The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-02
Death Flashes at
the Laws Demand
Continued from First Page.)

keepers except the memorable death watch,
being excluded.
No farewells were said, under Father
beanger's advice, until the grating of the
big steel doors which separated them from
the corridor was heard. Then, as Willis
was led from his cell, he was allowed to
step over to the cells of Burton and Fred
erlck, and through the openings between
the heavy bars of the cages, in which they
were confined, pressed his face and in
turn kissed those of his two brothers at
the same time shaking hands and saying
as he turned away:
BE brave, boys
AS soon as Willis had passed out into
the corridor leading to the death chamber.
Father Charbonneau Immediately began
to read the prayers of consolation to
which brief responses were necessary, thus
occupying their minds in the minutes of
suspense.
When it came Frederick's turn to go. as
he left his cell, he stepped back a few
PAGES to the front of Burton's cage and
grasplng his brothers hands in both OF
his, kissed him repeatedly until the guard
quietly urged him away
Burton's departure from the death
house made the most pathetic scene of
all. Besides the aged priest, there was
but one other person in the world to
whom he might say good bye This was
Allen Mooney, the last occupant of the
death cells, who sat in the corner of the
front of his cell, sobbing like child
AS Burton stepped from his cage he
looked back toward Moneys cell, which
was out of his view, because OF great
ION screen built for that purpose, and
called Good bye, Mooney, l hope you
wont have to go like this
And then he marched to the death
chair.
In almost all respects the tragedy
which closed today at Clinton prison was
unique in modern criminal history. On
Christmas Eve, 1901, with their cousin,
Harvey Bruce, the three Van Wormer
brothers drove from their home in Kin
1erhook, some fourteen miles to the ham
let of Greendale, in Columbia county,
where lived Peter A Hallenbeck, the I'M
Gle of the Van Wormers. Mr.. Hallen-
peck, his wife, and his aged mother were
sitting in the lamplight in their living
room. A few moments later there was
knock at the door, and Mr. Hallenbeck
answered it, to find the masked men be-
lore him, armed with revolvers. Burton
Van Wormer led the way, and with him
the old man grappled. At once all four
began a fusillade OF pistol shots, which
fairly riddled the body of Mr.. Hallenbeck.
Mrs Hallenbeck, the wife, ran into the
kitchen, and the brothers shot at her,
out missed Her husband ordered her to
dee and she ran up stairs, whittier the
older woman had preceded her. and the
two barricaded themselves in the attic.
Mr. Hallenbeck, although mortally
wounded, broke away from mis- assailants,
and went to the landing of the stairs
where he kept a loaded shotgun. The as
sailants saw HIM get the gun and fed.
The old man fell to the floor and died
Harvey Bruce turned States evidence,
and it was to large extent upon his
testimony that the conviction OF the Van
Wormer brothers was secured. He swore
that upon the ride back from the scene
of the crime, each of the brothers boosted
of having shot the uncle.
1t was shown that the bitterness which
the brothers felt toward their uncle was
due chiefly to his having foreclosed a
mortgage upon the property in Green
dale owned by their step-mother, the loss
of which compelled their removal to Kin
derhood.
The triple execution of today raises to
total of IS the list of the murderers
who have died in the electric chair The
simultaneous execution of three brothers
is not unprecedented in the history of
New York State. although to find the par
allel one must go back to 1926, when three
brothers were hanged in Buffalo for muir
der