The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-08-02
3sp tito SRxll6.
EXECUTION or BEAUCHaJMf

-
EXECUTION OF BEAUCHAMP.
J. o. BeaucAamp has b en- executed in
Kentucky for the murder of Col. Sharp. Pre-
yious to the day of execution, he and his wife.
who had been; in prison with him for some
tame, attempted to commitsuicide by taking
laudanum, but .were unsuccessful. On thai
fday they requested the guard, who had been
stationed in the room to prevent similar at
tempt, to withdraw, that they might hare a
few minutes conversation alone, previous tc
| the execution. lie did so, but in few mo.
ments hearing shrek, ne fastened back, and
| found they had both stabbed themselves with
a case-knile sharpened tor the purpose. Mrs
! Beauchamps was mortally wounded, and ex.
PRED soon after. .I'he following are extracts
from papers on the subject
sBeauChamp, the murderer of Col
Sharp, was executed on Saturday last,
after having made an unsuccessful. at.
tempt at suicide. So nearly was he ex.
hausted, from the wound inflicted on the
pltef his stomach, that he was convey
ed TO the scafo!d, in carriage dressed
in shrewd which he had previously
put on, and hung, notw thstaBding he
would have expired in afew minutes
from the stab by his own hand Mrs
Beauchamp put an end to herself the
same morning 10 The Jail with a knife
Three different wounds were discover.
ed JUST below Ahe. left breast. The,
were both put into the same co(fiu, and
inferred in the same grave. Thus en-.
ded one of the most bloody, tragedies
thatwas perhaps ever witnessed in any
country. .
The wretched female, it'appears, wa:
originally corrupted by the person win
was thefrst sacrifice in The tragedy "a
man of elevated rank 10 the profession
of The law and The society Of his State.
the seducer found a husband for her il
Beauchamp, and promised as the cul
pitts alfirmed,a piece oflaDd 10 consider
/ atlen OF the marriage; this promise, &C
cofdlagAto the same testimony, was VIC
Hated, and an~attempt made to deeper
the woman's infamy by charging her witt
having brought forth,a proofofegrossel
li5ertinism. The rancor of disappoint
ment, the thirst of,Eengeance, exasper
atedher hefce spirit, and gave a truly
| demonlac character to her whole scheme
Fot existence. In Beauchamp, she seem
to have hada profjgate, indiscreet, ant
congeDial auxiliary, stung, himself, BY
supposed wrong and contumacy, and sus
ceptfble of being rendered double
slave. was,if we may Judge from
his conduct during his trial, and the las
scene, narrated by the clergyn,a doat
ingly fond Of this evil genus, that be
came. the partner of his bosom only t.
: consummate his ruin and igaominy. Sh,
necessarily stimulated him TO shet
the blood of the object of thei
common hate--for lorg time rheJ
mutually cherished and maiured The
project; until, at length, by mean.
/ Of complicated maehinaiIoB and false.
hood, he introduced himself at dead O
night, into the dwelling of the devoted
victim, inveigled him from hisbed, where
he srepose1 Withsa tender and respec.
table wife, and dealt the mortal blow
ljcst as that wife approached, in alarm
TO ascertain what meant the ominoui
dialogue which she overheard.
n Her frantic.shrieks her sad prostra
lions on the bleeding corpse; her precip
!, iiate fight from The apartment and rap
id circuit around the house the glimpse
! which she had of the muffled ASSASSIN
outside; his qaick retreat; the inlatua
ton which led 10 his arrest; the tale
|, which he invented TO burden another
} and innocent person with the crime; The
| doubts which Swallowed all The accu
Stations, for term the mystery which
extended beyond the event 10 its causes
! and agents, and fhe nature of the eM
dence adduced in .court--all constitute
body Of circumstances equal in rarity aDt
interest 10 most Of the terrific excesses
Of malignant vice, by the recital o.
which the human heart has been tlugl
the extremity OF its weakness and dan
ger. But the example goes further
the moral isnot confided 10 the bucherl
of one offender, and the conhctiof
Of another The violent death Nc the
impenitent woman--whelher agailst he
J will, by the reckless fury Of To, mis-
creant whom she had goaded 81 long
and steadily TO the crime Of assssina