Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-10-06
From the Boston Palladium, 29th.
EXECUTION OFJOHN FRANCIS
KNAPP.

the hours Of and l0yesterday morn
ing. We mentioned in our last that the
brothers, j. F. and j. J. Knapp, had an
interview on Saturday evening. The
Salem Gazette states that "they both re-
quested it Of the gaoier, and were indul-
ged. He conducted Joseph from his
cell Tin the third story of the PRISON. to
the condemned cell Of Frank OH the low
er floor. They spent some time to-
gether. 1t was the first time they
had met since they were carried into
Court together to be arraigncd, about
two months ago. Frank was calm and
firm: Joseph is wasted and feeble in bo-
dy, and appears miserable and broken
down in body and spirit, having little
appetite for food and enjoying little
rest, and with difficulty uttering articu-
late words. To the question from Jo-
seph, whether Frank was really as well
as he appeared to be, Frank replied,
ayes, | can sleep as sound now on the
soft side of plank as / ever could"
On Monday they were indulged with a
mother sad interview-thcir last in this
world They bade each other last
FarepeH, under such circumstances as
must give poignancy to pain and sharp
ness to agnOy."
The Transcript Of last evening gives
the following particulars relating to the
execution, derived from an aged and re-
spectacle citizen who left Salem yester-
day forenoon:-
"He was present in the Jail when the
Prisoner was brought out from his cell,
and witnessed the execution. lie in
formed us that Knapp came out, lean
ing upon the arm of Bishop Griswold-I
that he was pinioned in the entry-that
he walked with steady step and ascend
ed the gallows with firmness-He left
the Jail at half past o'clock, and was
launccd into eternity in ten minutes after
wards.-There was no apparent signal
made by the prisoner;h ibis elbows were pin
ioned to his sides, so as to permit him to
reach his neckcloth with his hands, the drop
| Ifell-he grasped his cravat with strong
convulsive motion, and died instantly.
'It is not known that he made any
confession.-He was asked by the Bsh-
op ifhe wished to address the spectators,
and he answered "that he was afraid he
should not have sufficient frmness." Our
informant adds that not muscle of his
face changed even for moment; that
his countenance appeared as fresh as if
he had been imprisoned only for one day.
He breakfasted with much composure.
Last evening he ate his supper as usual,
and about | o'clock at night told one of
the under keepers that he was hungry
and asked for food, it was brought him,
he ate it with good appetite, and fell "a
sleep in about ID minutes afterwards. He
woke this morning at half past 4 o'clock,
but cvinced no signs of extraordinary
distress, nor displayed any consciousness
of his perious circumstances. Prayers
were offered in his cell before leaving
it, and no exertions were spared by the
worthy Bishop to bring him to a sense of
his situation.
"Our informant is fast verging upon
his eightieth year, but says that in the
whole course of his life, during which
time he had been called upon to witness
innumerable executions, he never saw n
prisoner, who during the whole scene
displayed 80 much coolncss, self-posses-
sion and frmness. After he left the
Jail he was not heard to utter syllable
to any person near him."
In addition to the above particulars,
we will state, that Knapp, on the evening
previous to his execution, signed, IN the
presence of witnesses, n statement which
he had drawn up relating to the testimo-
ny given, on his trial, by the Rev. MIR.
Coleman. The statement impugns MIR:
Coleman's veracitY, and was intended
by Knapp to be made public. lie wish
cd to make oath to it, but several magis-
trates, who were called upon, declined
the office of administering it. 1t is also
said that there are fewpersons who place
credit in the statement. Knapp also gave
to the Rev. DIR. Flint some sealed pa
pcrs, relating to the conspiracy and muir
der, with the injunction that they should
not be opened till after the trial of the
other persons accused A third paper,
but of what purport we do not know,
Knapp committed to the care of Mr..
lsantoul, jr.
Knapp said nothing while upon the
scaIlold, and his calmness and iortitude
never forsook him for moment. He
was detained but ten or fifteen minutes.
Ills department though composed, was
devoid of levity or cflrontery. The mo-
ment before the cap was drawn over his
face, he lifted up his eyes and took one
wide, rapid, and last view of sky, earth
and waters. Between four and five thou
sand persons were present cas- amateurs"
s., among them we are sorry to ay,werc
many females. The body Of Knapp was
given to his friends; and it was Inferred