Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-06-09
From the Dublin Weekly Herald Of April IL.
DEATH PUNISHMENTS.

-
Since we last took up our pen on this
subject, In recent publication, two more
human beings have been violently put to
death before assembled "Reminiscences
we not say, murdered! for both died pros
testing their innocence and, for our part,
we are SO we'll convinced of the number
less doubts attending crcumslanttal evil
dence, as to believe the declaration Of
diving men, rather than any train of cir
cumstantial evidence, however clear
The case of Josiah Mister, executed al
Shrewsbury, does not seem to admit a
doubt as to his not being the guilty man.
He left a letter after him, full of internal
evidence Of his innocence. His conduct
Throughout, (says the Shropshire Consero.
atire,) has been exemplary, and his CON-
1 posure this morning, Gust before his exc
cution,) surprising. He looked better
than for some days previous, and evinced
no fear at his approaching awful fate
At the drop he said freely forgive the
Jury Again, says our contemporary,
The prisoner throughout eyinced no bra
vado, but was firm, as though conscious
innocence and firm trust in Gods mer-
(cy had nerved him for the dreadful trial.
The turkeys, who attended him night
and dav, have no reason to doubt but that
he is innocent. And, finally, our con-
tem porary concluded in these words, in
which we heartily concur, and adopt
them as our own: We are now satisfied
in our own mind of the convict's inno-
cence. Let others, if they please, rail al
the dead, and still pronounce him guilty.
ESolemnly, we ask, on whose head rests
) the blood of this man2 It tests some.
where
The other case is that of Matthew
! Fowles, executed at Stafford on the Sc
instant. We believe his conviction restet
! entirely on circumstantial evidence also
Just before entering upon the service o
e the communion, The Rev. r. Buckridg,
! addressed the prisoner Ia the following
$ terms: IL charge you, as in the presenc
: of Almighty God, in whose presence 70,
t will shortly appear, did you, or did yol
$ not participate in the murder of that un
il happy woman? The prisoner, in firm
e but low tone Of voice, replied, No, Sir
: On repeating the question in a form {
q words TO prevent any evasion, he unhes
t itatingly replied, Il never knew a wor
) at all about it until was taken into Gu
e tody' He made similar declarations tire
Is times after-the last time after the rop
OF had been placed round his neck, adding
a at the last moment, It's hard to die, a
n innocent man, for this thing The chal
lie lain then said, You still assert YOUR i
" nocence;;' to which he replied, es, Sill
I'D A few seconds after, and all was over
he The fitting conclusion of the account i
i : A fellow was detected by one OF Il
o. Stafford police picking PERSONS peck
" in the crowd ..
p Our attention has been particularly a
$ tracted by the number Of times in Whic
us questions were put to Fowles, as to whet
'e. er he aoas or aeas not guilty. For Of
own part, we can see little but cruelty
thus tormenting dying man. If he wi
innocent, his saying SO once was SUI
- cient-if guilty, it was only heaping gu
{ upon his head. Besides, we think fro
le the way in which the Rev. chaplain p
ne the question, he was almost bound to b
90 lieve his answer.
~ The following is the account given |
a the correspondent of The Times, as reear,
= the moral effect of this revolving TRACED
~ After, and indeed before the body
ol Mister was cut down, a great number
:, the lower description of public houses
u the town was crammed with inmates, ar
p drunkenness appeared 10 be the order
nc the day. At late period, he roads
s s the neighborhood were crowded with pc
y, sons carousing and enjoying themselve
80 as if returning from the sports of a rae
u course the awful scene they had so ofte
=. Witnessed being rather a subject of merI
= observation than solemn reflection ar
" awful warning. j.
!. - Such are the two last capital punis
~ = mentsl Two men, publicly executed
u the presence of thousands, protesting the
$ innocencel Is it not, we solemnly as
: time that such a mode of justice {did Y
!. call it0 were put an END TO Their j
:. nocence may yet be proved beyond
Y doubt; but if SO, they are far beyond Il
IS reach of receiving recompense for Il
T. injury done them.