The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1844-01-15
From The Baltimore Sun
EXECUTION OF HORN.

This event which has been looked to for weeks
past as the consummation Of the penalty due 10 the
commission Of one Of the most atrocious murders
that ever blurred the character Of humanity trans.
PRED in accordance with the law, at exactly % min
utes before 10 O'Clock, meTedIan this day, and was
Witness by not less than thirty thousand people, one
eighth Of whom we're females. The excitement from
an early hour in the morning until the execution
took place. continued 10 grow more and more intense,
and was only relieved at length by the awful scene
which required to be enacted, for the satisfac-
lion Of the fearfully violated laws. BY l0i o'clock
the various streets leading towards the jail began TO
present very uniform appearance of the tendency Of
passengers that way, even before that hour hun
dreds Of persons occupied various positions stood
grou, ed in conversation within the immense circle
commanding view Of the Jail. The gallows was
erected in the northwest angle of the yard the upper
beam being not less than fourteen feet above the e.
vel of the top Of the wall Itcoud be distinctly seen
from many points in the central part the city and the
whole execution was witnessed from several windows
Of the court house. As the hour approached the
ways to the prison became thronged with parties WHO
had quilted their ayoc ,tions and were Fastening TO
the scene ond the number of strange faces, indca-
tive of vsiters from the surrounding country drawn
hither by curiosity ressless from the startling cha
r9cler Of the maefactor's crimes was immensely
great The city poured out its thousands and the
merchant, the clerk, the lawyer and divine the in
dustrous mechanic with the soil Of his labor upon his
hands, the pa faced and sedentary student, the
wanion, hoyden boys and girls, the morasi and the
jester, the serious and the profane swelled up the
motley multitude to an oceanic flood. "Such Is hui
man nature" we moralized and paused, for we our
selves had wended our way 10 the spot, but found
ready excuse 10 an imperative duty requiring us to
present the details Of this days doings the eyes Of
the mutudnous mass spread out before our gaze -
But there no promptngs Of Dionysian curiosity
within ourselves, we asked We could not analyse
the feelings with sufficient care TO obtain satisfac-
tory response. Human nature, however cultivated,
is human nature still.
The view from the top Of the jail was Of the most
interesting kind, presenting a dioramic-piciure of
the most diversified character 1t is possible to
ceve. Immediately below, the gaunt object which
lifted its skeleton form into the cold air, stood peer
ing the wall upon the vast beyond, it.
self the centre for myriad eyes. Around and about
IT. conversing in subducd tones, were those who had
obtained, by privilege solicitation admission with
in the walls, the busy forms of those Immediately en-
gagged and interested in the approaching catastrophe
occasionally passing 10 and fro Beyond, the great
interiacent plain, which bad in the morning been a
white field Of snow, was now throngcd with an al.
most compact mass Of people, occupying both the
hther and thither side Of the Falls. The elevations
upon tbs north and the bsnky heights Of Howsrd'
woods opposite upon the west afforded facilities &c