History: Monmouth County Hangings (1691 - 1906)

The 5 Jul 1906 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 6 col 2) reported the grisly details of the hanging in Freehold of Edward W Brown, a 38 year old black man from Virginia, for the 11 Jun 1904 murder of Rebecca Treynum in Long Branch.

See also Chapter 3 - The Brown Execution (pp 25 - 34) in George Joynson's "Murders in Monmouth: Capital Crimes from the Jersey Shore's Past" for a detailed rendering of the murder, pursuit, trial and execution. (Available to view at Google Books)

The article also contained this list of hangings in the county, but I can't vouch for its accuracy. See if you detect a theme.

• Sep 1691 - Cesar, black, for the murder of Mary Wright, also black, at Middletown. Tried, convicted and hung at Shrewsbury.
• Mar 1696 - Jeremy, black, for the murder of his master at Middletown, where he was hung.
• 1699 -  Tom, black, for the rape of a white woman at Middletown, where he was hung.
• 1700 - Mingo, black, for the murder of Ned, also black; he was hung at Middletown.
• 13 May 1803 - Peter Stout, presumed white, for the murder of a neighbor's son at Upper Freehold; he was hung at Freehold.
• Fall 1826 - Tony, black, for murder of Elijah Bedle near Keyport; he was hung just south of Freehold.
• 11 Apr 1851 - John Cline, presumed white, for the murder of a man at Red Valley.
• 8 Jan 1858 - James P Donnelly, presumed white, for the 1 Aug 1857 murder of Albert E Moses at Navesink.
• 27 Nov 1863 - Peter E Slocum, presumed white, for the murder of his wife at West Long Branch.
• 7 Jan 1869 - William N Woolley, presumed white, for the murder of Hartshorne Fleming at Bennett's Tavern near Shark River.
• 18 Jul 1888 - Richard Kearney, black, for the murder of Mrs Margaret Purcell at Elberon.
• 13 Apr 1892 - Louis J Harriott, presumed white, for the murder of Mrs Charles T Leonard at Atlantic Highlands.
•  29 Jun 1906 - Edward W Brown, black, for the 11 Jun 1904 murder of his mistress in Long Branch; hung at Freehold.