Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-01
History Of the Crime.


History Of the Crime.
In almost all respects the tragedy which
closed today at Clinton prison with the
death in the electric chair of the three
brothers Vanwormer was unique in modern
criminal 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 concerned. On
Christmas eve, 1901. with their cousin, Har-
vey Bruce. the three brothers drove some
fourteen miles from their home in Kinder
hook to the hamlet of Greendale. in Column
bia county. where lived Peter A Hallen-
beck, the uncle of the Vanwormers. On
the way they stopped at the Greendale
Church. where they stole from the vehicles
of the farmers number OF robes and
whips
Thence they went on to the Hallenbeck
house. where Mr.. Hallenbeck, his wife and
his aged mother were sitting in the lamp
light in their living room. Both the women
saw them drive past A few moments later
there was knock at the door, and Mr..
Hallenbeck answered 1t, to find masked
men before him. armed with revoiVers
Burton Vanwormer 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. but
missed. Her husband ordered her to flee,
and she ran upstairs, whittier the older wo-
man had preceded her, and the two barri-
caded themselves in the attic.
Wounded Mans Plucky Fight.
Mr. Hallenbeck. although mortally
wounded. broke away from his assailants
and went to the landing of the stairs,
where he kept a loaded shotgun. The as
sailants saw him get the gun and fled. The
old man fell to the floor and died.
The four young men were soon after ar
tod bafra -n6 hV fhaif int in, he
snow. and because they were known to
have harbored bitter feelings and to have
made threats against their uncle.
They were brought to trial before an ex-
traordinary term of the supreme court ap-
pointed by Governor Odell. and presided
over by Justice Alden Chester of Albany
on March 30. 1902.
Harvey Bruce turned states evidence,
and 1t was to a large extent upon his testi-
monv 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 boasted 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 mort
gage upon the property in Greendale
owned by their stepmother the loss of
which compelled their removal to Kinder
hook. April IS all three were found guilty
and sentenced to be put to death in the
week ending May 80. 1902 Their appeal
>
and the case went over to the present year.
Judge O'Brien, in writing the unanimous
opinion of the higher court against the ap-
peal pronounced incredible the main plea
of the defense. that the expedition of the
four to Hallenbeck'S house was in the
nature of young mans prank, the fatal
outcome of which had not been a part of
the plan.
Twice Respited by Odell.
The court fixed upon the week of July
for the carrying out of the death sentence,
but the Vanwormers have been twice re-
spited by Governor Odell.
Except for the efforts of Judge Cady in
their behalf, and for the futile attempt of
Mrs. Fanwormer. the stepmother of the
condemned men, to appeal to Governor
Odell, no voice has been raised in their be-
half.
1t is known that Governor Odell would
have welcomed any plausible ground upon
which to commute the sentence, as he felt
that little good would result to the public
mind from the morbid interest alta ching to
the triple execution.
Harvey Bruce, their fellow in crime for
which they died today was tried alone and
was sentenced to imprisonment for eighteen
years.
Mrs. Hallenbeck soon followed her hus-
band to the grave, as also did the aged
mother of the murdered man. A brother
George A. Hallenbeok, survives, but he is
broken in health ard nerve by the awful
tragedy enacted almost within his hearing.
The triple execution of today raises to a
total or seventy-three the list of the mur-
derers 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
parallel one must go back to June T. 1925,
when three brothers, Nelson, Israel jr,
and Isaac Thayer of the town of Boston,
Erie county, were hanged simultaneously
on a triple gallows erected at the west SIDE
of Niagara Square, in the city of Buffalo
The crime for which the Thayers died was
the butchery of peddler named John Love-