Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-15

From the COOperStolcn, ~. Y. Journal Dec 81.
/ The Erecpti0n.-Fhc sentence of the law was
carried into effect upon the person of Levi Kelly,
Tor the murder OF Abraham SPafiord, on Friday last
! at z O'Clock u. NJ. The weather, during the pre-
ccdng day and night, had been teinpestuous ana en-
the morning of Friday the rain fell in torrents; yet
our village was throngcd with men, women and
children, before IL O'clock NJ; at about which
time the military, composed OF Captain Ciark's
company OF cavalry, Captain Bourne's corps Of
artillery, Captain Comsocl'S and Captain Dixon's
companies OF militia, were formed into hollow
square, under the direction of Captain Comstock
and Quarter hlaster Sabin, as Marshals and
marched to the gaol from which the convict was
taken by sheriff Hiser, apparently in very feeble
state OF health, and placed upon bead in sleigh
drawn by his own horses. He was dressed in
his usual apparel The sleigh, with two others, in
which were the Rev MIR. Smith, ana the Rev
MIR. Potter, entered the hollow square, and the
whole mass moved to the ground fixed upon for
the place OF execution, situate south of the court
house and not far from the methodist chapel On
arriving at the galloWs, a scene ensucd which
beggars all description A staging of 100 feet in
length and IL in depth, the front being elevated
and the rear feet from the ground erected for the
accommodation OF spectators, and under and upon
which it is computed there were at least 600
parsons, suddenly gave way, and fell with a
tremendous crash. Then came the lamentations
oil the multitude for the safety of their friends and
relatives, and the rush to their relief A scene
so unexpected and horrifying, was eminentIy cal
Suitttu " dusOTD every Olncr teeIIIln, and
semblage OF more than 1000 persons seemed for
the instant cnchained in their tracks Efforts az
reiiet were promptly made, and a number of
bodies were drawn from under the fallen timbers in
state OF total nsensibility. Among them the bo
dy oil MIR. Elisha c. Tracy, engraVeT Of this Village
the upper part Of whose face was crushed i'm more
than an inch--life was wholly exiting. An elderly
man, resident at Richfeld, named Daniel Williams
mad ms leg and arm broken; nd died about o'clock
4. M. Mrs. Patten, wife Of Mir David Paten OF
OtsemO had limb frocfrlrpd cfA
Jacob Nj PlatncT, OF this village, had herlcg broke
and body much bruised Twenty or thirty other
persons, among whom is young man from SPRING
iIcld, named Stanard were severely hurt. So soon
as the high excitement of this calaitous event had
IN some degree subsidized, b. the asccrtainnent of
the injuries received and the removal of the dead
and wounded from the ground, the Convict was Ia
ken from the sleigh and assisted 70 ascend the gall
lows, and upon The rope being noosed around his
neck by the sheriff, and his soul commended 10 the
Inercy OF God IN short prayer from the Rev. MIR.
Smith, IN which he appeared to participate the
drop fell, and after few slight tyvitchinrs of his
iiIn0s, his body hung for thirty minutes, nonu-
rncnt OF the vengeance Of the law for the wrongful
taking the life OF a sensible being, in the violence
OF passion Upon cutting the rope and letting down
the body, it was committed to the care Of his rela-
tves for christian burial.
Thus ended a scene, n similarity to which we
nope and pray may never again be Witnessed in
THIS county. These public executions always brine
with them more less disasters; and, besides thew
are SO demoralzins r their tendency, that there
heeas 70 be some other statutory provision on the
subject And We trust that the Legislature Of lbi,
state, which convenes tomorrow, viii not rise un
I'll Che subject is well reviewed and a remedy pro-
vidod
Mr.. Tracy, whose sudden death is above noticed
by the disastrous falling Of Of the staging wa d0
years ofage, and has lett a wife and live children
who were wholly dependent upon his mechanical
labor for their support. Mr.. Williams was an old
and inhrIn man. Some Of The others, that were
wounded lie in dangerous si,uadons--hopes are
however, entertained ofthe recovery Of al of them
FROM OLUMBIA.-Accounts from ATsr,os-
10 state that terrible EARTHQUAKE was felt at
/ BOGOIA, and its neighborhooi, on the tgfb ~
nov which left half ofthc houses Of the city inin-
habiiablc and injured all the churchc, but one 4,
continued for more han 24 hours. The Danish b-jr