Horrible Scene

Royal Gazette and Newfoundland Advertiser Vital Statistics & Items 1810 – 1845, Volume 1, Mildred Howard Collection (Newfoundland, Canada) – August 16, 1831


HORRIBLE SCENE.


James & Alexander Stewart were brought out for execution in front of Lifford gaol, on Saturday week. Placed under the beam, they drew their caps over their eyes, and with fervent calls for mercy, the drop fell. James died without struggle. The rope by which Alexander was suspended, broke, and he fell to the pavement, a distance of nearly forty feet! He fell with his head on his own coffin, which was broken, and rebounded off it a few feet. He was carried in, supposedly dead while the executioner, with a ladder, put another rope over the block, and raised the drop, pushing the culprit, suspended, to one side. To the astonishment of the crowd, Alexander again appeared and walked out on the drop. It was again slipped, but rested on the shoulder of James, who was again pushed to oneside, and Alexander was launched into eternity, but not suddenly. The board slowly moved down, sliding along James’ body. The know had shifted round under the chin of Alexander. His whole body convulsed, he several times pused himself from the wall with his feet, with great force – his clothes burst open so his naked breast was seen, and blood flowed from the wound he had received on the cheek, in the fall. At length he fell, his body was seen to stretch and he hung motionless alongside his brother. James was 25 years old, Alexander was 22 years. Their mother, sister and wife of Alexander were present.

 


Generously donated by Lisa Daly.

Hang Them

Chico Weekly Record, Chico, California – Saturday, December 25, 1897


 

HANG THEM.


There are already manifest movements to create a groundwork of sentiment for the interposition of the plea of insanity for the man Huff, charged with the brutal murder of Mrs. Clute in San Francisco last week. In about every case where such a plea is interposes it presupposes guilt. Huff as yet must be presumed innocent. The circumstantial and direct evidence indicate that he is the murderer but the suggestion that he is crankily insane has cropped out, and will be in full flower when the man is put on his trial. That is clearly indicated by the present premonitory suggestions, says the Record-Union.

Assuming that Huff is guilty, and that he is a crank, in certain sense is a monomaniac, he is if guilty, sane enough to be hanged. Here is a man who has lived in and about San Francisco for twenty years, working in hundreds of families, having a very wide circle of acquaintances and trusted on all aides; a man of more than ordinary intelligence, whom no one in all that time had suspected in all that time as being at all dangerous, or anything more than eccentric, his eccentricities manifesting themselves along harmless lines. Now that he is charged with a heinous offense he is suddenly discovered to have been of mental unbalance, according to the hints now creeping into the accounts of the case. If he is insane, but not enough unsettled to warrant his confinement in an asylum, he should, if found guilty, be hanged regardless of the foreshadowed plea. These insane murderers are best hanged, because every last one of them short of maniacs, like the murderer now in custody in Oakland, is subject to the deterrent influences of punishment. Every time a murderer is set free on the ground of mental derangement, the clearance is followed by a fresh outbreak of the so-called insane.

Hang these crank murderers, and those prone to such deeds will be moved to restrain their predelictions for crime. They are susceptible to fear, they know perfectly well the difference between right andwrong, and dread the noose as much, if not more, than the sane.

 


From the collection of The Comtesse DeSpair.

 

Father And Son Hanged

Steele Scrapbook – June 19, 1885


 

FATHER AND SON HANGED .

FARMERSVILLE, La., June 19.—Perry and William Melton, father and son, were hanged to-day for the murder of John W. Cherry. William died in great agony, the loop having caught over his chin in descending, remaining so as to allow easy respiration. After remaining so fifteen minutes, his condition being unchanged, the rope was re adjusted and death resulted in eleven minutes.

 


Ruthlessly Snatched From The Arms Of Alf

The Elmira Murderer Hanged

Steele Scrapbook – July 2, 1885


 

THE ELMIRA MURDERER HANGED.

 

BINGHAMTON, N. Y., July 2.—William Meinecke was hanged here in the jail yard to-day for the murder of Katie Brodhoff. The execution was witnessed by about 250 persons. Meinecke was pale and trembled perceptibly when on the scaffold. He maintained his innocence to the last and hoped his blood would be on the prosecution.

