Judge Lynch on the Bench Cincinnati, Ohio, May 13, 1881

An Old Grudge, Attempted murder and Swift Punishment

Cincinnati, May 13—The Republican’s Charleston, Mo., special says: “Four men—Frank Brown, Jesse Meyers, James Hamilton and Pat Rhodes—visited the house of William Knox, five miles south of New Madrid last Monday night with the intention of killing him and his half-sister on account of an old grudge.

A man named Coleman was carrying a child and walking the floor in the house, and mistaking Coleman for Knox the party fired on him and wounded both him and the child.

A warrant was issued Tuesday for the arrest of the assassins and Sheriff Walters, with a posse, started in pursuit and overtook them at Bayne’s store, five miles south of Sikeston. The men fled to the woods and secreted themselves behind a fallen tree. When the posse came up they received a volley from the concealed party and Robert LaFarge was killed. The Sheriff’s party returned the fire but receiving a second volley, retired. The desperadoes then robbed the dead body of LaFarge of his watch, money and shirt-studs and fled.

In the evening Pat Rhodes, one of the gang who had been wounded by the Sheriff’s posse came in and gave himself up. This morning a party of vigilantes took him out and hanged him and hundreds of men are scouring the country in every direction for the remainder of the party. If caught they will be served as Rhodes was served.

Source: Charlie Crowell. Capital Punishment Scrapbook, Philadelphia Newspaper Article, about March, 1881.

Galveston, Texas Murderers May 11, 1881

One Sentenced to Die and Another to Thirty Years’ Imprisonment

Galveston, May 11, 1881—A special to the News from Will’s Point, Texas, says: “In the case of the State vs. Tiel the jury rendered a verdict of guilty of murder in the second degree; punishment, imprisonment in the penitentiary for thirty years. In the case of the State vs. White the verdict was guilty of murder in the first degree and the prisoner was sentenced to be hanged. After the verdict was rendered White made a statement denying his guilt, but in the latter portion of his speech he virtually confessed the crime. He was charged with killing a peddler near here several years ago. A motion for a new trial was overruled, and an appeal will be taken to the District Court.

Source: Charlie Crowell. Capital Punishment Scrapbook, Philadelphia Newspaper Article, about March, 1881.

Frank Pfeifer’s record in New York March 17, 1881

Frank Pfeifers, Murdered and Committed Suicide, March, 1881

(right: cell furnishings of a wealthy criminal)

A Daring Criminal Who is Believed to Have Murdered his Father.

Special Despatch to the Press

New York, March 17,--Frank Pfeifer has always been one of the most desperate ruffians in the Twentieth Precinct. He has been a “regular comer” at the station, in the words of an officer, for the past ten years. Most of his offenses were only punished, however, by a few months at Blackwell’s Island, but in May, 1878, he was arrested for burglary and was sentenced by Recorder Hackett to three and one half years imprisonment in State Prison, which term he served out.

About three months ago a cigar store in Thirty-Ninth Street near Tenth Avenue was robbed and Pfeifer was suspected. The police were on the lookout for him when his mother, who keeps a tenement-house at No. 413 West Thirty-Seventh Street, called Officer Malone and informed him that her son had purchased a revolver, with which he intended to shoot Officer Biglin of the same precinct. She wished to prevent it and showed the police the stolen goods, which Pfeifer had concealed in his trunk.

He could not be captured, however. When next heard of it was in connection with a burglary at Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Sergeant C. H. Pless of the Twentieth precinct said that he was one of the hardest cases he had ever met with. His father was murdered about nine years ago and strong suspicion was directed toward the son as his murderer, as he had often been arrested for violence toward his parents.

This suspicion was strengthened some years afterward, when he was arrested and tried for disorderly conduct before Justice Otterberg on complaint of his mother. He was sentenced to imprisonment for one month, when his mother cried out: “For God’s sake, Judge, don’t give him such a short time, for when he gets out he will kill me, as he did his father.” His sentence was thereupon changed to six months.

