Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-07-12
EyECUTION OF PORTER.

A correspondent Of the Doylcstown pal In,elli-
Eoncer gives the following striking description OF
the execution of Porter la one Of the most Jackson
quarters of Philadelphia list congressional district)
where ia 1898, almost every toast was in honor Of
tho Hero, we do observe in the proceedings of
tho Anniversary just passed, single toast given to
him personally
Extract from Letter to the Editor. dated
"Phiiadeiphid, July I'd, 1880.
"Thc execution of Porter, the mail robber, which
took place this morning, drew together an unprecc-
dented concourse Of people, hundreds Of whom came
from up and down the river, and from ell adjacent
places in the country--upwsrds of three hundred
persons from Baltimore alone, many from
Salem, and crowds from the neighboring villages
II was estimated by competent judges, that not less
than so 900 individuals we're witnesses to the horrd
spectacle Among this dense mars OF human BEINGS
least three four thousand cop,ea and girls were
10 be seen all waiting with inicnse anxiety in hot
sun. the completion Of the tragedy.
"'rhe city, since the pardon Of Wilson
known, was filled with runors of an attempt being
intended TO Porter from the Cnllows by his
friends the Irish population. In consequence Of
these reports, several companies of volunteers. and
q corps OF the Marines were called in reQuiston, and
the former accompanied him to the gallows, where
they joined by the latter. The dissatisfaction of
the Irish vented in strong language, at Porter's
beng selected from three the only object of
gcance But, if any attempt To arrest the execution
of the law seriously iinended the array of bayo
nets which bristed up around the gaows. was sufi-
oeDt to repel it IN its infancy. No attempt was
made, and the most entire good order observed
throughout the PAINFUL but certainly necessary scene
Porter declared his intention to die like a man
and he did So He fairly down the prison steps,
jumped over the gutter with light step. and mount
ing the cart with great cheerfuness, sat dotcn upon
his coffin with an mir far removed from that of
whose heart was daunted. He went up the ladder
to the fatal drop with firm step, and looked round
him from the awful height with unblenchng front.
Strange, that in the very jaws of death-deliberste
and horrd death-the soul of man can support it
self! The prop which supported the drop which
Porter stood was knocked away by disguised hang
man. and the life OF this unhappy man WIS closed
in this world forever
"The gsllows was made too low and the cuprit
fell nearly ont of view Of the crowd. stood within
few feet Of him, and the most minute par,icu-
lars. HIS feet not tied together contrary gen
neral practice He did not struggle much, but fell
apparently dead on the instant Still could discov-
or The horrible contortons of the dreadful pungs of
so appalling exit The cap was drawn down snly
his nose, thus exposing al the lower of his
face. saw the horrid agonies Of suffocaton play
round h's mouth and mount up in his face-the deep,
dreadful. unImaginable pangs of the poor helpless
body-the gaspng in vain for breath-the strong but
Intellectual efforts. Of the hands 10 reach the fatal
rope and mitigate its killing horrors-the dropping Of
the impotent members in agonised and helpless
despair-with all the shocking, terrible commissions
of the body violently robbed OF its immortal tenant
a quarter of an hour had elapsed, and the heart of
the wretched being had not ceased to beat. A
strong convulsive heaving of the breast percep.
tible--but it nov lasted only few moments longer
lit the last awful soul-appalling effort OF cXpi-
ring nature and all sensation either of fear pain,
had ceased with the life OF the convict.
1.-The murmurs of the dcnse crowd were freely
expressed against the President for pardonng Wilson
without extending mercy to Porter. They denoun-
ced Jackson IN oaths and execratons. declared he
should have their votes sgsin, and expressed
greet at having ever voted for him The same feel
ing is universally entertained Throughout the city.
Every body excsins against this most extraordinary
pardon, and calls upon the President to know his
sons The true reason is this; when Wilson
rested, q pledge vas given thsti he would confess
he should not be hanged. Poteet was afterwards
without any good received the government,
witness. when Wilson's evidence would have been
quite conclusive his; still this does not Justify
the pardon, because Wilson not convicted on hi,
corfeasions, but Potec y erdence.
w Anthony Robinson, r first Teller, was on Sat.
urday appointed Cashier of the Bank If Virginia, in
place of VIM. cambridge, Esq. resigned-and VIVA
Beverly Dsbney, Esq. first Peler, in Mr. Robinsont
place.
Catharine Haywood, the white charged
with the murder of Lucy Johnson free mulattogirl
was tried before the Superior Court Saturday -
The Jury aftor n short consultation. brought in yer
dict Of voluntary manslaughter, and assessed he
torn Of imprisonment in the Penitentiary 10 years
Pbose who attended the trial generally anticipated
such verdict.
SsUenty.s sir veterans Of the revolution rode in tn
procession at Providence on the fifth. Among then
were the csptor Of Prescott, the hero of Red Bank
and three Of the "Gsspee Boys" The Grafton dev
cred in the Baptist Church by Mr.. Henry Fowler
was listened with absorbed attention, and is spoken
Of as extraordinary production The orator is We
quite young man. The thirteenth regular toes
piven at the dinner was '1'hc mex Chief Magistrate
Of the United States-Henry CLAY! Such natio
merits such President" The Orator had said
"Let the name Of Henry Clay he heard from boy on
the mountains The voice of Rhode Island will 70
spond TO the call" The expression of feeling whe
the toast given, proved unequiyocully that sue
will be the case.
phe Fayetteville Observer, copies somo Of tn
Disunon paragraphs Of the Georgetown lntcllgen
Ger, with these remarks:
with respect to the last sentence Of the first par
ngraph, we have only tn shy, that the "hand Of VIC
lence upon $. Carolina would be resisted by Nortl