Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1882 — Hemp Stretchers. [ARTICLE]

Hemp Stretchers.

Jersey City, N. J„ January 6. Martin Kaukowsky was executed in Hudson County Jail shortly after 10 -a. m., for the murder of Rina Miller, in the woods near Guttenberg, in May last. When Kankowsky awoke this morning he said to Keeper Liddell, “It is my last morning,” and at once got up aad dressed. He partook of a light breakfast, and soon after the Sheriff entered the cell of the doomed man and read the death warrant, after which Kankowsky’s arms were pinioned and the noose adjusted. At 10:16 o’clock the trigger was sprung, and Kankowsky jerked about eight feet into the air, breaking his neck instantly. He made a single convulsive movement, and all was over. New Orleans. La., January 6. Terrence OchiHe and Sterling Ben, both colored, were hanged at Franklin, St. Mary’s parish, at noon to-day, for the murder and robbery of an old man named Larmund, who had $5,000 on his person at the time the crime was committed. Ochille, Ben and two brothers named Beasley, were convicted of the crime, but the Beasleys were sent to the penitentiary for life, Ochille and Ben made strong appeals to Governor McEnery, but he refused to interfere. They marched to the scaffold firmly and met their fate without flinching. There was a drop of five feet. They died with very little struggling. Elmira, January 6. The execution of Joseph Abbott, convicted of killing George Reed, a fellow-prisoner, in the New York State Prison, in this city, in April, 1880, occurred to-day. Abbott arose at 6 o’clock and partookjof a hearty breakfast and conversed cheerfully with his attendants and friends up to the time of execution. The rope was cut by the Sheriff at fifteen minutes past 11, and the prisoner jerked about four feet into the air. His neck was broken and he struggled for; about five minutes after the drop fell.

Marshall, Mo., January 6. John A. Phelps was hanged here at noon to-day for the murder of Elijah Keyton. Phelps worked for Key ton, and with the latter’s nephew devised to killed and rob the old man. Phelps hid behind a fence, waylaid Keyton, beat his brains out and rifled his pockets of $175. It is said he cared no more for killing Keyton than for killing a cat. Phelps slept only three hours last night, but ate a good breakfast this morning. He lately became converted and was baptised, and on the gallows expressed the belief that he would go to heaven. The gallows were erected in King’s pasture, a mile from town, and though a stormy day of rain and sleet, a crowd of several thousand stood' in the storm to witness the hanging. St. Louis, January 5. Two murderers, Joseph Michael Kotovsky and Charles Ellis, the latter colored, were executed in the jail this morning. Both men retired to bed early last night. Ellis slept until nearly 5 o’clock, but Kotovsky arose at 3 a. m. They partook of a. light breakfest,'and then conversed with Barber and Ward, who are to hang next Friday. Devotional exercises, were then resumed until the reading of the death warrent, which took place in jail. When asked if they had anything to say, both replied nothing. The noose was then aejusted, and exactly at five minutes to 9 both murderers were flung nto eternity. Ellis’ neck wis

broken, but Kotovaky slowly strangled. z * t;The erime for 'which Kotovsky was executed was the murder of a young girl named Augusta Simms, on October 10,1878. She had been his sweetheart, but had jilted him. „ J Charles Ellis shot and killed Mack Sanders, a colored roustabout, on May 9,1880.