Previous to his sentence at State Prison, Pfeifer kept a low dance house in Thirty-Ninth Street which was the nightly resort of the most degraded criminals of both sexes. The place is still known by the name of Pfeifer’s Hall. Pfeifer’s most intimate associate was “Dutch” Harmon, now serving a term of eight years in the State Prison at Sing Sing for car robbery. Both these men were supposed to have been connected with the murder of a watchman in the Harlem Railroad yard at Thirtieth Street, with the intention of committing burglary.

Source: Charlie Crowell. Capital Punishment Scrapbook, Philadelphia Newspaper Article, about March, 1881.

The Dead Convicts March, 1881

Additional information gained of horrible crimes

The Coroner’s Jury Find that Pfeifer Murdered His Companion and Committed Suicide—the end of a Life of Wickedness.

Coroner Janney’s investigation yesterday into the circumstances of the double tragedy that occurred in the Eastern Penitentiary of Tuesday night failed to throw much additional light on the motive of Frank Pfeifer for killing his fellow convict, John McBride, and then committing suicide. Edward Townsend, Warden of the Penitentiary, was the first witness examined, and testified that early on Wednesday morning one of the officers notified him that two convicts had been found dead in their cell and upon visiting the scene of the tragedy he discovered one man lying on the floor and the other suspended by the neck from a gas bracket.

When Pfeifer was admitted to the institution on the 18th of February last he simulated insanity, but this being of such frequent occurrence little attention was paid to it. A subsequent examination of the convict by the medical examiner bore out the supposition of simulation. Pfeifer seemed to be afflicted with melancholy when admitted, and he said that he had served three terms of imprisonment in Sing Sing Prison. He was put in a cell with McBride and they always appeared to be on friendly terms.

Finding the Bodies.
Thomas McGuigan, the overseer, who first discovered the dead bodies, was next called. He stated that on Tuesday he asked Pfeifer how he was getting along, as he had previously complained of feeling unwell. “Very well,” was the reply and the witness heard him make a similar reply to McBride. The witness then detailed the finding of the bodies on Wednesday morning.

Thomas Harney, another overseer, who went on duty at 6 o’clock Tuesday evening and remained until midnight, and William H. Johnson, also overseer, who came on duty at midnight, testified that they had heard no noise during the night in the cell occupied by the men.

Edward Swazer, residing at No. 2219, Oxford Street, testified to having been present at the trial of Pfeifer in Wilkes-Barre, this state and heard testimony offered to the effect that the prisoner had made an attempt to take his life by hanging himself in his cell. Witness noticed that Pfeifer acted strangely during the trial, and on one occasion asked for permission to go out of the court room for a few minutes. When asked for what purpose he replied, “Why, I want to commit suicide. I am tired of living.” The request being refused, the prisoner took a vial from his pocket and attempted to swallow the contents, which consisted of small particles of glass, but was prevented by one of he court officers.

A terrible confession.
Deputy Coroner Powers, who visited the cell in which the tragedy occurred, testified to having found a large knife, used in the manufacture of tobacco, lying in a box, and gave it as his opinion that Pfeifer cut McBride on the wrist with the knife and then strangled him. A convict in an adjoining cell informed the Deputy Coroner that he had heard an unusual noise during the night in the cell occupied by Pfeifer and McBride.

Witness found in the cell a small card on which was written the following:
“To Captain Washburn, Twentieth-ward Station-house, Thirty-Seventh Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues, New York City.”

On a table were two slates, one of which contained the following:
“Stroudsburg, Pa.—Miss Elna Bittenbender, Jackson Township—Last fall me and my cousin George Kraft. I am—“
Witness here explained that he had been informed the Miss Elna Bittenbender referred to had been feloniously assaulted and murdered near her house last fall, it being supposed at the time that the killing had been done by tramps. A cousin of the woman was subsequently arrested and tried for the crime, but was acquitted.

