Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-10-02
THREE BROTHERS
PAY DEATH PENAYTY
Execution of Van Wormers
at Dannemora, N. Y.
THE STORY OF THEIR CRIME.

On Christmas Eve, 1901, Masked and
Armed with Their Cousin, Harvey
Bruce, They Attacked Peter HaIIen-
beck, Their Uncbs, Who Was slain.
| Dannemora, N. Y, Oct. lin most
all respects, the tragedy which closed
today at Clinton prison with the death
in the electric chair of the three
brothers Van Wormer was unique in
modern criminal history.
Only once before in this state is 1t
recalled that three brothers have gone
to their death together for a murder
In which they~were Jointly concerned.
On Christmas Eve, 1901, with their
cousin, Harvey Bruce, the three broth
ers drove from their home in Kinder
hook, some IA miles to the hamlet Of
Greendale, in Columbia county, where
lived Peter A. Hallenback, the uncle
Of the Van Wormers. On the way
they stopped at the GTeendale church
Thence they went to HaIlenbeck house,
where Mr.. Hallenbeck, his wife and
his aged mother were sitting Ia the
Iamphght in their living room. Both
the women saw them drive past. In
few moments there was a knock at
the door, and Mr.. Hallenbeck answer
ed to find masked men before him
armed with revolvers. Burton Van
Wormer led the way and with him the
old or~0nnln5 !
began fusillade Of pistol shots, which
fairly riddied the body Of Mr.. Hallenr
beck.
Mr. Hallenbeck, although mertally
wounded, broke away from his assail-
ants and went to the landing OF the
stairs. where he kept a loaded shot
gun. The assailants saw him get
the gun and fed. The man fell to
the floor and died. The young men
soon afterwards were arrested. be-
trayed by their footprints in the snow
and because they were known to have
harbored bitter feelings and had made
threats against their uncle. They
were brought to trial before an ex-
traordinary term of the supreme court
appointed by Governor Odell, and pre-
sided over by Justice Alden Chester.
in Albany, in March 30y 1902.
Harvey Bruce turned states evil
dence and it was to large extent In
his testimony that the conviction of
the Van Wormers was secured. He
swoTe that upon the ride back from
the scene Of the crime each of the
brothers boasted of having shot the
uncle
II was shown that the bitterness
which the brothers felt toward their
uncle was due chiefly to his having
foreclosed mortgage upon the prop
eTty in Greendale owned by their step
mother. On April Is, all three were
found guilty and sentenced to be put
to death in the week ending May 80
$780,. Their appeal to the court of
appeals acted as stay, and the case
went over to the present year.
Judge OBrien, 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 Hallenbsck's house was
In the nature of young mans 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. Except for the eff
forts of Judge Cady In their be
and for the futile attempt of Mrs.
Van Wormer, the stepmother of the
condemned men, to appeal TO Gov,
ernor Odell, no voice has been raised
In their behalf
harvey Bruce, theIT fellow In
crime, for which they died today, was
tried alone and was sentenced to i'm
prisonment for 1S years.
Mrs. Hallenbeok soon followed her
husband to the grave as also did the
aged mother Of the murdered man
A brother, George A. Hallenbeck, sur
wives, but he is broken in health and
nerve by the awful tragedy enacted al
most within his hearing.
The triple execution of today rails
ed to total of 72 murderers who
have died in the electric chair
The simultaneous execution of three
brothers ds not unprecedented in the
history of New York state, although
to find parallel one must go back to
June Z, 1925. when three brothers, Mel
son, Israel and Joe and Isaac Thayer