Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-09-16
EXECUTION OF JOHN n. JONES.
Lrncuruna. va Aug. 10

nucs leading sRtO teFn, ail haAtcning win "a
PIE ste,e and anxious countenanees, 10 the
f.f.ast or death" At a very .ea.ly hour in
che morning., the crowd began 10 Rssembia in
tbe nsigh5orhoed Of the jail, whish is At q
considerable distance from tho business part
of town; and by 10 o'clock, they presented TO
she eve a dense ana compact mass, made up
of all colors, sexes and ages, some on foot,
Others on horseback, and othcFs elevated 90
the summits Of the several enclosures in front,
End ct the wings Of ths prison. There they
remained. unsheltaEed from the burning rays
Of an almost vertical sun, and apparently
upeoRscious, certainly regardless Of its iuteu-
tlty, until about half asst twelve, s~tralaing
t!e.r eyes % their utalost tension TO catch a
Gampsec OF the unfortunate victim ofthe isg, IA
hc should emergs from tEs gloomy cell in
which, for the last Is moaths, he has been
incarcerated-and daring all which time, wa
IRE assured by the Jailor, he has conducted
himself With great PFopricty.
At length. tho tIpioe OF Curiosity" of the
immense multitude was gratijed. Preceded
h. the officers OF ~jcslee, and followed by she
ministers Of cur holy Religion, The prisoner
came forth, handsomely dressedin blue broad
fi0lh. Hs c0unteAaace betrayed 80 symp
tom Of fear or anxiety, but Tas as calm and
uarufled as though he had been released
from his dungeon only TO be reunited to his
friends and to society. His step, too, was
firm and slastia-and his movements were
free and unconstrained Having ascended
the cart and taken his seat, the procession,
preceded by Capt Noryell's company of Ar
tillery and Capt. Ayres' company OF s.iile
Grays, moved forward TO the place Of cxecu-
Son, situated about halfa mile from the Jail,
in a rayine surrounded by slight eminencss.
Here, also, a vast crowd had collected, and
- xyOo xa.1LA - ls{4Aaxlgw. 4Ink H. ,,u1-.I
mass could be broken, SO as 10 open a passage
TO the gal!ows. The prisoner was aceenapa-
MED ia tho cart by the Rev. Charles Gala
way, Of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the
Rev. William |. Hslcombo, Of the Associa-
ted Meth9dlsts, and the Rsv. e. l.. Russtl,
of the Second Presbyterian..
About half after 4 O'Clock, the Rev. Mr..
Galloway commenced the religious service u
sual on such occasions, by singing and pray
ing; and afterwards in compliance with q
special request OF The prisoner, he preached
al animated, feeling, and appropriate ser
mon. He was followed by DR.. Holcombe, in
pathetic exhortation, which drew tears from
many eyes, "aibsis unusual 10 the melting
mood" His exhortation was followed by
singing a hymn, aud by an earnest. prayer TO
the Throne of Grace, in behalf, not only Of
him who stood on the threshold Of eternity,
Ub0ut l9 idHiCn EiS DATk On t11t VAST ana IN
tried ocean, s'unseen by mortal eye" but al
SO of the crowd of spectators who stood a
round, gazing, some with indifference, 9th
ers with q heartless leyity. but the majority
with evident interest, on the thrilling scene
before them.
The religious services concluded, the pri-
soner shook hands with the Rev. Clergy, and
with many of his old acquaintance, who
pressed around the cart for the purpose Of
bidding him a last farewell, and then taking
hs seat, appeared 10 be deeply absorbed for
afew moments, 10 prayer TO the Father of
Spirits. About 8 o'closk, he signifed TO the
Town Sergeant his readiness for the last act
OF the affecting tragedy. His hands and feet
were then, as Is customary, tied together.
the former behind hia, and the rope adjust
ed to the transverse beam of the g~sllews;
when, with a eainlness, equalled only by his
frmness, he pulled of his shoes, stripped off
his coat, partially anbuttoned his vest, and
unfastened the collar of his shirt-and then
with an uashaken step, mounted the seatio!d.
While The cap was being prepared, to con-
cesl his face when the agony Of death should
Convaiss his features, he was engaged with
uplifted eyes, and with great earncstness, in
audible prayer, which continued until his WIS.,
age was almost eatlrely hidden from view.
AS an Instance OF his calm, heroic iordtude,
we Easy relate = circumstance which now
took place. Tbs Sergeant had turned off,
for the purpose OF letting the drop fall,
when jones called to him, and with a maa-
ner and a tone whica one would have US
ed under the most Indifferent circ amstan,
ees, asked hin TO draw the cap lower, so as
10 conceal his mouth more etIectually | Eve
ny thing being now ready, the drop fell, AND
the rope brOks! GA the instant, a rush was
made by the spectators towards the spot
where the poor fellow lay, but they were
soon checked; and, after a few moments,
Jones was again raised on bis feet A chair
was handed 10 him, in which he sat down,
drew the cap from his face, mot a muscle OF
which. nor even its color was changed and
asked for a drink Of water, which, having
drank, the rope was again adjusted; and al
though his feet and hands were tied, he re-
assembled the scaffold WITH very little assis-
lance. A minute more elspsed-the drop
again fsll-and Jones ceased to exist Ae
struggled scarcely an instant. The only evi-
denees Of mortal agony which we beheld,
(snd we were within a few feet efhim,0 were
exhibited from two TO seven minutes aser he
had been suspended, in the tvitchiags and
contractions of his chest and legs, and the
quiyering of bis feet. We learn that his meek
was not broken, and he was therefore per
mitted to hang within q few minutes of an
hour. When his body was cat down, it was
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