The second slate contained the following:
“I also kill that girl in Jackson County, Cousin George Kraft last fall was arrested his brother. They call me the devil and a wich, so if you all knew all the people I have kill, you would be astonished. So in New York they and you will find out all about me. I am sorry for me owen Family for I know they use them ruf on my account. They could not help for what work I did {sic}.”
On the reverse side of the slate was written “You can tell Judge Rice (the Judge who sentenced him at Wilkes-Barre) not to send down here any crazy man.”

The Cause of Death.
Dr. J. G. Lee, the coroner’s physician, testified to having made a post-mortem examination of the bodies, which he found lying on the floor in a cell. He noticed that the furniture in the apartment was in great disorder.

The face of McBride was covered with blood, which had trickled from his nostrils, and on his forehead, above the left eye, were three bruises. The palm and back of the right hand were stained with blood, and there was also some blood on the back of the right foot. Around his neck was a tightly tied pair of drawers which had belonged to Pfeifer, as they had stamped on them his number. Corresponding to the bruise on his forehead there was an irregular fracture involving the frontal, parietal, temporal and sphenoid bones, the right orbital plate of the frontal bone was also fractured.

Pfeifer was found hanging by a piece of twine, which formed three coils around the neck, and his feet were bound together with twine. There were several spots of blood on his hands, and over the right one was drawn a sock, which was stained with blood. One the right wrist was an incised wound two inches in length. There were spots of blood on the floor of the cell. In the opinion of Dr. Lee death in both instances had been caused by suffocation.

The case was then given to the jury, who rendered a verdict that McBride came to his death by suffocation at the hands of Pfeifer and that he latter came to his death from suffocation at his own hands.

McBride’s body was yesterday taken charge of and buried by his wife, with whom he has not lived for over fifteen years. Unless Pfeifer’s body is claimed by today it will be buried in Potter’s Field.

Source: Charlie Crowell. Capital Punishment Scrapbook, Philadelphia Newspaper Article, about March, 1881.

Dead in a Prison Cell March, 1881

The End of Two of the Eastern Penitentiary Inmates

One Murdered, the Other Hanging from a Gas-Bracket--The Coroner's Investigation--Where the Men Came From.

"Great God!" exclaimed Thomas McGuigan, overseer at the Eastern Penitentiary, yesterday morning as he opened the iron door of a cell on the second block preparatory to furnishing the two inmates with their morning meal. There was just cause to provoke such a startling and irreverent exclamation, for by the dim light that filtered through the only window in the narrow apartment McGuigan saw the dead bodies of the two convicts, Frank Pfeifer and John McBride--one lying outstretched upon the floor and the other hanging by the neck against the stone wall of the cell. McBride lay upon the floor, with his face upturned, cold and distorted, near the grating of the cell door. There was an abrasion on this left forehead as if made by some blunt instrument, and around his neck was a piece of sheeting from the cell bed, which was drawn so tightly as to cause the tongue to protrude, indicationg that he had died of strangulation. His clothing was not materially disarranged, but the front of the convict garb was sprinkled with blood.

A Case of Determined Self-murder. The cold and inanimate body of Pfeifer was suspended by a piece of sheeting and twine from a gas bracket which projected from the wall, and which was so low as to render it neccessary for the suicide to draw up his feet in order to carry out his horrible design. When discovered, therefore, the body was in a kneeling position, with the face against the wall. The suicide was terribly in earnest when he began his work of death, for to make sure of having a strong rope he ingeniously twisted the heavy twine and sheeting together before attaching them to his neck. His death must have been a horrible one, for there was no fall and the neck was not broken, consequently it was a clear case of determined self-murder by strangulation.

