Philadelphia Inquirer, May 11, 1900View transcription
ABBATTO HANGED IN CAMDEN JAIL
Quick Work by Sheriff Sell in Executing the Murderer of Genaro De Feo
Condemned Man Died Without a Struggle, and Was Buried in Potters' Field
John Wesley Sell, Sheriff of Camden county, had his first hanging yesterday, and he made a record for celerity in launching Francisco Abbatto into eternity. The earliest moment that the hanging could take place, under the order of the court, was 10 o'clock. Within 6 minutes after the hour struck Abbatto was standing on the gallows. A minute later the trap was sprung, and five minutes later the man was dead.
Abbatto slept soundly during his last night on earth. He was up betimes yesterday morning, and dressed himself in the black suit of clothes which he knew would be his death garments. He declined to eat any breakfast, but drank a cup of coffee. At 8 o'clock the priests came to prepare the condemned man for the end. They were Father Pozzi, of East Vineland, and Father Caruso, of the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel, of Philadelphia.
FINAL PREPARATIONS.
The persons authorized by law to witness the execution, about forty in number, gathered in the Sheriff's office by half past 9 o'clock. County Clerk Barber administered the oath to the twelve citizens appointed by Judge Garrison to see that the sentence of death was carried out. They were County Physician W. S. Jones, Dr. Alexander McAlister, Dr. S. Ramsdell, Dr. E. A. Y. Schellinger, Dr. A. H. Lippincott, Dr. Joseph Nicholson, Dr. Paul N. Mecray, Upton S. Jeffreys, Harry B. Paul, Charles R. Bacon, William H. Cole and County Detective John S. Smith.
The death jury were taken through the jail to the loft at the Broadway and Federal streets corner of the building, where the gallows awaited its victim.
A few minutes before 10 o'clock the Sheriff led his deputies and the newspaper men across the "Bridge of Sighs" to the jail, and they joined the group in the death chamber. The clock struck 10, and all was ready to execute the mandate of the law. Five minutes later a door at the foot of the gallows, leading into the jail opened, and the condemned man was seen walking to his doom.
QUICK EXECUTION.
The two priests were in the lead. They were silent, for they had finished their ministrations in the jail. Abbatto was supported on either side by Constable Voight, of the death watch, and County Detective Smith. He was pale, but he walked with a firm step. He paused an instant at the foot of the gallows, cast a furtive glance at the dangling rope, and then mounted the thirteen steps to the platform. The officers stepped back when they had placed the condemned man at the centre of the trap. An instant Abbatto stood gazing at a ray of sunlight on the floor, and then the black cap shut the light from his eyes. Quickly but carefully Sheriff Sell adjusted the noose, and then, at 10 07, as the murderer swayed like a reed in the wind the silence was broken by the crash of the falling trap doors and the body fell a distance of six feet.
Abbatto's hands were manacled behind his back, but his legs were not pinioned. He did not struggle and only a few tremors shook his body. In five minutes the doctors found that the heart had ceased to beat, but the body was allowed to hang for twenty-eight minutes. Then it was taken in charge by Morgue Keeper O'Brien, and after the doctors had gotten through with it, it was buried in potter's field. Death was due to strangulation, and the face of the dead man was not distorted.
ABBATTO'S CRIME.
Francisco Abbatto was hanged for the murder of Genaro DeFeo. The crime was committed on the night of April 22, 1899, in the woods near Blue Anchor, Camden county. After stabbing DeFeo to death, Abbatto hacked his victim's head off. Both body and head were found in the woods by searchers eight days later. Abbatto boarded with DeFeo, and was enamoured of his wife. He induced Mrs. DeFeo to go to New York with him to search for her husband. When they returned Abbatto was arrested. At his trial he claimed that he had killed DeFeo during a quarrel. The Court of Errors and Appeals sustained the conviction and Governor Voorhees refused to grant a reprieve.
Quick Work by Sheriff Sell in Executing the Murderer of Genaro De Feo
Condemned Man Died Without a Struggle, and Was Buried in Potters' Field
FRANCISCO ABBATTO.View transcription
FRANCISCO ABBATTO.
John Wesley Sell, Sheriff of Camden county, had his first hanging yesterday, and he made a record for celerity in launching Francisco Abbatto into eternity. The earliest moment that the hanging could take place, under the order of the court, was 10 o'clock. Within 6 minutes after the hour struck Abbatto was standing on the gallows. A minute later the trap was sprung, and five minutes later the man was dead.
Abbatto slept soundly during his last night on earth. He was up betimes yesterday morning, and dressed himself in the black suit of clothes which he knew would be his death garments. He declined to eat any breakfast, but drank a cup of coffee. At 8 o'clock the priests came to prepare the condemned man for the end. They were Father Pozzi, of East Vineland, and Father Caruso, of the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel, of Philadelphia.
The death jury were taken through the jail to the loft at the Broadway and Federal streets corner of the building, where the gallows awaited its victim.
A few minutes before 10 o'clock the Sheriff led his deputies and the newspaper men across the "Bridge of Sighs" to the jail, and they joined the group in the death chamber. The clock struck 10, and all was ready to execute the mandate of the law. Five minutes later a door at the foot of the gallows, leading into the jail opened, and the condemned man was seen walking to his doom.
QUICK EXECUTION.
The two priests were in the lead. They were silent, for they had finished their ministrations in the jail. Abbatto was supported on either side by Constable Voight, of the death watch, and County Detective Smith. He was pale, but he walked with a firm step. He paused an instant at the foot of the gallows, cast a furtive glance at the dangling rope, and then mounted the thirteen steps to the platform. The officers stepped back when they had placed the condemned man at the centre of the trap. An instant Abbatto stood gazing at a ray of sunlight on the floor, and then the black cap shut the light from his eyes. Quickly but carefully Sheriff Sell adjusted the noose, and then, at 10 07, as the murderer swayed like a reed in the wind the silence was broken by the crash of the falling trap doors and the body fell a distance of six feet.
Abbatto's hands were manacled behind his back, but his legs were not pinioned. He did not struggle and only a few tremors shook his body. In five minutes the doctors found that the heart had ceased to beat, but the body was allowed to hang for twenty-eight minutes. Then it was taken in charge by Morgue Keeper O'Brien, and after the doctors had gotten through with it, it was buried in potter's field. Death was due to strangulation, and the face of the dead man was not distorted.
ABBATTO'S CRIME.
Francisco Abbatto was hanged for the murder of Genaro DeFeo. The crime was committed on the night of April 22, 1899, in the woods near Blue Anchor, Camden county. After stabbing DeFeo to death, Abbatto hacked his victim's head off. Both body and head were found in the woods by searchers eight days later. Abbatto boarded with DeFeo, and was enamoured of his wife. He induced Mrs. DeFeo to go to New York with him to search for her husband. When they returned Abbatto was arrested. At his trial he claimed that he had killed DeFeo during a quarrel. The Court of Errors and Appeals sustained the conviction and Governor Voorhees refused to grant a reprieve.
