The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENINrI, NOVEMBER' ai.4, 1862.

hour. Most of them received the announcement with com-
posure or indifference. The Rev. James S. Green, of this
city, remained with them during that night, as their spiH-
tual adviser, endeavouring to prepare them for their sudden
entrance into the presence of their Maker. A little after
12 o'clock at noon the nekt day three Government waggons
drove to the gaol. One contained four, and each of the
others three rough board coffine. The condemned men
were conducted from the prison, and seated in the waggons
—one upon each coffin. A sufficient guard of soldiers ac-
companied them, and the cavalcade started for the fatal
grounds. Proceeding east to Main-street, the cortege
turned, and moved slowly southward as far as Malone's
livery stable. Thence, turning east, it entered the Itannibal-
road, pursuing it to the residence of Col. Jas. Culbertson.
There throwing down the fence, they turned northward,
entering the Fair Ground (half-a-mile east of the town),
on the west side, and, driving within the circular amphi-
theatrical ring, paused for the final consummation of the
scene. The ten coffins were removed from the waggons
and placed in a row, six or eight feet apart, forming a lino
north and south about 15 paces east of the central pagoda
or music stand in the centre of the ring. Each coffin was
placed upon the ground, with its foot west and head east.
Thirty soldiers of the 2d M.S.M. were drawn up in single
line, extending north and south, facing the row of coffins.
This line of executioners ran immediately at the east base
of the pagoda, leaving a space between them and the coffins
of the 12 or 13 paces. Reserves were drawn up in line upon
either flank of these executioners. The arrangements com-
pleted, the doomed men knelt upon the grass between their
coffins and the soldiers, while the Rev. R. M. Rhoades
offered up a prayer. At the conclusion of this, each pri-
soner took his seat upon the foot of his coffin, facing the
muskets which in a few minutes were to launch them into
eternity. They were nearly all firm and undaunted. Two
or three only showed signs of trepidation. The most noted
of the ten was Capt. Thomas A. Sidner, of Monroe county.
He was now elegantly attired in a suit of black broadcloth,
with a white vest. A luxuriant growth of beautiful hair
rolled down upon his shoulders. There was nothing
especially worthy to note in the appeararce of the others.
One of them, Willis Baker, of Lewis county, was proved to
be a man who last year shot and killed Mr. Ezekiel Pratte,
his Union neighbour, near Williamstown, in that county.
All the others were rebels of lesser note. A few minutes
after 1 o'clock, Col. Strachan, Provost-Marshal-General,
and Rev. Mr. Rhoades shook hands with the prisoners.
Two accepted bandages—the others refused. About 100 per-
sons gathered around the amphitheatre to see the impres-
sive scene. The stillness of death pervaded the place. The
officer in command now stepped forward and gave the word
of command— Ready! Aiml Fire! The discharges, how-
ever, were not made simultaneously, probably through want
of a perfect previous understanding of the orders and of the

time at which to fire. Two of the rebels fell backwards on
their coffins and died instantly. Capt. Sidner sprang forward
and fell with his head towards the soldiers, his face upwards,
his hands clasped upon his breast, and the left leg drawn
half-way up. He did not move again, but died immediately.
He had requested his soldiers to aim at his heart, and they
obeyed but too implicitly. The other seven were not killed
outright, so the reserves were called in, who despatched
them with their revolvers. The lifeless remains were then
placed in the coffins, the lids, upon which the name of each
man was writtten, were screwed on, and the direful proces-
sion returned to town by the route that it pursued in going.
Friends claimed and took seven of the corpses. Three
were buried by the military in the public cemetery. The
tragedy was over."

was not a mere ceremonial on his part, but that it
having been his lot in life to be brought into com-
munication with those Who represented industrial
and mercantile interests, he felt deeply and warinif
the eloquence of language, the justness of thought,
and the loftiness of aim which had characterised the
lecture. Many most important suggestions had
been made upon points which were well deserving
of serious consideration in connection with any
future exhibition. Topics had been introduced and
clearly illustrated which were not only of the deepest
interest to a country like England, at all times, but
if he might be pardoned for a seeming paradox,
especially at the present time, when many facts
seemed to show that the commerce of the world was
as yet in its infancy, and though England in many
respects had an old commercial history, there was
yet a new and great career before her. It was in-
structive to see how the metals in which this coun4
try abounded were substituting other materials in
constructions of various kinds. We were in that
respect in a transition state, the extent and direc-
tion of which could be but imperfectly compre-
hended ; but enough was known to indicate immense
and important changes—changes which riatist, from
our command of the raw material, maintain Eng-
land in Ole future relatively on the high bases she
had hitherto occupied in the industry and the com-
merce of the world. (Cheers.)
The Professor briefly acknowledged the compli-
ment amitist renewed cheers.

A7TEMPTEDBY MUR A
DE.R AN
.D SUICIDE
MANIAC

On the morning of Saturday last, James Sttiarti ,
crofter,llhsad of Aucharnie, Forgue, made a
most desperate atiernpt at his own life and that of
his wife, Christina Murray. ft appears that for
some time hack Stuart's state of mind has teen
giving great Uneasiness to his friends, and that some
three months ago his condlidt was so alarming that
they deemed it necessary to put him Wider the
control of oto of his sons. For some weeks, how-
ever, previous to Saturday he was apparently
getting better, so much so that his soul who had
him in charge, with the consent of other friends,
thought it safe to leave him on Thursday last. On
that day, accompanied by his wife, Stuart went to
and returned from Rothie station, a distance of some
16 miles. On Friday he appeared quite composed,
and did some work on the croft; but it now ap-
pears that he had been premeditating the doing
of the horrid deed on Fridays as he was observed
several times sharpening an instrument like a razor,
which he always endeavoured to conceal if any one
approached him. On Friday night his wVe accom-
panied him to bed, and during the early part of the
night both slept well. They were both awoke a
little before 4 o'clock a.m., and talking to each
other, when Stuart, seizing the razor he had pur-
posely concealed in the bed, made a wound first in his
own throat and then in that of his wife. The other
parties in the house at the time were a son-in-law
and two daughters, and on Mrs. Stuart giving the
alarm they were instantly with her, and after a very
severe struggle succeeded in getting her out of the
grasp of her maniacal husband. The neighbour-
hood being raised, Dr. M`Killiam, Forgue, was in•
stantly sent for, who, on his arrival, sewed the
wounds. We are happy to say that the wounds
in neither case are expected to prove fatal ; but in

the case of Mrs. Stuart her escape was very provi-
dential, as if the wound had been one hair's breadth
further it must have proved instantly fatal.—Banf-
Airs Journal.