Upon making the ghastly discovery McGuigan quickly notified Warden Edward Townsend, and the resident physician, Dr. Comegys Paul, was summoned. In the interim, however, Pfeifer's body, which was yet quite warm, was cut down, but upon the arrival of the physician an examination revealed the fact that life was extinct. By this time the excitement consequent upon the discovery of the terrible tragedy had somewhat subsided, and various conjectures were offered as to the probable cause that led to the death of the two convicts. It was known that Pfeifer was not of sound mind, which fact was seemingly a tangible thread upon which to weave a network of plausible circumstantial evidence of murder and suicide. This theory of the tragedy, however, was reject by many because it was known that Pfeifer's mental derangement had never manifested itself in any thing more serious than sensless prattle, and that for a certainty the two convicts were on good terms up to the time they retired on the night of the tragedy.

The surrounding circumstances, however, point with unerring accuracy to Pfeifer as the murderer and suicide. If such be the case, the only reason that can be assigned for the terrible double crime is insanity and during his frenzy, overpowered and strangled McBride and then hung himself. The condition of both men and the disarranged condition of the cell seemingly corroborated this theory, although no ample evidences of a terrible struggle within exist. Pfeifer's right arm is severely bruised above the elbow, as if it had been clutched in a vice-like grasp or struck with some blunt weapon, to prevent its use and there is a deep lacerated wound on the left wrist. McBride's body is covered with bruises evidently received while struggling for his life with his maniacal murderer.

The Third Victim. To further suppoort the theory of murder and suicide the slate in the cell used by the deceased cconvicts to communicate with the prison officials was found to bear the startling confession, "This is the third man I have killed," written in a nervous hand. This seems to corroborate the belief that Pfeifer committed the murder while laboring under a sudden attack of insanity. No credit, however, is given to the voluntary confession of his being a triple murderer, the impression being that while gloating over McBride's corpse his insane frenzy dictated the ghastly works on the slate. The fact of the two prisoners being in one cell is easily accounted for from the fact that there are on 731 cells for over 1,000 convicts; hence it is that many of the cells contain two inmates. Pfeifer and McBride were employed as tobacco-strippers and without exception, were always occupied with this work in their own cells which is at the eastern extremity of the building.

Deputy Coroner Thomas J Poweres and Dr. J. G. Lee, Coroner's physician, visited the Penitentiary in the afternoon and after viewing the remains ordered their removal to the Morgue. Later in the day, Dr. Leo made a post-mortem examination of both bodies, the result of will be submitted at the Coroner's inquest at noon today. Pfeifer was 23 years old and was known as convict No. 728. He was sentenced at Wilkesbarre in February last to three years and a half for burglary and arrived at Cherry Hill on the 18th of last month. He was a well-known New York thief, having served three terms in Sing Sing Prison and one on Blackwell's Island. McBride was 49 years of age and was known in the prison as No. 525. He was admitted on September 30, 1880, for two years for aggravated assault and battery and indecent exposure in this city. He was a married man and has a sister living at Twentieth and Pine Streeets. Neither of the men had been to the Eastern Penitentiary before.

McBride was a man of low instincts, and got himself into trouble some ten years ago for the same offense. Little Mary Colligan, the child whom he attempted to assault in the early part of last September, was begging from door to door in the neighborhood of Twenty-first and Green. A passer-by saw McBride approach her and he called Officer Foster of the Ninth Police District, who, after a sharp chase, captured McBride. Although he stoutly asserted his innocence, he was fully identified by the little girl and committed for trial. When Mary's father heard of the attempted out-rage he was with difficulty restrained from entering the Court-house and shooting McBride as he stood in the dock. Mr. Colligan said last night that he was glad to hear of McBride's death. "It don't make any difference," said he, "whether he was killed or killed himself. He was a villainous scoundrel, and the grave is the best place for him."

Source: Charlie Crowell. Capital Punishment Scrapbook, Philadelphia Newspaper Article, about March, 1881.

Eastern Penitentiary*, Philadelphia

Right: EASTERN Penitentiary

*a.k.a. Cherry Hill Prison.

