Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-08-06

our paper OF last week, short account Of the ex-
ecution Of five gamblers at vicksburg, Mississip.
pr, to appeass the vengeance Of an Infatuated po-
pulace. We give to-day, what appears to be an
official defence of the transaction, by those enga
ged in IT. The light in which the participators
in this unwarrantable business have placed them
selves, is, according 10 their own version Of the
affair, far from being justifable, or favorable
one but, unjustifable as it is, we had hoped,
that the account which they gave Of the procee'
dings was impartial and strictly correct. The
Louisiana Advertiser Of the 18th, gives what it
says may be relied on as an authentic account Of
the affair, which presents it in a light revolving
and odous in the extreme. 1t appears according
to the Advertiser, that some difficulty occurre d
al the dinner on the 4th Of July, between Mr..
Fisher who belonged to Volunteer Company
and Mr.. Cobler, which from words soon pro-
ceded to blows, when Cobler having drawn a
knife upon his opponent, the company interfered
in favor of Fisher, seized Cobler, bound him to
a tree, and gave him 300 lashes Not being sa
tisied with this, they .tarred and feathered him,
upon which he entreated them TO shoot him ra-
Their than disgrace him, and implored them not
to let the tar fall into his eyes, when one ofthem
struck him across the eyes with stick, after
which they released him and babe him quit
the city in "a hours. The next day the Compa-
ny went forth to pull down and destroy every
thing belonging TO the gamblers-to tar and fea-
Their any who might oppose them Some of the
citizens wished TO protect their property but des
paired of doing so, when they saw the terrible
recklessness of the Volunteers. One of the gam.
blers. however, had determined to stay and pro-
tect himself in house belonging to Mr.. North.
To effect this he had fastened the doors, which,
exchanged, by which Doct Bodily was killed
on the spot, and one Of the inmates of the house
named Colum was so badly wounded as to be
insensible to the subsequent punishment of hang
ing which was inflicted upon his body Three
more individuals, Mr. Smith, a Mr., Mccall,
and bar keeper called Dutch Bill, were also
taken in the house. North who had previously
left the house and was endeayoring to escape,
was taken about mile from the city and brought
back, his hands were then tied behind him and
he was obliged to walk with the rest, who were
similarly bound having ropes about their necks.
which were often jerked so violently as to choke
them! In this manner the unfortunate individuals
wer conductedto the scaffold s executed Such
ahorrib!e appearance did these men present that
the passers by were moved 10 tears, some of
whom endeavored 10 interfere but were threatened
W it'll similar pun ishment if they did not desist
The same fate was threatened TO any person W no
should attempt to cut the bodies down before the
expiration of "a hours. The wife Of one of the
uiferers begged permission 10 bury the body Of
her murdered husband, which was refused, s. she
with her fathcrless child, was compelled 10 flee
the place in an open skiif, for her safety AT
ter hanging "a hours, the bodies were cut down
and thrown together into a hole near the gallows
without codins or any thing of the kind, save
one who was put into box. These unfortunate
men, when going to the gallows claimed the
rights CT American citzens--of trial by jury,
which was refused them During their march
10 the gallows, the black musicians were order
ed to strike up and drown with the fife and drum,
the voices ofthe suppiicants, and Mr.. Riddle,
cashier of the Planters Bank, ordered them 10
strike up and play ankee doodle, while they
were preparing TO ,snch number of their fellow
beings into eternity
Such is the Substance Of the account given as
authentic, by the Advertiser. The account is
one Of thrilling interest, as it represents in bold
relief the situation of country in which all the
energies of the law, are inadequate TO sustain it.
sell, against the brutal fury of a mob. 1t presents
to the view, the state of things which ever exist,
whe the supremacy of the laws is trodden uu.
der foot, by reckless and ungovernabe populace.
The execution of these unfortunate men, in the
above manner, whatever may have been their
crimes, should cover with disgrace, every indi.
vidual concerned in this lawless and unwar-
rantable affair. In saying this, we do not wish
to be understood as giving countenance 10 gam.
blers, in any way or form whatever far from
it, But we would sooner see ten gamblers go
unpublished, than TO see the laws of the country
thrown away, and the fury Of mob instituted in
their stead. That these gamblers richly deser.
ved punishment, there was probably no doubt
out 'hey had guaranteed to them by the spirit
and letter OF our laws, right TO a fair and i'm
partial trial-to trial by jury. and an attempt
10 adopt any other mode of trial, or of furnishing
them without such trial, must, from the nature of
things, render the punishers far more worthy of
punishment, than the punished
oHIo AND MIcHiGAN.-The troubles between
these two States, which lately were thought to
have been adjusted, for the present at least an.
pear to have broken out again, with increased
violence On Saturday. the 18th of July, pos
Sc the inhabitants of Monroe county, Mich.
gam headed by the sheriff of the county. entered