The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-12-22
Negro who Shot His Com
I mon-Law Wife Last May
Pays the Penalty of His
Crime
WENT TO CALLOWS SINGING
BEFORE THE EXECUTION He
EXPRESSED GREAT SORROW
FOR HIS CRIME AND THANKED
THOSE WHO HELPED HIM.

Edward S. Tapley, the negro who shot
and killed lis common-iaw wife, Minnie
May Jennings, on May last, was exe-
cuted by hanging at the county jail this
morning. The drop fell at 1913 o'clock.
He was not pronounced dead until 1925
o'clock. He had marched in a process
sion from his cell to the gallows APP
parently without a trenor, singing in q
rich, clear voice. Steal Away to Jesus
having joined in the hymn started by
the Rev. w. S. Smith. his spiritual adj
wiser, and Aaron Mayo, an undertaken
and preacher friend. He made a short
speech, in which he expressed great sor-
row for his crime, but said he was driven
to it by the woman he Killed. He said
he hoped men would take warning by
his fate He thanked those who had
been kind to him while in jail and them
babe those about him farewell. 1t was
uOL uHlA 1dHSAidA ' du AAA-C Was "'r
justing the black cap over his head that
his superb nerve, which he had kept we'll
up to that minute, left him. He droppeu
to his knees and it was thought he had
tainted. Sheriff Kaiser lifted him up
and said
Hold up. Ed. it will all be over in
minute
1t is question whether or not the
man was conscious just before the drop
fell The Rev. DIR. E. A. Meury. who
is opposed to capital punishment, was
among those who witnessed the execu-
ton. He refused to say whether Tapley
had agreed to signal by twitching his
thumbs during the process of strangula-
tion as to whether he was in pain. DR..
Meury says that Paul GEM. who killed
Clara Arnim in Hoboken some years ago,
gave him such a signal after, the drop
fell at his execution. Tapley gave no
such signal.
The hanging took place in the corridor
on the west side of the second floor. The
Courts jury and the Sheriff's jury, in
cluding newspaper men formed pro-
cession in the Court House and marched
to the jail, where they were Joined by
doctors and others in, waiting. The pro-
cession to the gallows included Van Hise,
the hangman; Sheriff Kaiser and the
three men who had been on the death
watch-John O'Brien, benjamin. Wick
ham and John Hanlon Drs. Wolfson,
Farr,. Putnam and PisRaski witnessed
the execution. The body was lowered
after seven minutes and DIR. Farr found
that the heart was beating then at the
rate of ten beats to the minute.
Tapley did not sleep more than two
hours last night. A midnight prayer
service was held. He had no appetite
for breakfast and merely drank cup of
coffee.
great crowd of people stood outside
of the jail for more than an hour before
the execution.
Tapley was the son of Baptist min
lister who lives in upper New York. His
father refused to have anything to do
with him on account Of his crime. After
shooting his wife on Sunday, May last,
Tapley went to his landlord, James
Early. and told him whal he had done.
He asked Early to call a policeman and
followed Early to the street. His aunt
followed a few minutes later. His crime
was prompted BY Jealousy, Tapley dis
covering that the Jennings woman was
unfaithful to him.