 


 

Deviously Stolen From Alf

Shot At By A Woman

Steele Scrapbook – 1885?


 



SHOT AT BY A WOMAN.


JIM DALY, THE PUGILIST, HAD RATHER A CLOSE CALL LAST NIGHT.


SHE FIRED TWICE AT THE BIG FELLOW


But Her Aim Was Bad and the Bullets Flew Wide of the Mark—Then Jim Seized the Woman, Bundled Her Off in a Hack to Broad-street Station and Sent Her Home to Brooklyn—Certain Letters From Another Woman Found in Jim’s Pocket are Said to Have Caused the Unpleasantness.

Two pistol shots in quick succession rang out shortly after eight o’clock last night on Sansom street, above Eight, and a few seconds later a hack that had been standing at the stage entrance of the Central Theatre drove rapidly away. Jim Daly, the pugilist, had been shot at twice by a tall woman veiled and wearing a sealskin coat.

Daly was on his way to the theatre to box his round as usual with Jim Corbett, with whose combination he is connected. As he reached the door leading to the stage the woman jumped from the carriage and succeeded in discharging her weapon-a thirty-two calibre revolver-twice at Daly before he caught her arm and twisted it from her grasp.

Neither of the bullets took effect.


A number of men attracted by the noise of the reports ran to the scene of the shooting, and were in time to see Daly say something to the woman as he hurried her into the hack, and then say a word to the driver. The hack rapidly disappeared up Sansom street, and Daly slipped into the passageway. He was pale and somewhat excited when he reached his dressing-room and told Jim Corbett of the shooting. Daly, when questioned, denied at first that there had been any trouble, but finally acknowledged that the woman had shot at him, but said that it was of no importance.

Her name, he said, is Sadie Kenna, and she belongs to a highly respectable family of Brooklyn. She saw him spar at the People’s Theatre in New York, and wrote for his photograph, which he sent. She had since followed him about, and came to this city to see him. Several of the attaches of the Central say that a hansomely [sic] dressed woman came to the front entrance early in the evening and said she must see Daly, and when told that he had not yet arrived drove away id [sic] a hack. Daly admitted that he had corresponded with the woman, but said that her act was an entire surprise to him.


A friend of the pugilist’s, who would not give his name through awe of Daly’s fists, said last night that there was more in the shooting than Daly stated, and that the cause of the trouble was a letter which the Brooklyn girl found in Daly’s overcoat pocket. This letter was from another woman, and from its tenor Miss Kenna was led to believe that she was not alone in the possession of the stalwart James’ affections.

The revolver was picked up shortly after the shooting by a boy and taken to Daly, who, however, denied all knowledge of it. When asked where the woman drove to, the pugilist replied: “To the Broad-street station to take a train, and that’s all I have to say.”


Perhaps that’s enough.

 



Stolen During Cover Of Darkness From The House Of Alf

She Shot A Burglar

Steele Scrapbook – January 26, 1886


 


SHE SHOT A BURGLAR.


He Escaped, but Was Afterwards Found Suffering from Two Wounds.

OMAHA, Neb., Jan. 26.—”Don’t move and you will not be hurt,” was the warning a burglar gave Mrs. P. F. Murphy late last night. Mrs. Murphy, who is the widow of Mayor Murphy, lives at 2623 Dodge street, and owns considerable property. She had been awakened, and starting up in bed, saw the man standing at the foot of her bed. Mrs. Murphy did not faint or scream. Instead she resolutely reached under her pillow and, grasping a revolver, levelled it at the burglar and began firing. He had not expected resistance, and Mrs. Murphy’s true aim found him.

“My God!” he cried, and staggered toward the open window, through which he had entered, and leaped out, while Mrs. Murphy kept up her firing.

By this time the household was aroused and search made about the yard for the burglar. He had escaped from the premises, but upon the window-sill were clots of blood, and in the yard traces of blood were also found. The trail was lost when the street was reached. Afterward the burglar was found in a cheap hotel suffering from two wounds, one bullet having penetrated his left lung.

 



Stolen During Cover Of Darkness From The House Of Alf

The Shooting Of Laura Warwick

1892 Morbid Scrapbook


 


THE SHOOTING OF LAURA WARWICK.

ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., Jan. 14.—Miss Laura Warwick, the young lady who was shot in the eye by her mother on Thursday afternoon last, is greatly improved to-night and it is thought that her eye will be saved. It has just transpired that the woman bought the pistol for the purpose of shooting the girl, and that she was sane at the time she did the shooting. The police authorities as yet have taken no action in the matter.

 



From the collection of The Comtesse DeSpair
The 1892 Morbid Scrapbook

Lizzie Had A Pistol

1892 Morbid Scrapbook


 


LIZZIE HAD A PISTOL.


And George Robinson Found Out That She Knew How to Use It.

A party, the participants of which were colored, was given on Lawrence street, above Girard avenue, on Monday night, and did not break up until an early hour yesterday morning. Among those who were in attendance were George Robinson, of 1328 Hancock street, and his sister-in-law, Lizzie Robinson, of 1714 Fitler street. George and Lizzie were going home together when, it is alleged by Lizzie, her escort asked her to accompany him to a house of questionable character. She refused, and when George attempted to force her she drew a revolver and shot him just below the left eye. The bullet passed out back of the ear. Robinson went to the Episcopal Hospital and had the wound attended to. The ball had penetrated no vital part, and he was discharged. The police, hearing of the affair, arrested the woman, and yesterday Magistrate Gillespie held her in $800 for court.

 


 

This apparently occurred in Philadelphia, like many of the articles from the Morbid Scrapbooks. Whenever actual addresses are mentioned in these old articles, I always want to track them down and photograph them as they currently exist. If anyone is from the Philadelphia area, and wishes to help me out in that endeavor, please contact me.

From the collection of The Comtesse DeSpair
The 1892 Morbid Scrapbook

Ill Treatment Of A Girl

Steele Scrapbook – July 19, 1885


 


Ill Treatment of a Girl.

LEBANON, July 19.—Steward Klein, a stalwart farmer of the Toush Valley, along the Blue Mountains, yesterday unmercifully horsewhipped Sarah Linke, aged 19, a maid employed in his family, beating the girl beneath a willow tree in the rear yard of his premises until she sank writhing to the ground and confessed that she had told an untruth.

When Mrs. Klein returned home yesterday she found the house in disorder, the infant neglected and the girl locked in her room. When Sarah was, with difficulty, induced to come out, she said she had taken refuge there to escape Mr. Klein. The latter proved by his son and hired man, however, that he had not left the field during his wife’s absence, and then whipped Sarah until she retracted the charge. Sarah’s father had Klein arrested, but, on learning of the girl’s confession, withdrew the suit and paid the costs. The girl has disappeared.

 



Stripped From The Fingers Of Alf

Assaulted In His Pulpit

Steele Scrapbook – August 31, 1885


 



ASSAULTED IN HIS PULPIT


A MINISTER KNOCKED DOWN BY ONE OF HIS PARISHONERS.


At the Mention of General Grant’s Name the Excited Layman Leaves His Pew and Rushing Up the Aisle Violently Assaults the Preacher.

 

YORK, Aug. 31.—A decided sensation was created in Winterstown, this county, yesterday, by J. H. P. Fulton, a well-known resident of the village. Rev. J. F. Shultz, of Sprewsburg, pastor of the circuit embracing the Winterstown Evangelical Church, some time ago announced that yesterday he would preach a grand memorial sermon. Fulton gave notice that such a sermon should not be preached in that church. But little attention was paid to his threat and on Sunday Rev. Mr. Shultz announced his text and proceeded with his sermon, enumerating great men of ancient and modern times. Fulton sat quietly until General Grant’s name was mentioned when he sprang to his feet, brandished his arms and cried to the minister: “Stop that!” The preacher continued his discourse and Fulton advanced up the aisle. Great confusion prevailed, which reached a crisis when the angry member sprang into the pulpit and violently assaulted the minister, knocking him down. A rush was made by the congregation to defend to pastor and in the melee one man received a blow from Fulton’s fist and another had his clothing torn. Order was finally restored and the sermon finished. Fulton will probably be prosecuted. It is said he has left the place.

 


Forced From The Grasp Of Alf