The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-21 00:00:00

LIFE IN IDAHO,

The correspondent in Idaho of the Denver News
writes :--" J. A. Slade, known in Denver as well as
here, has been a terror to this community. He has
been keeping a ranch on the Maddison branch of
the Missouri River, about ten miles from here, but
spent two-thirds of his time in town, and while
here he was always drunk. He had with him at
all times a gang of desperadoes, who feared nothing,
and never observed law, order, or the counsel of
any one. He frequently slapped law-abiding
citizens in the face, and threatened to bore them
through' if his wish, whatever it might be, was not
granted. Ti-e citizens and Vigilance Committee
sent him word, when he was sober, that law and
order should and would be preserved, and if he did
not abide by this rule, which is consid;red impera-
tive by them, he would soon suffer the conscquences•
Early this morning Slade and company were drunk
—not dead drunk, but crazy drunk, and abused
every one, calling them opprobrious names, and
daring any one to take it up. Papers were issued
for his arrest, but while he was being arrested the
warrants for himself and others were torn up, and
vengeance threatened against the Court. Before
other warrants could be drawn he went to the office
of the Judge, called. him foul names, and said some
people's days were numbered, and thus abused the
most respectable citizen among us. At 3.40 p.m.,
a company of about 300 men, all armed, marched
from some place unknown to myself, up through
Jackson-street, and halted directly in front of the
place in which Slade was. A guard was put around
the town, and also the building that Slade was then
in. Business was suspended; crowds gathered, the
streets were full; old muskets and rifiss glistened,
and gangs of men could be seen in every direction,
but hardly a word was spoken. Slade was arrested
and conducted to a ravine at the edge of the street,
where, lo and behold there stood before him and us
a newly erected gallows, for this especial cccasion.
The hills and streets, housetops, and every vacant
spot in s'ght were covered with wen, women, and
children. The crowd conducted him before the
scaffold, and asked him if he had anything to say
before he would suffer death. All was quiet and
still. Not a word could be heard from any one,
except the cravings of the prisoner to see his wife.
About an hour previous to this a message had been
despatched to his ranch for Mrs Slade, but this
was not known to the committee, and, therefore,
his request was not granted. He was made
to mount the stand, and give ten minutes to say
what he pleased. He cried for Judge Davis, Lawyer
Sanders, and others. Judge Davis came forward,
and was asked in the most entreating language by
the prisoner to plead with the people for an innocent
man. The prisoner said if they would allow him to
leave the country he would immediately do so, and
go anywhere directed. Judge Davis told him it was
not in his power to do anything to save him. Again
and again he would ask time for his beloved wife to
arrive. He said he had business matters to explain
to her, and asked them for God's sake to grant him
time for her arrival. His legs now trembled, his
face was pale,and his whole frame was nervous. He
was certain his time had come. The rope was placed
about his neck and his arms bound, and again he
cried, For God Almighty's sake, let me see my be-
loved wife!' Cries of ' Let him see his wife' from
every quarter were heard, and a rush to the gallows
was looked for. Excitement now prevailed, and a
general fight was anticipated. In an instant about
300 guns were levelled on the crowd. and in an in-
stant more everything was as still as the hush of
midnight. The prisoner was still begging for mercy,
but all to no purpose. Hang him they would, and
hang him they did, while he was still asking for a
few moments longer, and without his being blind-
folded the trap was sprung. The fall was 30 inches,
and his boot toes touched the ground. After hang-
ing for 31 minutes the rope was cut and the body
conveyed to the Virginia Hotel. At 6 o'clock, and
before the corpse was laid out, Mrs. Slade arrived.
She is a lady who bears an excellent character hue,
and is thought much of by all her acquaintances.
When she rode in front of the Virginia Hotel she
alighted, and was conducted to the room in which
her dead husband lay, yet ignorant of the fact that
he was dead. As soon as see saw the body she
cried out that God might punish the murderers in
open daylight of her husband. Her feeling can
better be imagined than described, and the sym-
pathy of this community is with her. She asked a
friend of Slade's why he did not pull out his pistol
and kill him before he was hanged. Thus endeth
the man's career.

MARKETS—This Day.