Philadelphia Inquirer, Monday, May 9, 1881

Cherry Hill Prison, 1881
An English Gentleman’s Impressions of that Famous Prison.
The Gloomy Penitentiary of Charles Dickens’ American Notes Viewed in Another Light—How the Prisoners are Treated.

Mr. Frederick Fullerton Armstrong who recently arrived in this country and who intends to proceed to Rugby Tennessee the colony planted by Thomas Hughes where he will edit the Rugbeian furnishes the following sketch descriptive of a visit to the Eastern Penitentiary.

It will be interesting to the reader to compare it with the account another Englishman Charles Dickens wrote of the same prison nearly forty years ago:

The sunshine was streaming fiercely down on the dusty pavement and the double line of bright red houses filled the air with a lurid glow; making one almost pant with heat. Hailing a street-car I placed myself on the shady side and asked the conductor to let me know when we arrived at the Eastern Penitentiary. After some twenty minutes’ drive I was duly notified of my arrival, and jumping from the side of the car I found myself gazing upon a huge gray stone building that looked strangely cool and quiet in the blinding sunshine.

Crossing the roadway, I advanced up a short court-yard and found myself opposite a formidable iron gateway. On the left-hand side a small doorway was standing open and on peering through this I saw the gate porter reclining in a comfortable, tipped-up chair evidently enjoying the comparative coolness engendered by the massive thickness of the walls and the utter impossibility of the sun’s forcing an entrance.

As my eyes got used to the gloom, I proceeded to take stock of my surroundings. I found myself in a kind of covered archway of considerable length and shut off from the prison proper by a second iron gate of enormous size and massive proportions. On either side were staircases leading up, as I afterward learned, to the warden’s and doctors’ quarters. After waiting a while, Mr. Cassidy, the warden, came down from his midday meal and I handed him my letter. He was a tall, fine-looking man, with a grave, reflective looking face and wonderfully keen eye. He stared solemnly at the missive I presented to him, and then read it over with the very greatest deliberation.

“Hmm! Want to see the prison? Very little to see. Come along.” With these words he led the way towards the second gate, and passing through this I found myself within the precincts of the prison. A flagged pathway flanked on either side with bright green lawns, led across the entrance hall on the main prison building.

The first thing that struck my eye were two magnificent mirrors placed on opposite sides of the hallway, and I felt naturally surprised at such a very unexpected sight, but after we had passed them, Mr. Cassidy turned round and showed me that by these means the entrance and exit of every person was reflected to the keeper. Everything was scrupulously clean from the gray marble flooring to the white washed ceiling.

On arriving at the end of the entrance passage I found myself in a large circular hall, brilliantly lighted and perfectly ventilated. Taking up a position in the centre of this hall, Mr. Cassidy pointed out to me the plan of the arrangement. This was decidedly good. The circular hall formed, as it were, the axle-box, and the various corridors all radiated off this, forming the spokes of the wheel. By this means a keeper standing in the middle of the hall controlled every one of the corridors.

Each corridor had an upper and lower tier of cells, with a railed iron pathway running round the upper tier, to which the cell doors opened. Handling me over to the care of the schoolmaster, Mr. Cassidy told him to show me what I wished to see. On my saying I would like to look over the cells the schoolmaster led the way to the upper tier of one of the corridors, and on reaching the top of the staircase conducted me through a narrow doorway and ushered me into a fair-sized room, small, of course, but still with ample accommodation. “What a very pretty room,” I remarked. “I suppose this is yours?” “Oh, no; this is one of the cells,” he replied. “What!” I said, “Do you mean to tell me this on one of the cells?” “Certainly,” said he; “and this cell belongs to the man Charles Dickens interviewed when he was examining our prisons.

It is not the same cell, but it is the identical man; he is back here how on his eighth sentence; he never likes to stay away long from us.” I gazed around me in silent amazement. The place looked more like the officers’ quarters of some crack cavalry corps than a prison cell. The walls of the cell were exceedingly cleverly decorated in distemper the colors artistically blended, and the tout ensemble exceedingly effective.

