The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1903-10-07
.ExPIATED THEIR CRIME
Van Wormers Electrocuted For
Murder of Their Uncle.

Weekly Trade Review-The Tillman
Trial-More Postoffice indictments.
Decision In Miller Case-McCIeIla
Nominated-Lake Steamer Founder
ed-Dienln Died Of Assault.
Willis, Frederick and Burton Van
Wormer were put to death in 151a
minutes at Clinton prison Thursday Tor
the murder of their uncle, Peter A.
Hallenbeck, at Greendale, Columbia
county, on Christmas eve, 1901.
The men went to their death calm
ly, accompanied by priests Willis,
who suffered more from his long con-
finement than the others, was the first
to die. He crossed the threshold of
the death chamber at 11:34:30 a. m.
AS the guards strapped him down he
kept his eyes fixed ON crucifix held
in his right hand, which rested on the
chair arm.
Four contacts of the electric current
we're given, the last being precau-
tionary measure because of slight
fiutter OF the heart. 1t took four min
utes in all to kill the man.
Frederick NJ, the youngest brother,
was brought next from the cell room.
He walked fearlessly into the room,
accompanied by the priest. He carried
crucifiX and looked upon it reverently.
1t was 11:41:30 a. m. when he entered
the death chamber and but a scant so
seconds later when the current was
applied and his body stiffened. Only
two shocks were necessary and two
minutes from the time he crossed the
threshold the doctors pronounced him
dead.
Burton crossed the threshold at
11;47, as firm of step as his brothers,
his crucifiX clutched in his right hand
He looked straight in front Of him.
The moment he was seated In the
chair he fastened his eyes upon the
face of Father Charbonreau and kept
them there until the guards began to
bind the straps over his face. Either
he was taller than his brothers or sat
up straighter in the chair, for the strap
which is intended to cover the eyes
did not reach high enough to blindfold
him, and as the current was switched
on he was still looking over the upper
edge of the strap toward the priest.
He was killed even more quickly than
the other two, The current was turn
ed on at 11:47:30. Only one shock
was required.
The bodies of the three Van Wor-
mers were taken to Undertook,
the expense of the transportation OF
the bodies being borne partially by
Warden Deyo and Rev. Father Belan-
ger.
The simultaneous execution of three
brothers in not unprecedented in New
York state, though to find the parallel
one must go back rs years. On June
Z, 1926, three brothers. Nathan Israel.
Jr., and Isaac Thayer, were hanged
simultaneously Ou a lllplS SdiiOho
erected on Niagara square, Buffalo, for
robbing and numbering peddler NAM
ed John Love.
The funeral of the Van Wormer
brothers was held from their step
mothers home in Undertook Satur-
day. 1t was finally decided to open
the cofIins, which was done in the
presence of Mrs. Van Wormer and her
niece. One thousand persons visited
the house, hundreds coming from near
by towns. The interment was in the
Undertook cemetery, several thou
sands of people following the funeral
procession.
The feeling is strong against the
cemetery commission for selling Mrs.
Van Wormer q lot for the inter-
ment there, as the old residents of the
town say the boys lived there but a
few months and they should have been
buried in Greenport, where they spent
the greater part of their lives.