The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-11-30

three, and at Harn6en's at quarterto four O'Clock
The Case of John &. Colt-The ExtraOrdina-
ry scenes connected with his Last Hours
and Death.
The extraordinary development made by our
High Sheriff TO the Common Council on Monday
night, OF the attempt made to bribe him with $1,000
not to hang Colt for the murder of Adams, the par
tIculars OF which published yesterday, has IN
creased to an alarming extent the excitement which
prevailed IN this city on the subject since the
extraordinary suicide of the murderer and the firing
OF the prison III which he was confined.
There Is but one feeling in this city the subject
and 1t is that full and thorough investigation lin
every sense of the word) of the whole matter be
made by the proper authorities. And in order TO a
right understanding of the affair let us briefly detail
the marvellousy singular circumstances that have
attended this man from his sentence TO his suicide.
II viii be remembered that the strange proceed
ings The trial of Colt, as published and comment
ed on by us, were denounced by the English papers
as fabulous; and indeed they formed the basis on
which the abusive article in the Foreign Quarterly
Review was founded. The scenes connected with
the trial and conviction of Colt were the burthen of
that article. Now, let us review the scenes that
have TRANSFERRED since, which, to our English readers
will certainly appear entirely fabulous, and without
the slightest foundation in truth
The extraordinary murder OF Adams, the equally
strange trial of Colt, his conviction, the scenes
the Court room, and around the Park and City Hail.
the supendous efforts made by his counsel TO pro-
cure new trial, the refusal of the three
Judges OF the Supreme Court and of the
Chancellor TO grant a writ of error, and the pow
eTiul struggle between the law and Colts influ-
entail and wealthy friends for supremacy. down
70 the day OF his sentence, are all wildly fresh in
the recoectlons of our readers Up TO the hour that
Judge Kent sentenced Colt it is very certain that
both himself and his friends felt confident that he
would obtain a new trial. When the day of his
sentencing at last arrived and the question of new
trial became matter OF doubt, then commenced
contest between the power and majesty of the law
on one SIDE, and wealth and influence, and troops of
powerful friends, on the other, that for cunning,
skill, management, desperation, recklessness, and
the terrible and mighty energies OF despair, has
never had parallel IN this or any other land, and
we trust in God never will again.
The contest commenced by Colt in person,
in the Court room before Judge Kent, at the time
that the Judge proceeded to pass sentence of death
upon him. From that hour till the awful one in
which he rushed unbidden into the presence of his
Maker every conceivable engine appears TO have
been employed to effect his escape from the awful
doom of The murderer. Legal ingenuiy-all the
quirks and bubbles of the aw-letters of enreaty
and remoustrance TO the Public Prosecutor, the
Judge, the Governor, the Sheriff; and when these
failed, letters threatening personal violence-per.
haps deafh-o these parties, in case of refusal-he
subsidzlng OF at least two newspapers, and the at
tempt to influence others, to publish article after
article calculated to influence the Governor, and
turn public sympathy in favor of the condemned
cne-petition upon petition, which men " ere hired
to traverse the city with, and get signatures
public meeting of the Bar of this cty--the passage
of resolutions and their presentation TO the Govern
or-appeal upon appeal, and protest upon protest. to
the Executive to commute, pardon, or grant ii new
trial TO Colt-bribe upon bride to the deputy keep
OF the city prison, the Deputy Sheriff, and even
the High Sheriff hims"li-a legal Cor rather e-
gaD protest to the Sheriff, threatening to hold him
responsible if he dared to execute the sentence of
the law upon the prisoner-appeal of the Sheriff's
own counsel and own brother to the Governor for a
respite, commuatlon, or new tria-the conveying of
weapons OF destruction to the prisoner and the offica
negligence which looked and allowed this
instruments of death, more than two three, scis
sors, penknile, poison and the dagger-the hoping
against hope, and the death-sruggling personal APP
peas to the Sheriff at the last hour-and finally, as
de7ue resort and terrible denounent TO this ter
rife tragedy, the firing OF the City Prison, and the
suicide OF the condemned, in order to evade the
penalty of the law, and laugh justice to scorn
throughout the length and breadth of the land
All these circumstances formed succession of
scenes, and fearful finale, that will long live in the
recollections eff the people of this city. Let us
calmly and briefly review them.
When called up to be sentenced for the MURDER
and asked what he had to say, he with desperate
energy first abused, and then defed the laws, beard
ed the Judge the bench, and cody said, in effect
that under similar circumstances he should do the
same thing again. He went back to prison,
and thence commenced his general TRADE, in the
shape of letters through one of the newspapers. In
these he endeavored to show that he was right and
every else wrong-Court, Jury, Judges
Governor, the press, and indeed all and every one
who did not defend him. Still, he did not think
that he would have to die so There was the
appeal TO the Chancellor for a writ of error that
failed Then the meeting in the Park, and the
appeal to the Governor-that failed. Then the other
countless efforts to influence the Executive-all OF
which failed Still he had hopes-the effect of
brides The first attempt was on the Deputy-keep-
ers Of the Prison with about $1,000 each, and the
promise gilmore. This failed through the integrity
oiCol Jones, the principal keeper, who put him in
IRONS The time was drawing awfully nearer-stil
he sent not for the clergyman, DR.. Anthon-he still
had hopes. The Monday arrived Immediately
previous TO the Friday on which he was to die
The sheriff slept in, took charge of him gave
receipt for his body to COL jones' knocked of his
irons, and put him in charge of two of his deputies
Vutee and Green. Then he had but 96 hours to
live, and then the clergyman, DR.. Anthem, first
commenced his spiritual exercises with him. He
was apparently Indifferent, penitent, ohdurate. and