Perth Amboy evening news., 1909-03-23
Last Hanging in
This State
Today.
MANY PRESENT
p<rial to fhe EVENING = =

1NcN DIuHSWlch, Mafc0 ZO. - + fe2
Lang was hanged here today for this
murder of his niece, Katie Gordon, at
Bonhamtown In 1906 The trap was
sprung at 9.42 O'Clock and the body
was cut down at 10 clock. The hang.
ing was done by James Van Hise, OF
Newark. He was assisted by his son.
The proceedings were under the direc.
tion of Sheriff William II. Quaeken.
boss.
Lang spent a restless night and was
awake early this morning He smoked
a cigar and said he did not want much
breakfast. He asked for priest and
Monsignor O'Grady, of St. Peter 4
Catholic church and Father Sczenczey,
of st. Ladislaus Hungarian Catholic
church went to him. The latter talked
to him in Hungarian. He CONFESSED his
faith in the Roman Catholic church, but
would leave no message for any of his
relatives
When asked if he did not want to
live be said he did, but not as he hzd
beer living for the pas ew Years,
meaning In jail The priests admins
tered the saeraments to him.
At 9.35 o'clock Sheriff Quackenboss
read the death warrant to him. The
moose was then placed about his neck
and his arms were tied The cap was
placed on his head, but was raised in
front SO that he eould see. The sheriff
then notified the witnesses who assem-
bled in the brick building in the court
yard in the rear of the Jail.
1t was 9.39 O'Clock when Lang ap-
peared. He walked between Sheriff
Quackenboss and Warden Rogers The
priests walked behind. The Hungarian
priest carried crucifx and was offer
ing prayers as he walked. Lang hooked
pale, but he stepped along without fals
tering. The sheriff and warden kept
tight hold of him as if to support him
should he -weaEen.
He did not hesitate when he came in
sight of the gallows, but stepped. to his
place. The moose was tiphtened, the
cap dropped over his face and the sher-
i'll nodded to Van Hise.
The next instant the body was Nzyk-
ed into the air. The weight on the t766k
weighed $40 pounds and Lang weighed
124 pounds. shere were two OF three
motions of his arms and feet and then
he was still.
At $50 clock the body was lowered
and Drs. J. L. Suydam, the county ply
siican, and DR.. Charles Burnett, Of
South River, examined it. The feet
were not allowed to touch, however,
and the doctors recommended that il be
left TO hang a little longer It remain
ed up until 10 clock. When taken
down it was found that the neck was
not broken and that death had been
caused by strangulation.
There was crowd of about 900 peo-
pie about the court yard. The sheriff
had stationed fifty officers to guard the
place. These were placed twenty yards
apart two together. Nobody was al
lowed in excepting the witnesses.
One of the witnesses was Henry Gar-
don, father OF the girl whom Lang kill
ed He had requested the sheriff to let
him see the man hung. His wife is
sister of Lang. They refused to have
anything to do with the body and the
sheriff win bury it.
Broke Down Yesterday.
According to John Workman, who
watched the prisoner by day, the slayer
broke down yesterday and expressed
sorrow; declared that he believed IN
God and hoped to meet his friends in
the hereafter He told Workman that
he did not think that he could die
Christian. as he did not belong to
church, and as he was a member OF
none he had no hope of salvation Wort
man told him that it was repentance
and belief winch would save him, and
that church membership, while praise
worthy, was not obligatory This seem
ed to console the murderer.
Rev. j. N. Szeneczey again visited the
4oI l.,I aat.
" with him. Lang sat with hanging
head but seemed to be irapresse d.
Description of Crime.
Lang crime was the shooting Of his
step-niece, Katie Gordon, on April 20,
1906. The murderer was then twenty
two wears old and his victim nineteen.
The girl had rejected Lang's offer Of
marriage and had threatened to tell her
father if Lang did not cease his atten-
tions.
Katie and her sisters, Mary and Rose
st $50 o CLOCK that morning, were
boarding a trolley car at Durham s
Hills, near Bonhamtown, to go to New
Brunswick to their work in the cigar
factory. just as Katie put her foot on
the step, Lang fred, the bullet hitting
her In the neck and severing the Jug
ular vein. He also fred at the sisters,
q ball grazing Mary s arm Katie died
in few minutes The murderer put
the revolver to his head, but did not
shoot.
He then mada his escape through q
wood. He had several times before
threatened to kill the girl. The Board
of Freeholders offered reward Of $500
for the mans arrest.
On the night of June 8, 1905, John
LeBgel, special policemen, arrested
Lang in downtown saloon, the night
the man came back to learn something
about his victim. Lang has been In jail
here since, has three times been SEN
fenced to die. but the other two SEN
tenees were held up by legal proceedings.
The question Of his sanity was thor
oughly threshed out before jury. which
decided him to be sane On one oeeas-
sion he attempted to hang himself, and
on another occasion be set FIRE TO the
bedding in his cell. Lengei, who ar
tConttnued on mage Al