The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-12-09
A HANGING PREVENTED
By the Suicide of Condemned
Murderer Eokert.
SWALLOWED A DOSE OF POISON.

He Had shown Remarkable Nerve the
Night Before, Even When Bidding
Final Farewell to His Favorite Little
Daughter-A Brutal Crime.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, Dec. 9.--At6 o clock
yesterday morning Warden Boland was
aroused from his slumbors by one Of the
night watchmen who reported to him that
Abram Eckert who was to have been
hanged at 10 o'clock for the murder of
Frederick 7. Bittonbender on July Z, 1895,
had taken poison, and was dying. The
warden hurried to Eckert' cell, and found
him breathing heavily He telephoned for
physicians, and Drs. Long and Lennhan
responded, but nothing could be done for
the prisoner, and the condemned man died
at II :3S from morphine poisoning. There
Is no solution of the manner in which the
poison was obtained by the prisoner. In
the afternoon Eckert's body was removed
to Nantcohe, where il was inferred.
When Eckerts wife and children left
the Jail shortly before Monday midnight
the condemned man appeared to be in ex-
cellent spirits. He showed not n trace of
the terrible ordeal he was soon to face.
He had previously read aloud, and in a
firm voice, the published report that Gov
ernor Hastings had declined to interfere,
and that nothing could save him. Then
followed an impressive religious service,
in which Eckert took unusual interest.
When prayer had been offered for the
murderer he and his wife sang Eckerts
favorite hymn, God be with you till we
meet again" He sang with great fervor,
and his deep voice could be heard above
all the others
| During the leave taking very pathetic
| incident occurred When his little daugh-
ter, Rebecca, his favorte child, ,clasped her
arms about his neck, she said "Papa,
mamma says that tomorrow you will come
home to us, and oh I'll bo so glad" He
we'll understood what the child did not
He would go home to them, but it would
be cold in death. He pressed the child
close to his breast and nodded in the af-
| flrmative. There was not dry eye in the
room. Even Eckert, who had maintained
such composure throughout his entire
confinement was visibly affected
| When Eckert retired at midnight he re-
quested that he be called at o'clock in
the morning. 1t is supposed that he swal-
lowed the poison, which he had probably
had concealed for some time while lying
with his back toward the death watch.
The crime for which Abram Eckert was
condemned was the murder on July z,
1895, of Frederic T. Bittenbender, prom
inent resident of Nanticoke, this county.
The murder was one of the most cold
blooded in the annals of Luzerno county
crime
Eckert was the janitor Of the high school
at NantcOke, and had an imaginary griev-
ance against Bittenbcuder, who had but
recently been elected a school director,
and who was chairman of the building
committee, For some time Eckert had
been neglecting his work at the school
house. and Bittenbender spoke to him
about it, and told Eclert he was in danger
of losing his place unless he was more at
tentive to his duties as janitor.
On the morning Of July Bittenbender
met Eckert in the street in Nanticoke and
told him there was some work at the
| school house which must be- done at once,
and the latter replied, good naturedly
IAN right, Fred, I'll go down and do it.. "
Nothing more was seen of Eckert until
about II o'clock. As Bittenbendor and his
father We're driving up Main street, Eek.
ert, who was standing in front of the
First National bank, called to Blttenben-
der that he wished to speak to him The
latter stopped his horse, and Eckert ap.
preached the carriage, saying, Fred, il
seems to me you have a grudge against
me-" Bttenbender said he was mistaken,
and that all that he wanted of the ianitor
was for him to look after his duties at the
school in a proper manner. Hardly were
the last words out of his mouth, when
Eckert sprang backward from the car
riage, drew revolver and, taking delib-
crate aim, fred. The bullet entered Bit
tenbender's right eye, causing almost in,
stant death.