The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-08-20
TAUNTON, Aug. Z.

FOR TIE niSl Ntne IN my lie, nave ms Huy
Witnessed the private execution OF Il malefactor-
one Ben amn Cummings convicted last May OF
the murder Of Asa Clark, jr., on the I'D DAY
Of October, 1888, under the following crcum-
stances
Cummings for many years past has been
bosterous, dissipoted fellow; and was once seht.o
the state prison for slabbing and wounding one
Perry whom he suspected OF making lhihlli'r
advances to his wife. This sentence placed
brand upon his character which he took no
pains to efiace after his release from prison; nut
returned TO his former dissolulc course OIL ne;
and in Aug. 1888, Asa Clark, sen., constable CD
tanned Il warrant against him as common
drunkard, but instead Of serving 1t, KEPT IL s's-
pended over him, az terrorem, 10 make INN DC
of cool behavior Cummings knew the war
rant was out against him, and frequently threat
ened TO resist the service Mt all hazards, either
with club, an axe, or knife. whichever might
be at hand ut the time Clark, or any other OH =
Ger approached him. On the night oil october
23-the night the younger Clark was Killed
CUMMINGS went home TO his residence, ut Slab
bridge Frcetown, intoxicated, with some diss-
peated cronies, and began to quarrel with his
wife, and drove her from his house Something
dropped from some Of the party, which led the
wife to suppose that Cummings meant TO attack
Clark's house. After this Cummings went mp
the road towards his brothers house, and when
passing his moher-inlaw's, threw some stones
at it. The elder Clark then called in the assist
ance of his son Asa, and some others for the
purpose Of arrestng Cummings on his return
towards his home. They lay in ambush near
Clark's house, and on Cummings return about
half past ten, young Clark and one Rogers
approached to seize him, old Clark having in
the mean time snapped his gun ut him, once or
twice without effect The first actual attack
was made Ivy young Clark, who felled him, and
then both Clark and Rodgers got down upon
him to secure him. A desperate struggle en-
on getting up, Clark found himself cut in the alb
Gomen and mortally wound ed.
While the hope of Il pardon remained to de-
ude him, Cummings was rather suen and dis
inclined TO conversation about his case, and quite
averse the Introduction Of religious topics, but
after he was notified of the rrevocablc decision
of the executive, he became more open, APP
proachable and communicative about the affray,
and about his spiritual welfare. To deputy
sheriff Porter, and other gentlemen, he uniform
ly asserted his innocence of having made any
stab at Clark; and he became deeply interested
in the conversation aud celebrations Of the Rev
Mr. Bigelow, pastor Of the Unitarian Society,
who visited him daily. Yesterday afternoon,
he took leave of his wife, but exhibited no de-
cided evidence of penitence for his general
course of conduct, or reconciliation 10 his fate:
but in the evening, Mr. Bigelow succeeded in
making him fully sensible of his true situation,
yet lie still insisted upon his innocence OF the
crime of which he had been convicted.
The gallows was raised in vacant space,
made by the stone stairway, two stories high, at
the inner end of the arch whiting the prison.
One side OF it was braced against his own cell,
aud he could hear every word spoken about II,
and every blow struck upon it, The deadly
fixture being completed, Mr. Blgelow entered
upon the final religious exercises with Cum
mings, who was deeply affected, by the pastors
earnest appeals to his conscience and faith. At
ter the closing prayer, Cummings said he for
81, ,.xr,n hnI
llolatio Leonard, sEsq. Sheriff, then read the
warrant for his execution, and he was led TO the
drop, three feet from the door of his cell, and
pinioned In reply 10 question by the sheriff.
he adhered firmly to his declaration of limo
cence-the cap was drawn over his face, and
in another moment he ceased to exist Nothing
could appear more free from pain than his I'M
timely exit. There was eighteen persons pres
ent.
do not feel free to express any opinion rs
to the truth of Cummings declaration of limo
| cencc. ! have known the condemned TO make
| ella Ell breast al the last moment; and L have
known others to tell unqualified lies, when sim
| iarly situated
Miraculous EscApE-.4 Child rescued from
q Panther!-Last Saturday forenoon, MIR james
Ranney and wife who live about 70 miles east
ofthis village, in the town of Watson left home
on business, leaving their house in charge o.
their oldest child,a girl aged about IL years
| Near noon the girl heard the infant, aged l4
months, which had been laid while asleep OH
a bed in an adjoining bed room, utter horrid
screech, upon which she Immediately ran to it:
relief, and imagine her feelings upon opening
the door to see the panther with the babe in
its mouth Ieaping from an open window inime-
diately over the bed But she, like true heroine
sprang upon the bed and out of the window
screaming at the height of her voice and upon
being joined 10y the other children about the
house pursued the panther at her utmost speed
They followed it about forty rods to a pair OF
bars which separated tho clearing from the for
est. at which place the girl states that she ap,
preached 10 within Is or 20 feet of the panther
when it relinquished It's bold of the child
Iennf The hnrs and Ii,nHe its into 1unolS