Republican Herald

By Mail.

Executions at Poughkeepsie.—Ann Hoag was born in Milan, Duchess county, in 1821. She was deserted by her parents, and left a foundling in the public streets. The infant was taken into the family of Henry Taylor Esq., a wealthy gentleman residing at Red Hook, in the same county, and adopted as their daughter. At the age of twelve she was sent to a boarding school. She mingled among friends and relatives of her adopted parents, and was respected and esteemed.

Towards her eighteenth year, a resident, Nelson Hoag, became her suitor, and they were married. Her husband owned a small farm in Duchess county, where they lived happily several years. They removed to Dover, reduced in circumstances, owing to speculation. Ann became the mother of five children, and in her adversity proved herself a faithful wife until the beginning of 1851, when she contracted a passion for a young man named William Summers, whose paramour she subsequently became, and thus rapidly travelled the road of crime which has ended in an ignominious death. She renounced virtue, reputation, husband and children.

In July, 1851, she resolved to take the life of her husband, which she accomplished by mingling arsenic with his food until he died. In March following she was tried and convicted and the sentence of death pronounced by Hon. Judge Barculo, who fixed the day of execution on the 7th of May, 1852. A respite was granted until the 30th of July, as the unfortunate woman was about again to become a mother.

Her companion upon the gallows—Jonas Williams—was a negro, born in Horseneck, Duchess county, in 1828. He was reared on a farm in that vicinity. Three years ago he married a widowed colored woman, with two daughters. In January, 1851 the heartless villain took advantage of the absence of his wife and other child, and committed a fiendish outrage upon the person of the other stepdaughter, named Amelia Poe, aged only eleven years and six months, who died in a few days from the revolting injuries inflicted upon her.

For this crime the brutal murderer was tried, convicted, and condemned to death, at the March term of the Court of Oyer and Terminer. He was sentenced to be hung on the 7th of May Inst., but was respited by the Executive until the 30th of July.

The Execution.—At 20 minutes before noon, the prisoners were conducted to the gallows, and placed side by side under the scaffold. The female looked exceedingly pale, and her bright eyes beamed with an expression of sadness and despondency. She was about 5 feet 7 inches in height, slender form, small featured, with fair skin and auburn hair. Her appearance was that of a female not over 22 years of age, although she was in fact, past 31 years. The negro was 5 feet 11 inches in height, of a large, muscular build, with a dogged, animal looking countenance. Ann was quite resolute, exhibiting much firmness to the last moment.

At 14 minutes to 12 o'clock, Sheriff Morey shook hands with each of them, and said:—“God bless you; I trust that your sins are forgiven.”— Ann replied:—“I feel that I am to be saved— God bless you dear Sheriff, for your kindness towards me.” An appropriate and affecting prayer was offered by Mr. Waldo. The arms of the condemned were pinioned; and as the rope was placed around the neck of each, the death warrants were read, and the white caps drawn over their eyes.

At 12 1-4 o'clock both ropes were severed by the Sheriff and Deputy Myers, the weights fell, and the bodies were suspended about two feet from the floor. Ann Hoag died comparatively easy, and in a few seconds her body was motionless. The negro struggled for nearly five minutes, during which time he seemed to be in great agony. His whole frame was convulsed and shuddered at intervals. His legs were drawn nearly double. After being suspended about half an hour, they were pronounced dead by Drs. E. Dezo, Thorn, and Cooper, Jr. and were cut down. Ann made a full confession which covers nearly 70 pages of foolscap paper, in which she declares Wm. Summers her confederate in the murder. Summers is now confined in the county jail, awaiting his trial as an accessory before the fact in the awful crime.