The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-10-08
THREE BR0I HERS DIE.
Van Wormer Boys Pay Cearh Penalty
in Electric Chair for Murder OF
Their Aged Uncle.

says: Without one unforeseen incl
dent to mar the perfect and dignitied
execution of the death penalty impo5-
ed by the trial court, sustained by the
court Of appeals and not inter1ered
with by Governor Odell, Willis, Freder-
ick NJ, and Burton VanWormer, three
brothers, were put to death IN hfteen
and a half minutes at Clinton prison
Friday morning, for the murder OF
their uncle, Peter A. Hallenbeck, at
Greendale, Columbia county. on Christ
mas eve, 1901. There was not one
sensational circumstance ,connecteu.
with the execution. The men walked
from the doors of their cells with CAIN
demeanor, but extreme pallor.
Every precaution had been taken to
hearing more than the departure OF
their brother from the room. Inc
doors had been padded and the inter
s,ices stuffed with cotton so that the
steps of those who removed the lie
less body from the death chamber 70
the morgue could netsbe heard
Three applications of the 5current
and further time was required for the
execution of Willis, but only two appll-
cations of the full current were deem
ed necessary in the case of Frederick
and in two minutes from the tiRc he
crossed the Threshold of the room tnc
doctors pronounced him dead. Ihe
bodies were carried out into the prls
on morgue and the summons for the
last brother was taken back by the
guards.
Burton was kill-d even more quick:
ly than the other two. Only one ap
plication was required, though 1t was
retained slightly longer at full press
ure than in the other cases.
In most all respects the tragedy
which closed at Clinton prison with
the electrocution of the three broth
Eers was uniqse in modern Ecrlmlnai
history. Only once before IN this state
is it recalled that three brothers have
gone to their death together for
murder in which they were Jointly con-
cerned.
On Christmas eve, 1901, with their
cousin. Harvey Bruce, the three broth
sers drove from tn cir home dnSkinder-
hook, some fourteen miles b the ham
let Of Greendale3 In Col umbia county,
where lived Peter A. HaHenbaek, the
uncle of the Van Wormers. On the
way they stopped at the Greendale
church. Thence they went on to Hal
lenbeck's house, where Mr.. Hailens
beck, his aged wife and his. aged:
mother were sitting in the lamplight8
in their living room. Both the ~o-s
men saw them drive past. IN few
moment there was a knock at the.
door and Mr.. Hallenbeck answered, to-
find masked men before him, armed
with reyolvers. Burton Van Wormer.
led the way, and with him the old man
grappled. At once the four began a
fusilade of pistol shots, which lalrlys
riddled the body of Mr.. Hallenbeck. 3
Mr.. Hallenbeck, although mortaliys
wounded, broke away from his assailss
ants and went to the landing of the
stairs, where he kept loaded shot
gun. The assailants saw him get the;
gun and fed. The man fell to the
floor and died. The young men soon
afterward were arrested, betrayed by
their footprints in the snow, and beg
cause they were known to have har-.
bored bitter feelings and to have
made threats against their uncle. They
were brought to trial before an extra
ordinary term of the supreme court,
appointed by Governor Odell, in Al
bany, on March 80, 1902. Harvey
Bruce turned states evidence, and it
was to a large extent on his testimony
that the conviction Of the Van Worm
Sers was secured. He swore that upon
the ride back from the scene OF the
crime each Of the brothers boasted OF
having shot their uncle.
Judge O'Brien, in writing the unani-
nous opinion of his court against the
appeal, pronounced incredible the main
plea Of defense that the expedition Of
the four to. Hallenbeck's house was in
the nature of young mems prank, the
fatal outcome Of which had not been
apparent. The court fixed upon the
week OF July for the carrying out OF
the death sentence, but the Van
Wormers have been twice respited by
Governor Odell
Harvey Bruce, their fellow in crime,
for which they died, was tried alone
and was sentenced to Imprisonment
for eighteen years. .gx>..l..=-.... ...