Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-02-08

not fit to die = and that She did not know
what would have become of him if he had
succeeded = that be repen;ed of his sins
and feared his repentance was 100 late
Now take man of the strongest mind and
iron nerves = put him in irons and tell him
he has but ten minutes TO live; and see if he
will cot magnify his petty sins into crimes,
and exclaim, be is not fit TO die. What
then should we not expect from the extreme
agitation of youth OF Is under like cir
cumslances Would it be strange if he
had the least consciousness Of what he
was sayins2 Hang man on such confess
ions as these. forsooih!
/ The unoffending Small, whose name does
not even appear on Spencer's list - unless
il be Andrews which Spencer tell Nc
kenzie is an alias for some other person,
and erculpdtes Small n his diving mo-
menls. Isay that Small has never admitted
his guilt unless you retain the word 1rould'
which think he nerer used for the word
had which he he probably did use. He
evidently alludes 10 what he had before said
he had done while going in Guineaman.
never killed man, but only said | had
done it. Going in Guineaman bro't me
TO this Small had, probably, before this,
boosted (when among his mates telling 10
each other their great explots) of his hav-
] Ing killed man perhaps a negro while
on board a SLAYER; when in fact he had
nerer done any such thing = but only in
tended i! for harmless boast of his cour-
age. This confession, too, be it remembered,
| depends upon the recollection merely, dur
ing the hurry and hustle attending the sud
den execution of three men; and is Of all
evidence the least to be relied on, especially
when mans life is at stake upon it. Tie
alteration of one short word, as in the fore
going case, substituting taeouLd' for had
entirely changes the meaning.
Small, at another time, in answer TO Nc
Kennels harangue about his duly and
'lhe flag Of his country exclaims, right,
| God bless that flag and prosper IT, but
nouhere acknowledges he is guilty of mu-
| tiny.
have few words to say concerning The
relative position of the party Obtaining and
the prisoners giriHg these confessions Me
KenZie had determined in his own mind
evidence or no evidence blow high or
low to hang these three men. He is we'll
aware OF the want of sufficient evidence
against lhem-that he may need it when he
now look at his management TO obtain H.
First, he decides the prisoners shall be hung
Then, after sentence, without any intima
ton TO the prisoners Of the fate that awaited
tells them their doom is sealed only ten
minutes to ire.l And, during these ten
minutes, be is actively employed in draw
ing out confessions of their guilt--which if
be had obtained TO his satisfaction, he never
would have prolonged the time 10 IN hour |!
J Suppose jury, without evidence, should
convict a man Of murder. And during his
last moments should try to draw some con-
fession from him TO justify their verdict
I What opinion would be formed of such a
jury?
The confession Of McKenzie's three vic
Tins do do not come through interested
witnesses merely, bat from interested par
ties-parlies who are liable TO be placed on
trial for their conduct and who were deep
" ly anxious TO draw out something 10 paiii.
a ale their bloody deed During most of the
time Mckenzie was alone with the prison.
}. ers, and part Of The time his Lieutenant wa:
alone with them. What motive and objec
think you the commander had in being Sc
: earnestly engaged alone with his helples,
!, victims during the few minutes he ha,
i granted them to live2 What think you wa,
| his soliloquv on this occasion2
,, "Sturs hide your fires
S Let not light see my black desires"
i, Ir Spencer, Small and Cromwell coul,
\ be raised from the dead and stand in th
Il witness box, think you they would disclose
ID any such conversation as reported OF then
,e by Mckenzie 2 All no. They would q
- tale unfoldn that would cause the blood 1
l. curde tie hair 10 stand erect!! " Ga hor
OF rors head, horrors accumulate "!!! Nc
I'd Kenzie might stand aghast when they DIS
re closed what he concealed and dedHcte
he wha, be added 10 those pretended confess
he ons!! But this may never be on earli
ed Mckenzie has, for his own security, place
On double guard against any such disclosure
n by acting on the safe principle that, " ded
- an on foH no TI,IpeD