Samuel Vanstavern

SAMUEL VANSTAVERN was married to Kate Lamb, daughter of one-time Camden city councilman Daniel Lamb. They had one child, a son named Walter. The marriage was a stormy one and the Vanstaverns separated in the 1890s. Samuel Vanstavern shot his wife to death on November 28, 1901. He was tried, found guilty of murder, and was executed by hanging at the Camden County jail on April 8, 1902.

CAMDEN, N. J., Nov. 29—Last evening Camden was the scene of a cold blooded murder. Samuel Vanstavern, 42½ years old, of 702 Mt. Vernon street, Camden, fired four shots into the body of his wife, Kate, 41 years old, who had not been living with him for several years. In a few moments she was dead, her life blood staining the white snow that lay in front of the grocery store at the southeast corner of Fourth and Chestnut streets, where the tragedy occurred.

Mrs. Vanstavern, who was a daughter of ex-Councilman Daniel Lamb, of 330 Chestnut street, with whom she lived, had been shopping in Philadelphia. When she returned home her mother requested her to visit the grocery store, half a square away. She was walking along the street when Vanstavern suddenly appeared behind her flourishing a revolver in a threatening manner, but not opening his lips.

In alarm Mrs. Vanstavern ran for an old box in front of the grocery store, behind which she attempted to hide. She screamed, dropped her basket and the next moment the murdered raised his revolver and fired four shots in rapid succession, one taking effect in the abdomen, another in the lung over the heart, and two in the shoulder.

Instantly half a score of persons appeared and excitement ran high. Vanstavern, still holding the smoking revolver, apparently unconcerned as to his deed, calmly walked to the No 2 Police Station, at Sixth and Chestnut streets, where he surrendered himself to Policeman Frank Matlack. Patrolman William Harvey took from him the revolving dog, four chambers empty. The patrol was sent to where the tragedy occurred and the woman was taken to the Cooper Hospital, but she was dead before she reached that institution.

No one seems to have witnessed the shooting. Fred Griffiths, 14 years old of 912 Pine street, was stopped by Vanstavern on Chestnut street near Third. At that time his wife was about a block away from his. The man flourished a revolver and told the boy he must either tell him the womans’ name or be shot. Frightened, Griffiths ran away and a minute later he heard the shots but did not witness the shooting.

At the home of Mrs Vanstavern her brother, Daniel Lamb, said his sister had been unable to live with her husband because of his evil habits. He had threatened her several times and the murdered woman was always in fear of him. They have a son, Walter, 17 years old.

Vanstavern was taken to the Chief of Police’s office, where he said he did not know why he committed the crime. He was not in the least affected and cracking several jokes with the officials. In drinking glasses of water he held it at arm’s length without a tremor and said to Chief Foster: “Johnny if that was only beer, it would be all right, eh?”

The man was held by Justice Stackhouse for a hearing to-day.

The murdered woman’s mother is seriously ill from shock.

CAMDEN.—Samuel Vanstavern, the convicted wife murderer, sentenced to be hanged April 8, is receiving spiritual consolation from Rev. Father Caufield, of the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

Samuel Vanstavern, of Camden, who was sentenced to be hanged April 8 for the murder of his wife Catharine, and whose case will be argued before the Court of Errors and Appeals at Trenton, on Tuesday, broke down and wept like a child in the Camden County Jail yesterday.

During a lull in the business of the County Board of Elections President Joseph W. Engard and Thomas F. Walton made a tour of the jail. On approaching Vanstavern’s cell they found him on his knees with a lighted candle on a stool in front of him and clad only in an old undershirt and a ragged pair of trousers. He eagerly sought their views as to the dual outcome of his case, and when advised to prepare for the worst gave way completely to his feelings.

He declared he had no fear of death, but it was the future that worried him.

