The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-10-17 00:00:00

to try and get our ship before Ithe wind and run down to
him. Owing to our head yards being disabled and the ,
ship's main deck at least two feet under water amid-
ships, this was no easy matter, but with the help of the '
jib (the only head sail left us) we succeeded, and. '
at three it. we rounded to uisler his lee. The ship
proved to be the Adept. ,d Glasgow, Captain W.
, Cr. *tart, from Quebec for Liverpool Havirg made
. but acipminted by sigtod a ith if.. loss of our boats,
1
he kindly promi,el to be by a: and board us as '.5 ii
as thl, Weatilllr LS /1'1,1,1 WO ollSer,lll :1111[1111,S of
sharks swimming about the ship, feeding on the pro-
. visions washing out of her. This being the second
day without fresh water sonic of the people began to
feel the want very much. Five p.m—Still blowing a
close reef topsail breeze, and a very heavy sea running.
The Adept having wore ship and ranged close up to
us, lowered the starboard-quarter boat, manned
by Mr. Anderson, first officer, and a volunteer
crew of four seamen, named William Brieknall,
Daniel Ferguson, David Bone, and William An-
derson, and at a very great risk to their own lives
succeedad in taking ail cif in two trips (twenty-three
of us in all). Some managed to jump into
the boat, others jumped overboard, and were picked
up by the boat's crew. By the blessing of God all
were got safely on board the Adept by six p.m., saving
nlithing except the clothes in winch we stood. When
we consider that this work was performed in a com-
mon ship's pinnace, the sea at the time snaking a clean
breach over the Americana from the poop forward,
so that she could only be approached snider the he of
the poolio the sea rolling over amidshipe, causing a
suction that drew the heat under the counter, and vecy
nearly capsized her more than once, it will be clear
that nothing lost the most coussunmate skill as boat-
men, combined with the most cool and daring courage
on the part of Mr. Anderson and his gallant crew,
' could have accomplished the work. For tile 111111111i/t;
' tude with which Captain Grossart estate to our assist-
; :ince, and the considerate kindness shown to us by
' himself, officers, and crew while on board his ship I
' return my sincere thanks, hoping they may net Cr
stand in need of the assistance they SO promptly rim-
' I dered to us. Position of the ship when abandoned,
' I lat. 17 25N., long. 29 .10 W. -W. Pons, Master.

A DOUBLE EXECUTION IN THE
UNITED STATES.
The New York papers give accounts of the execution, on
the 2lith ult., of two men at Worcester „U.S. for murder.
The circumstances of the murder were as follows:—
On the evening of the 28th day id February last,
Silas, and Charles 'l'. James, who came here from
Providence, 11.1.. ostensibly in search of one Hero?,
James, a brother of (quake, who had defaulted his
bail as an illicit distiller, entered Joseph G. Clark's
gambling rooms, with the deliberate intention, it
seems, of killing and robbing him. They had been in
the city three or four days, and had calmly and de-
liberately matured their plans. The younger cousin,
Charles, had purchrused a small board, and a quantity
of rope, both of which were to be used. As they
entered one of Clark's rooms, they found him seated
in a chair in front of a stove. While Silas engaged
him in conversation, Charles stepped behind
Clark and struck him a tremendous blow upon
the skulL A brief struggle ensued, when the
victim's watch and chain and the rope were
tied about his neck, and tightened by the use
of a poker. A woman who lived in the block heard
the noise, and knocked on the door. The interruption
forced the murderers to remain quiet in the room with
the dead body nearly an hour, at the end of which
time they lifted the corpse and txwe it to an adjoining
room and laid it on abed, afterhaving taken possession
of a diamond pin worth 500 dots., a valuable watch,
SOO dols. in bank notes, and a few gold coins, Here
they added to the crimes of murder and robbery that
of arson by pouring kerosene oil over the bead of the
body and on the bed, and firing the same. 'They then
coolly withdrew, muffled in cloaks, and went to the
depot to take the night train for New York. But the
woman, Eat, er or Thayer, saw them go out, hurriedly
entered Clark's rooms and ascertained that he had been
murdered, and gave the alarm almost instantly. The
police were prompt in the discharge of their duty, and
the elder James was arrested at the depot. His cousin,
who had thrown the axe into a canal, seeing Silas
arrested, fled.
A description is then given of the preliminaries of '
the execution, and then follows the report of a singular
speech delivered by one of the culprits, when under
the drop, on the subject of capital punishment. His
reason for making the speech was that "people always
like to hear what persons who are hung have to say as
their Last words." "In regard to the execution of my-
self," observed the younger prisoner, Charles James,
" I would say—and, of course, it would be natural for
me to Bay it under these circunistances—that I do not
believe in capital punishment under any circumstances."
And then he proceeds deliberately to argue the ques-
tion with as much coolness as if he were addressing a
Social Science meeting instead of standing under a
gibbet
It is, of coarse Ore sayn, hi accordance with the laws of
Massachusetts that we are to be executed ; Ind I don't know
whether it will he justified in the eyes et 00.1 or In d. The
State of Massachusetts might make laws to execute every
man who stole tine dollars' worth, but that would not prove
that they would be Justified in the eyes of Cod. But I will
not pretend to linger upon these points, as I kn.'s+ that it is
useless to talk about 15,50 w. But I w Add say, as we are to
he executed, that we are suffering the an Le ignominious
death that Mr. Clark sulfured, and 'or, death is in the same
circle or ideas as the death of Mr. Clark, and therefore t say
that I think the esecutioo is Ind really juidilied in the r 5 es of
God You know God says "Thou shalt not kill." 1
loow
that I have not done his Idhling, but, of course, when we
have done wrong all we can do is to repent of our sins, and
lie has promised that Ile will receive repentant sinners.
For lie says, that I whey., in rue, and doth truly repent,
shall have everlasting life." But Ido not pretend to quote
Scripture. But I whh to any that, although I die in accord-
ance with the laws of Massachusetts, I have a kind word for
the officers of the prison, who have my sincere thanks for
their attention.
The culprit, curiously enough, wound up his speech
as if he thought that he should haveother opportunities
of reviving the subject. "I don't know that I can say
anything more to you to-day, so I bid you farewell."
And he and his comrade were hanged a few minutes
afterwards.