3S o'clock
Eckert breathed his last He was about
pital when ne died
The crime for which Eckert was SEN
fenced was the murder at Nanticoke on
July 6, 1895, of Frederick Btttenbender
school director and prominent and wealthy
citizen. Eckert was janitor of one of the
school buildings in the town Btttenben-
der had occasion to reprimand Eckert for
neglect of duty on the morning of fh9
murder and about noon of the came day
while the former was driving along tho
main street Bckert stopped him, took him
to task for his remarks of the morning
and. drawing a revolver, shot him dead
rowly escaped lynching and was finally
placed in Luzerne County Jail He was
subsequently, tried and convicted. and, af-
ter three respites. his execution was hnal-
v