CAMDEN.—Policeman Alcott rescued a woman and two children from a burning building. Samuel Vanstavern wept like a child when informed that the Court of Errors and Appeals refused to interfere and he must be hanged April 8. St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated by Division No. 2, A. O. H., and the Seventh Ward Republican Club. Sarah Fisher was held in $500 bail for keeping a disorderly house. Testimony was concluded in the Claus will case before Judge Armstrong. Work will probably commence on the elevated road at an early date.

A letter signed by a Mrs. Lizzie Dent was made public in Camden yesterday which weaves a romance about Samuel Vanstavern, the wife murderer, who is to be hanged next Tuesday. According to the story of Mrs. Dent, the convicted murderer is the son of Amelia Good, who died in 1861. She goes on to tell how there was a mix up of children soon after his birth, and that the man now in the shadow of the gallows is of another name. When shown the letter Vanstavern ridiculed the story, and said he has plenty of proof showing he is a member of the Vanstavern family.

A sharp piece of slate and a keen-edged penknife were found yesterday in the cell of Samuel Vanstavern, the convicted wife murderer, sentenced to be hanged next Tuesday at the Camden County Jail. During the day Vanstavern remarked several times with a mysterious air that he would never be hanged. When the articles with which he could have committed suicide at a convenient moment were found, he denied all knowledge of their existence.

All the Arrangements Completed for the Hanging of a Wife-Murderer in Camden

Sheriff John Wesley Sell of Camden, yesterday completed all arrangements for the hanging of Samuel Vanstavern next Tuesday. A new suit of black clothes has been provided for the condemned man. He was shaved by the prison barber. His cell was again looked over for weapons or poison, and he was instructed that no speech will be permitted from the gallows.

With the assistance of former Sheriff West the gibbet was tested yesterday and everything worked satisfactorily. Vanstavern heard the thud as the trap was sprung, and a shudder passed over the wreck of a once powerful physique.

To a city official who visited the condemned man yesterday at the latter’s request Vanstavern said he felt better than he had for some time. Prison officials state he is trying to nerve himself for the final ordeal. His spiritual advisers, Revs. J. R. Mason and D. B. Green, spend a great deal of time with him. During their presence he seems to bear up fairly well, but in their absence he is an abject picture of distress.

Murmurs Name of Wife He Murdered as Noose Slips About His Neck

Samuel Vanstavern, who killed his wife Katherine, November 29 last, expiated his crime on the gallows in the Camden county jail yesterday morning. The wind whistled and shrieked while torrents of rain pattered against the window panes, but this rather pleased the doomed man, for he remarked: “I’m glad the sun isn’t shining. I wanted it to rain to-day.”

Early in the morning Rev. John R. Mason, Rev. D. B. Green, Vanstavern’s spiritual advisers, visited him and gave him what consolation they could until the dread black cap was drawn over his head, shutting out forever the light of day.

A few minutes before 10 o’clock the march to the gallows began, Vanstavern singing in a firm voice: “I’ll Go Every Step of the Way.” One minute after ten the wretched man, who had spent many hours of anguish, walked into the execution room. He faltered, however, just for an instant, and then gathered himself together and proceeded. When in position for the noose to be placed about his neck he murmured:

I’m coming, Katie.

Then when the rope had been adjusted and the sombre cap was about to be drawn over his face, he bade the Sheriff good-bye. At 10.03 Sheriff Sell sprang the trap and let the doomed man through. At 10.15 the man was pronounced dead and was cut down at 10.33. The physicians present found Vanstavern’s neck had been broken. The body was interred at noon at the old Camden Cemetery by Undertaker Jefferis.

Samuel Vanstavern was hanged for murdering his wife Katherine, whom he shot down in cold blood at Fourth and Chestnut streets, Friday night, November 29, 1901. They had not been living together for some years owing to Vanstavern’s ill treatment. On the night of the crime the man had been drinking heavily. Without a moment’s notice he opened fire and she died on the way to Cooper Hospital.

“I could not live without her,” said Vanstavern coolly, directly after the crime.