Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-11-26

a crime black that which brought upon him
the fate he so desperately sough, to shun.
Preparations for his execution were made at an
early hour in the morning. A messenger had
gone to Albany with an application to the Chan.
ccllor to review bis decision and allow a writ of
error; by the morning boat he returned with the
following decisive letter addressed to the Sheriff
"ALBASr, Nov. II, 1s42,
"DEAH SIn I heard the question upon the wri,
OF error IN Colts case argued at great length at
New-fork, and came to the deliberate determine.
ton that there was none Of them of which there
was any room to doubt you will see from my
written opinion, which left in the hands of Colts
counsel when left New. York, and which is now
published in The Argus of this morning. You will
therefore see that it is Of my power to violate my
oath Of office hy allowing writ of error in the case
even ifihe application was now regularly before me
on an application upon notice TO the Attorney Cen
eral. Neither would the allowance Of the writ
stay the execution Of the sentence as could not
certify that there probable cause for staying
the proceedings, and the Governor would not in
terfere without such certificate.
81 have never heard any lawyer, except the
counsel 70! the prisoner, express any doubt to the
legality Of the consiction before the Court which
tried him. Nor have been able to find any men,
ber of he Court of Errors who should have voted
to reverse the judgment on the ground of the or
ganization of the Court. 1t is perfectly natural
that the friends ofthis unhappy man should endea.
vor, if possible, to stay his execution bu, their
anxiety TO preserve his life cannot excuse tho Off.
GERS Of justice in making the laws bend to their
wishes: although the course which has been pur-
sued in this has placed not only those officers
hut the Governor in the most painful and trying
situations. The prisoners counsel had the right
to apply to the Chancellor, the three Justices of the
Supreme Court, or to any of the eight Circuit JuIg
es for the allowance of writ Of error and if any
ore of those twelve officers had any doubts to the
legality of the conviction, be would Of course have
allowed the writ They have tried four or five,
AMI have failed and if they were satisfied with
that, they should have applied to others; but not
ask those who have fully examined the subject and
have doubt, to violate their du'y by acting a.
gainst their conscience.
"iours with great respect.
b. HYDE WALWORTH.
J. Z. HARr, ESQ"
Coli was eng ged nearly all nigh, in writing
reply to the letter of Governor SEWARD. whirh il
i. SAID he ordered to he left sealed until his child
should I've old enough to understand it. He
under the of Deputy SherifIs Vulree and Green.
aul N md eal nj
received brief visit from his brother. The gal
lows was erected in the centre Of the area. 1t
the same one used at the execution of Robinson in
New. Jersey, and bore upon it marks Of twelve
strokes of that hachet, which never falls but il
sends to eternity a human soul. II consisted sim
ply Of two upright posts, and one tra'ersely placed,
with a rope over pully-one end being attached
To a heavy weight, and the other being formed in.
to 4 moose. At II o'clock DR.. Anthon in company
with Samuel Colt, visited his CELL and made prepa-
ra,ions for his marriage with Miss Henshaw which
soon after performed in presence of Samuel
Colt, David Graham. Robert Emmett, Justice Mcr.
nit, the Sheriff, and j. II. Payne After ihcil
marriage they left alone for nearly an hour
At half pas, IL Dudley Sellen went into his cell
and at Colt took cup of coffee with his wife.
His brother Samuel soon after arrived and en-
tered his cell He was still engaged in earnest con
versaton with his wife, who sitting on the
foot of the bed, convulsed and in tears. At Colt
request John Howard Payne and Lewis Gaylor
Clarke then went into his cell to take their leave
him. Colt appeared exceedingly pleased to Sc
them; shook them cordially hy the hand, and cor
versed with apparent cheeifuncss with them fc
five minutes, when they babe him farewell, both
them in tears. Colts brother Samuel and hi
wife remained IN the cell about ten minutes longer
when both left His brother was deeply affected
and looked more ghastly even than Colt himself
His wife could scarcely support herself, violen
were her feelings She stood at the door of tn.
cell for minute--Colt kissed her passionately-
strained her To his hosom and watched her rccedini
form as she passed into the couidor.-Hrre sh,
stood and sbhed cnnvulsively as though her h,aT
would break, Tor five minutes. At last she was /,
away by Colts brother, and his friends followed.
He then desired To the Sheriff who went in
to his cell Colt then told him emphatcslly tina,
he was innocent Of the murder of Adams and ina,
he never intended to kill him; he also told him
that he still had hopes that something would inter.
vene to save him from heing hung, and begged him
not to execute the sentence Of he law upon him.
! The Sheriff told him to banish all hopes of that
kind, tor he must die at -four O'Clock He then re.
quested u see the Sherh7s watch, and set his own