The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-08-14
CONFESSED
AND SHRIVE.N
Samuel Monich IS Hanged for
the Murder Of Mrs. Harriet
Kayhart Decker
THE END OF LAWS DEMAND

lhE END UF Law , DEMAND
Sam Monich was hanged in the jail
yard Friday morning for the murder Of
Mrs. Harriet Kayhart Decker at Mont
vile last January. He was tried at
the May term of court and sentenced
to be hanged on June Is, but an appeal
BY his attorneys, Reed 8 Salmon,
stayed the execution. The Errors
Court affirmed the former decision and
Justice Pitney two weeks ago, on re-
ceipt of the papers. resentenced him.
The condemned man did not sleep a
wink Thursday night and was attended
BY the two priests. He refused to eat
Friday morning. He talked more
Thursday than any day since his incar-
ceration in the Jail but after thank
ing Keeper Orr for kindnesses relapsed
into silence.
THE EXECUTION.
The final scene in the tragedy by
which Mrs. Harriet Decker lost her
life was enacted Friday morning when
Sam Monich shortly after ten O'Clock
had the death warrant read to him,
after which the procession to the gall
lows was taken up, Sheriff Shaw lead
ing; then came Hangman Van ,Hise,
then the two priests, then the con-
demned man half-supported by the two
assistants to the hangman. The rear
was brought up by Keeper Orr and
Constable Vanderbilt.
The procession reached thesjail yard
at 10.2S9 and a minute later the black
cap had been drawn down over the VIC
TINS face and the weight was dropped
which jerked the murderer into the
air. At 1924 he was lowered part, but
his heart continued to beat until 10.46,
after which the coffin was brought in
and the murdered lowered to it. An
examination showed that the neck had
been broken and the moose was firmly
NOTED below the left ear.
Monich did not say anything except
to respond to the service as read by the
priests in a mumbling tone.
Monich from the time of his arrest
maintained an attitude of complete
indifference to what was going on un-
Til the Judgment of the Court of Err
rors that he must hang. He had been
small eater before, but refused food
after that time, and for some days past
has remained in bed and fed on whisky
and milk with a spoon to keep him
alive He has cared little for spiritual
ministrations, but has been visited by
the Rev. /. j. Aniczky Of Passaic, who
came yesterday and remained until the
end.
Preparations for the execution had
been going on all last week. A tempo
rary rooted structure was erected be-
tween the jail and the county offices,
and Thursday Hangman Van Hise
brought up the gallows and set it up
for the execution.
Monich was married and leaves a.
wife and children in Peresce, Hungary,
his native town.
At the request of Monich his old
priest in his native land, who is now
stationed at Wilkes-Barre, Pa, the
Rev. N. Csapey, was sent for and ar
rived Thursday Afternoon. 1t had been
remarked at Monich's indifference to
his family but his priest explained
that his wife was far from being a
model woman, and that Monich had
left his home largely to get away from
her, as she wasted all he could earn in
drink and was generally bad
Justice Pitney appointed the same
jury to witness the execution as was
appointed by Justice Garretson, as fol-
lows Peter 5. Mallon, NJ. d., Of
Hanover; James Douglas, M. D.,
James B. Griswold, M. D., Charles
Stilwell, Jr., of Morristown Jacob w.
Welsh, of Washington township; John
w. Fancher, Of Succaspnna James G.
Case, Of Chester Abraham Ryerson,
Of Pequannoc Willard Apgar, Mont
vile Joseph P. Lukeman. Of Dover !;
Ernest Schonenberger, of Passaic.
Sheriff Shaw chose the following
deputies; H. G. Upchurch, Clifford
Mills, M. o., Clinton +. Decker, Fred
Salmon, Reuben Burchell, Nathaniel
T. Neslar, Samuel G.. Harris, Louis A.
Vogt, Oscar B. Smith, George Weber,
William Vanderbilt and Raymond b.
Troxell.
RASERAII TROUBI rs.