News: Murderer Painton Hanged, June 21, 1892, York, PA

Contributed and transcribed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby 
Bowman

Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/
_______________________________________________

Murderer Painton Hanged.

William Henry Painton was hanged in the county jail at York, at 10.19 o'clock, 
on Thursday morning, for the murder of Mrs. Lizzie Strominger, at Lewisberry, 
March 31st, 1891.

At 10.17, Painton walked boldly out of his cell, accompanied by the clergymen 
and two deputies.  He walked alone, slightly in advance, the utmost silence 
prevailing among all assembled.  He ascended the scaffold rapidly, and was at 
once bound.  Not a tremor was to be seen, and he seemed perfectly calm and 
composed.  As the noose was placed around his neck, a smile appeared on his 
face.  He asked whether detective Ront or juryment Saylor was present, and said 
"All right," when answered in the negative.

Rev. Smith repeated the Lord's prayer, during which Painton looked sad and 
solemn.  Then the black cap was placed over his head, and immediately the 
trigger was freed and the trap fell, just two minutes having elapsed since he 
left his cell.  The body dropped heavily and hung motionless, without a quiver.  
Twelve minutes passed slowly, when Dr. Rouse examined the body and pronounced 
Painton dead.  At 10.36 the body was cut down and placed in charge of undertaker 
Strack, who prepared the remains for burial and shipped them to Sonestown at 
12.58 o'clock.  The doctors decided that death was caused by strangulation.

Painton displayed remarkable nerve in his last days.  On Sunday, when he knew 
that prayers were offered for him in all the churches, he danced until nearly 
exhausted to the music of a guitar played by a colored prisoner.  On Monday, he 
indulged in cursing and blasphemy, denouncing the court and jury, and denied 
that God was just to allow him to suffer as he did.  On Tuesday he was in the 
same temper, and declared he expected to go straight to perdition, if there was 
such a place.  Wednesday, there was no change in his conduct or manner.  He 
always treated the clergymen with respect, however.

His mother visited him on Wednesday evening, although he had written to her not 
to come; she lives at Sonestown, Sullivan county.  After she left, Painton 
engaged in pleasant conversation, expressing slight hopes of being saved.  He 
slept all the night before and ate a hearty breakfast of beef-steak, potatoes, 
coffee, &c.

Rev. George L. Smith, of Calvary Presbyterian church, and Rev. Charles A. 
Oliver, of Westminster Presbyterian church, entered his cell soon after 
breakfast; his mother arrived soon after, and remained until 9.20 o'clock.  
Affecting scenes occurred, but the only witnesses were the clergymen.

When Dr. Rouse, the jail physician, entered the cell, Painton handed him a knife 
a foot long, made out of a corset stay, saying, "I want to show the people what 
I could have done had I wished.  I would not take my own life; I wanted to die 
on the scaffold like a man.

At 10.10 the corridor doors were opened and the spectators were admitted into 
the chamber of death.  About 70 people were admitted, who were kept about 30 
feet from the scaffold by a rope.  Six newspaper men were admitted to the 
gallery.

Last week Painton confessed to deputy Murphy that the Smith boys gave him the 
whiskers, and assisted to plan the robbery; but that he did not kill Mrs. 
Strominger; she died of heart disease.  After this conversation he would say 
nothing further about the matter except to curse his prosecutors and the jury 
that convicted him.

The scaffold was built under the direction of E. A. Cramer, an expert, of 
Frederick, Md.  It was 16 feet high, of 6 x 6 timbers, the platform being 7 feet 
from the ground.

Notwithstanding the people had been apprised through the newspapers that the 
execution would take place in the corridor of the jail, upwards of 300 men, 
women, and children gathered in front of the prison.  The crowd was orderly, and 
when the announcement was made from one of the windows that the drop had fallen 
and Painton had passed away without a struggle, the crowd quietly dispersed.

Painton's life was a career of crime.  He was born in Lycoming county in 1852; 
he was an intelligent man, fond of reading, and well versed in the Bible, 
politics and science.  He was an avowed infidel.  Before he was 10 years old, he 
began his career of thieving small articles; at 15 he was sent to the House of 
Refuge for robbing his father.  Released at 20 he drifted back to his old 
habits, and at 24 was sent to the penitentiary for five years for stealing 
household goods in Williamsport.  His career since has been of a similar 
character.

On the evening of March 31, 1891, while Michael Strominger, a 75-year-old farmer 
living near York, and his wife, Lizzie, aged 66, were sitting in the kitchen of 
their farm house, two masked burglars entered.  They presented revolvers at the 
heads of the aged couple and demanded the money that was in the house.  Mr. 
Strominger protested that no money was in the house.  His wife attempted to 
escape by the door, but the burglars prevented her.  They threw her on the 
floor, bound her and thrust her apron in her mouth to stifle her cries.  Then by 
threats they induced Mr. Strominger to show them where $800 in gold was 
concealed.

Possessing themselves of the money they prepared to take their departure from 
the house.  They then noticed for the first time that Mrs. Strominger was
in-ensible.  Becoming alarmed they hastily removed the apron from her mouth and 
attempted to revive her.  Their efforts proving unsuccessful they hurriedly took 
their departure, telling Mr. Strominger that they would send a physician to 
attend to his wife.  After the men left one of them went to a neighboring 
doctor's residence and sent him to Strominger's house.  The physician arrived 
too late, however, for Mrs. Strominger was dead, having strangled to death.

The crime created great excitement in the neighborhood and an active search was 
instituted for the robbers.  Mr. Strominger offered a reward of $1,000 for their 
capture and shortly afterwards Daniel Painton and two men named Smith were 
arrested.  One of the Smiths confessed and Painton in January last was convicted 
of murder and sentenced to be hanged.  His two accomplices were sentenced to 
eighteen and ten years' imprisonment respectively.

Gettysburg Compiler, Gettysburg, PA, June 21, 1892