The pictures were suspended on the walls and on each side of the mirror were some portraits in oil, family portraits—I should imagine—ancestors probably of the occupant—whom it doubtless pleased him to have about him. In the left-hand corner, near the door, was a most comfortable bed with a tasteful quilt, evidently designed to harmonize with the carpeting and rest of the furniture. In the opposite corner was a book-shelf with a good assortment of books and a neat collection of pipes were suspended below.

On a ledge between the bed and the book-shelf were the various toilet requisites, scented soap, brushes, scissors,, pomade, etc.; on the right-hand side was fixed the table with its pretty coverlet arranged with photographs in neat frames and some books and knickknacks. An open card board box lying on the table was the owner’s cash box—he evidently had a high opinion of the honesty of his neighbors—and in it was a $2.50 gold piece and a quantity of small money, some seventeen or eighteen shillings altogether, I should think. An arm chair, rocking chair, stool and cabinet completed the internal arrangements of this cell.

When I had a little got over my astonishment I inquired whether this was a fair sample of an ordinary cell, and was told this one was fitted up at the prisoner’s own expense. On further inquiry I was informed that a prisoner could provide himself, or be provided by his friends, with pretty much whatever he pleased, with the exception of food and clothing. “Now, look here,” I said to my conductor, “I should very much like to see an ordinary prison cell-I mean a cell with simply the regulation articles provided by the State.”

Passing round to the other side of the corridor, he conducted me into one of the cells there. I now had an opportunity of seeing what an American cell was really like. There was a pallet bed with a coarse rug and some not over-clean sheeting; a wooden table and stool,, a couple of buckets, a small looking-glass, a knife, fork and spoon and metal plate, a kind of small wooden cupboard, and a shell containing books and other articles.

The floor was boarded and very far from clean, and the whole cell and its contents had a dirty, untidy appearance. Another cell that I afterward entered to see a man making stockings was also dirty and untidy, but the corridors, staircase, etc., were as clean as possible. As I passed along I noticed another cell got up in the most gorgeous style, the walls hung with crewel work and sporting prints (rather an odd combination) and the carpeting and upholstering gaudy and extensive in the extreme. From the cells I was conducted over the library and kitchens. The former I found well stocked with books of every description and most admirably arranged to meet all possible requirements.

The kitchen and bakehouse were beautifully clean, and the food and supplies appeared to be of the best quality. From the inquiries I made it seemed to me that the prisoners had just as much food as they wanted and this was borne out by my own observations, for I remarked that in the cells I entered there was meat and bread in the cupboards, which proved to me that there could not be any actual hunger existing. At the expiration of some tow hours stay in the Penitentiary I came to the conclusion that a man could be very comfortable there and under any circumstances, even if he were guilty of the hideous crime of being poor, would not be half so badly off as an ordinary English laborer.

Now comes the difficult question to decide: Is this the best way to treat criminals? And does the practical working of it prove that the great end and aim of a prison system is arrived at namely, the reformation of the criminal and the decrease of crime? If this question can be satisfactorily proved, then the problem is solved and the whole present European system of prison discipline mush be abandoned and the old country must once more own that our young cousins are just right ahead of us.” The two systems are so entirely different that it is a most difficult question to analyze, and practical results alone must decide the question.

The English system is to make a man as uncomfortable as possible and so deter, or rather frighten him from further crime. The American system, on the contrary, tries by kindness, by precept by example, to lead a man to higher, better life; strives to show him what industry will do for him and to inculcate a taste and habitude for persistent, steady work.

This at least appears to me to be the case and aim of the Eastern Penitentiary, and although the almighty dollar evidently goes a long way, a great and good work is still being done, and statistics prove that it is so. Crime in America is on the decrease and the percentage of criminals less than in Europe.